We Are the Change We Seek: The Speeches of Barack Obama

The most articulate president in my lifetime. Time and again during his presidency, Obama demonstrated how to think about the greater issues that confronted us, by recalling the original goals, purposes, and principles of the country and of its people. Inspirational and uplifting, even when you disagree with what Obama is proposing.

One of the best things about listening to former President Barack Obama speak today is his voice. Unfortunately, it's not on this collection. The speeches are narrated by a very competent voice, but it's just not as invigorating. I haven't returned this yet, but I plan to. There is a collection of speeches by him that I did buy and it's much better to listen to. In addition, if you search you'll find several free speeches by him, though regrettably not the 2004 DNC speech that launched him toward the presidency. But you will find his debates with John McCain and his victory and inaugural speeches. Yes we can again! #DumpTrump2020

Obama is very down to earth and relative to this time. If you missed his message you missed the meaning of the man. We are that change, we the people must be mature in the vision of America and understand our differences are our strengths. We Americans have grown so much, but we are still poor in mind. We are the change that we seek. We simply need to seek goodness in one another, it was a good read to reflect on how to be a better person.

Reading the eloquence, sensitivity, intelligence and poignancy of President Obama's speeches brought me calm and took me back, albeit briefly, to a time when the Presidency was a respectable branch of government.

Let me begin by saying that I appreciate E.J. Dionne's work in the WashPost, his interviews.and commentaries. Now, let me tell you that I have heard most of President Obama's speeches. They possess two essential elements that bring his message "home": the words and how he presents them to us.. As of this day, I must confess that I have only listened for a few minutes...and I did not hear President Obama's actual voice . That diminishes his speech for me. I will re-assess this review by the end of September. What I will do, is continue listening where I left off, and hope his delivery will take over....

The only part he said with reading this book it made him feel like crying as all he had to do was read a few lines and missed this President so very much even before comparing with what is transpiring now .

This is not narrated by Obama which I initially thought was an issue but then realized that this way I could listen to the words and thoughts and not so much his voice. It's an interesting collection = some obvious ones but some chosen for a purpose, not necessarily the best -- enjoying the journey,.

love President Obama, watch many of his speeches

I bought this for a couple relatives and they loved them. It even has his most recent speech.

Bought for myself but gave it as a last minute, appreciated birthday gift. Now I need one for my library.

The most articulate president in my lifetime. Time and again during his presidency, Obama demonstrated how to think about the greater issues that confronted us, by recalling the original goals, purposes, and principles of the country and of its people. Inspirational and uplifting, even when you disagree with what Obama is proposing.

One of the best things about listening to former President Barack Obama speak today is his voice. Unfortunately, it's not on this collection. The speeches are narrated by a very competent voice, but it's just not as invigorating. I haven't returned this yet, but I plan to. There is a collection of speeches by him that I did buy and it's much better to listen to. In addition, if you search you'll find several free speeches by him, though regrettably not the 2004 DNC speech that launched him toward the presidency. But you will find his debates with John McCain and his victory and inaugural speeches. Yes we can again! #DumpTrump2020

Obama is very down to earth and relative to this time. If you missed his message you missed the meaning of the man. We are that change, we the people must be mature in the vision of America and understand our differences are our strengths. We Americans have grown so much, but we are still poor in mind. We are the change that we seek. We simply need to seek goodness in one another, it was a good read to reflect on how to be a better person.

Reading the eloquence, sensitivity, intelligence and poignancy of President Obama's speeches brought me calm and took me back, albeit briefly, to a time when the Presidency was a respectable branch of government.

Let me begin by saying that I appreciate E.J. Dionne's work in the WashPost, his interviews.and commentaries. Now, let me tell you that I have heard most of President Obama's speeches. They possess two essential elements that bring his message "home": the words and how he presents them to us.. As of this day, I must confess that I have only listened for a few minutes...and I did not hear President Obama's actual voice . That diminishes his speech for me. I will re-assess this review by the end of September. What I will do, is continue listening where I left off, and hope his delivery will take over....

The only part he said with reading this book it made him feel like crying as all he had to do was read a few lines and missed this President so very much even before comparing with what is transpiring now .

This is not narrated by Obama which I initially thought was an issue but then realized that this way I could listen to the words and thoughts and not so much his voice. It's an interesting collection = some obvious ones but some chosen for a purpose, not necessarily the best -- enjoying the journey,.

love President Obama, watch many of his speeches

I bought this for a couple relatives and they loved them. It even has his most recent speech.

