Nonfiction

Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten History

Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten History

  • Downloads：5373
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2022-05-11 17:21:42
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Jeff Nussbaum
  • ISBN：B088DR1DHT
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Reviews

Justin ，

This is a remarkable book that sheds light on some of the most important events in history and how they could have gone differently。 It is rigorously researched but extremely accessible （and funny at times） as it highlights the personal stories behind momentous events， humanizing all involved。 The “undelivered” speeches， many never published before， are fascinating and at times shocking。 It is an extremely relevant read right now， and a reminder how fragile the world can be and of the need for e This is a remarkable book that sheds light on some of the most important events in history and how they could have gone differently。 It is rigorously researched but extremely accessible （and funny at times） as it highlights the personal stories behind momentous events， humanizing all involved。 The “undelivered” speeches， many never published before， are fascinating and at times shocking。 It is an extremely relevant read right now， and a reminder how fragile the world can be and of the need for eloquence in the chaos of today’s rhetoric。 Must-read for anyone interested in history or writing。 。。。more

Cristina ，

This was an ARC。 Great book I highly recommended， even for those who don't often stray into the nonfiction section。 This was an ARC。 Great book I highly recommended， even for those who don't often stray into the nonfiction section。 。。。more

Gail Siqueiros ，

Excellent book which was well written。

Nancy ，

I received a free advance copy of Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches that Would Have Rewritten History by Jeff Nussbaum in a Goodreads Giveaway for an honest opinion。 Mr。 Nussbaum is an experienced speechwriter and is currently a senior speechwriter for President Joe Biden。 The book was well written and easy to follow。 There is a nice variety of topics， some of which are well known and others more obscure。 From the title of the book， I assumed that it would contain primary source documents， t I received a free advance copy of Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches that Would Have Rewritten History by Jeff Nussbaum in a Goodreads Giveaway for an honest opinion。 Mr。 Nussbaum is an experienced speechwriter and is currently a senior speechwriter for President Joe Biden。 The book was well written and easy to follow。 There is a nice variety of topics， some of which are well known and others more obscure。 From the title of the book， I assumed that it would contain primary source documents， that is entire speeches。 However， most of the book consists of the author’s opinions regarding the events surrounding the speeches。 I would have preferred the entire speeches and drafts so that I can form my own opinions。 However， some of the speeches or parts are in the Appendix。 Several photocopies of actual speeches appear， but in chapter seven， for example， there are three pages of President Ford’s speech on one page making the text so small that it is impossible to read the words。 I understand that sometimes advance copies do not have the same formatting as the final product， so it is possible that will be corrected。 Chapter ten was the most interesting on President Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis。 I had never read about the reaction of the former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara to a statement at a conference to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the crisis。 In chapter seven， while the potential bankruptcy of New York City in 1975 was the main topic， the discussion of essential services is relevant to the similar issue during the Covid-19 pandemic。 And speaking of history repeating itself， chapter six deals with Edward VIII， another British royal who marries an American woman。 Anyone who remembers President Kennedy’s assassination probably knows that he was scheduled to give a speech at the Dallas Trade Mart， but never made it there。 His speech is included in a section with the last speeches never given of other famous people。 If you read the book， check out the Acknowledgments section where the author expresses his gratitude to his mother and father。 It is perfect！ 。。。more

RF ，

I'm receiving a copy of this book to donate to the Women's Prison Book Project。 I am sure the readers will appreciate it。 Thanks for getting me a copy！ I'm receiving a copy of this book to donate to the Women's Prison Book Project。 I am sure the readers will appreciate it。 Thanks for getting me a copy！ 。。。more

AliceC09 ，

3。5 stars rounded up。 I received a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway。 This book is well written and well organized。 It covers a range of different types of speeches from a host of different individuals （though perhaps unsurprisingly most are political in nature）。 The author does a good job of providing the historical context necessary to appreciate the debates and discussions surrounding the undelivered speech。 The author also provides interesting commentary on speech writing in genera 3。5 stars rounded up。 I received a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway。 This book is well written and well organized。 It covers a range of different types of speeches from a host of different individuals （though perhaps unsurprisingly most are political in nature）。 The author does a good job of providing the historical context necessary to appreciate the debates and discussions surrounding the undelivered speech。 The author also provides interesting commentary on speech writing in general， but does not let that get in the way of telling the story of these speeches。 Some chapters were more interesting than others， but that comes down to personal preference。 I do wish that the appendix provided the full transcript of all the undelivered speeches highlighted in the book。 While I appreciate that many/most are broken down and discussed in chunks in the given chapter， I still would have liked the whole speech printed uninterrupted in the appendix。 That said， overall， I enjoyed this book。 。。。more

Erin ，

I am by no means a history buff， but I really took an interest in this book and the way in which it was written。 Not only was I able to learn more about important historical events， but the author did a great job of incorporating other experiences and events into the text to make the story flow。 I would definitely recommend this read if you are a speechwriter or are interested in politics。

M。 ，

It was a good read。

Marina Gaston ，

2022 04 01 - Looking forward to diving in。 Always give 5 stars when I add a new book to my collection on first impressions and update rating when I finish reading it。Thank you Flatiron and Goodreads Giveaways for my ARC。

Kendra ，

A book full of speeches that while written， went undelivered。 This is always a popular kind of what-if game especially among armchair historians， and now you can read some of the more recent entries in the genre。 The author's extensive context and analysis is generally too much and often dull， but I'm sure everyone knowns someone will will find this interesting。 A book full of speeches that while written， went undelivered。 This is always a popular kind of what-if game especially among armchair historians， and now you can read some of the more recent entries in the genre。 The author's extensive context and analysis is generally too much and often dull， but I'm sure everyone knowns someone will will find this interesting。 。。。more

Charles Kenny ，

I received an advanced copy of this book and hugely enjoyed it。 Nussbaum is a White House speechwriter with decades in the game， so it is no surprise he’s a good writer。 That background also means he can pepper his stories of speeches written but not delivered with anecdotes and lessons of experience。 The discussions of the speeches themselves are fascinating。 From the terrifying （even more so in retrospect） Kennedy speech on bombing and invading Cuba in response to the missile crisis to the hea I received an advanced copy of this book and hugely enjoyed it。 Nussbaum is a White House speechwriter with decades in the game， so it is no surprise he’s a good writer。 That background also means he can pepper his stories of speeches written but not delivered with anecdotes and lessons of experience。 The discussions of the speeches themselves are fascinating。 From the terrifying （even more so in retrospect） Kennedy speech on bombing and invading Cuba in response to the missile crisis to the heart rending （again， perhaps even more so in retrospect） Hillary Clinton victory speech， it is an engaging course in alternate history。 The back story on Lewis’s and MLK’s speeches at the March on Washington and Hirohito’s struggles with apologizing for WWII were gripping， and other chapters gave me some new heroes。 Great stuff。 。。。more