Bought for myself but gave it as a last minute, appreciated birthday gift. Now I need one for my library.

An inspiring and warm hearted man who speaks eloquently and thoughtfully. We need more leaders like him, not fewer, and we certainly need his like in the US again now.

I love this book. He was the best president of my 61 year lifetime.

Great author and even greater subject.

Best book ever. Great to go back and relive Class over Ass. Excellent service! Book in great “ like new” shape, prompt delivery, would order again!

The rhetoric is inspiring. But the expressions are far more than sound-bites. The speeches demonstrate the development and progression of President Obama's political thought, but all tethered by respect for the individual

can't put it down! Bought multiple copies for gifts! Especially inspiring for college graduates with its wisdom.

Awesome book for anyone interested in President Obama

Great book! Loved to hear them and now to read them I feel is really cool!!

Title says it all, delivered by a one of a kind man! Barack Obama, 44th President of the U.S.

The best speeches since President Kennedy .

My mom loved this book

Father's Day Gift... My husband is jealous because the book is going to his dad.

This is a great book. Highly recommend it.

Great gift idea

Fantastic collection of a great president’s speeches.

I miss President Obama's sensibility, dignity, and class. Thank you Ms. Joy Reid, and Mr. Dionne Jr. Inenjoyed reading, We Are the Change We Seek. Beside the speeches, the contributors gives us what lead to President Obama's speeches, and what was happened. I truly enjoyed reading. After Trump's so called, tax reform. I decided I needed to read something that would give me hope. There are plenty of his speeches. That I wanted to say to Trump, and shake him. Read this, oh yes, he can't read. This is a great book to read to give us, the American people hope. For years to come. While Trump and the Republican Party is still in office. There are his speeches to inspire, to give us hope. Obama was, and still is the best speaker in my life time.

I appreciate this book so much. I appreciate and miss President Obama.

Since I am a fan of president Obama it was wonderful to read the speeches at my leisure. Fantastic!

Nice read

I loved it all - i haven't finish reading it all yet, but it is so great!

Gift for Dad's birthday. He LOVES it!!!

Got it for a friend she loved it

Great

For my historic library

A+

Great Book!

A must read if you are looking for insightful speeches on inequality

Intelligent and caring.

Very well thought out and written!

well done

love it

Great book. Period.

What I have read so far is beautiful.

Well done , a real treasure.

a wonderful addition to our library

Fantastic Book!!

I purchased the book but I haven't gotten a chance to read it yet. However, I purchased the book because it is a part of history and I wanted to have it among my collections.

His many speeches are powerful and moving, a must have for the Obama fan!

Excellent read!! President Obama was such a statesman and to understand the thought process behind his speeches is a really great part of history. This book was very well written and I've recommended it to several of my friends.

This was a great read!

Wonderful and inspiring collection of speeches that will lift your spirits.

Great archive for a great President.

This is an amazing, hopeful, and aspirational book. It is a breath of fresh air in this time of the dystopian and xenophobic world of Donald Trump. It gives renewal to the progressive values of inclusion, acceptance of others, and social justice in practice. It gives the reader the encouragement to look forward to a future full of hope and promise for the American Dream which is presented as entirely possible both right now and for the future.

So eloquent and sincere. Different from the times we are in. It gives me hope.

Just love Obama

Great book!

Inspirational and profound.

Memorable.

good book, beautiful cover

I am enjoying the read.

Wonderful, I did't expect anything less than these two brilliant authors!

made wonderful gifts for graduation and my personal collection

Reading

An excellent read.

excellent read

great

I admire this first family. This is a great book.

great

Amazing book! These speeches are so powerful they still blow me away! Joy and EJ did a fantastic job putting these together. I read them when I feel down to feel inspired. The price on Amazon was half the store price. This item is a must have for all Obama fans.

Excellent read! Pages are irregular on the corners.

Great to have President Obama's speeches in print!

Having to read his exact words

Inspirational speaker. Great to have history in one book

Great Read

What can I say I love this man and his family and wanted nothing more than to have this book to memorialize his greatness for my family for generations to come.

I ordered this for my sister. She is pleased with this purchase and will cherish it for years to come.

Powerful and truth and peace what we need

Made a wonderful gift

Excellent book by an excellent president and a real man.

Great read. This president is so clever.

Tanks Joy Reid for having the fore-thought to g this book out here!

A well-curated collection of President Obama's speeches. Focusing on unity, change, hope, and the pioneering spirit of the American people, the words of the 44th president serve as a salve to heal the bitter division in our country. One speech I would like to have been included is his speech at the 2016 Democratic national convention.

I enjoy everything he writes.

I read this when I need something positive, especially with all that is going on with our politics now!

Good book. Introductions by authors give nice historical and social context.

A VERY NICE READ. I REALLY MISS THIS POTUS....

I always wished I had a book of Dr Martin Luther King, Jrs. Speeches. Having President Obama's speeches is great.

Love anything by Joy Reid!! Great book and love the reflections from our previous President Obama!! I highly recommend this book.

Thanks I want a copy of his speeches, will save for my Grandchildren.

Very well-chosen collection.

I received this item in a timely manner and I look forward in reading it.

Get This BOOK and FULLY READ IT and Pass It On Too Your CHILDREN.

Great book...important to review his speeches from an inspiring president

When you feel the need for intelligent, thoughtful, caring rhetoric, pick up this book.

I'm very happy with this product and the transaction. Thank you.

We gave this as a gift. The recipient was very happy with our choice.

One for the history books. Articulate, humanizing & words of an amazing man

This POTUS was phenomenal and for his speeches to be captured this way is amazing. Too bad it was released before his farewell speech.

Given as a gift and it was much appreciated.

when you need a reminder what a President sounds like or how proud he can make you to be an American, pick up this book.

The order came just as discribed.

What an inspirational collection of speeches! Especially in this present political climate of all the hate and bigotry, this book brings me back to a much happier and inclusive time!!

What an amazing collection! So inspirational and uplifting. I've bought several to hand out as graduation gifts. It's a must for every home library.

Excellent read

Fantastic book loved it so much! Also bought one as a gift!

Great book.

Just really love it. Love both authors and of course I love Obama.

If you love President Obama you will love this book - a must have paperback

Thoughtful, engaging, brilliant, inspirational, and in these times of great political disappointment, a balm for the worried and the weary.

The fact that I have always made it a point to see/hear President Obama speak whenever and where ever he maybe speaking I purchased this book as a way of reading his words. I sincerely enjoy this book and keep it next to my bedside. I would truly recommend it to all. Thank you Joy Reed and E. J. Dionne.

Excellent collection! Thank You Joy

My husband is enjoying it.

Great read for now and history.

Wonderful 😊

Is a great book

Nice to have a collection of President Obama's speeches in a book.

It's a keeper for history! Thanks to E.J. & Joy👌

Excellent!! Joy and E.J. put together a beautiful collection.

Gives hope in a dark time.

I knew this would be a most meaningful publication but even more so now that we live in a nation spinning out of control. Obama's words continue to comfort and inspire.

So miss President Obama and Michelle!

Need to read more consisitently.

So glad I bought this -- reminds me of why I voted for Obama twice and inspires me to remember that hope, however audacious, is always a good choice.

Grateful to have President Obama's words in written form. Thank you Joy Reid and E.J. Dionne Jr.

I must say that I love the audio version of this book because I can listen while I go about my business. That said, the book is well laid as it introduces the reader/listener to Barack Obama, the man, politician and president. After listening to a number of speeches, I begin to found a few common themes listed below: 1. Obama has a deep and rich sense of history and appreciation for America’s uniqueness and diversity 2. Obama is a deep thinker and he’s self-aware of his personal uniqueness and struggles as an American, a Christian and a Democrat 3. His ideas, policy prescription and policy achievements (including legacy, hopefully) are drawn from his understanding of what makes America unique and beautiful in all its ramifications. This is because he’s lived among the communities he served at various levels 4. Is a decent and empathetic politician. He presents a model for how to talk about others, whose ideologies or beliefs we may not share 5. He’s an eternal optimist and ever willing to engage and assimilate new information My hope is that the Democratic Party and anyone hoping to truly serve the people would go back and read/listen to most of the speeches that this material has beautiful cataloged. They might learn how to speak with people all across America with empathy, hope and a healthy cynicism, when necessary. Thanks Joy & EJ for providing a feel-good material that I believe should be in every personal library. I only wish that at least one of the speeches in the audio version would have been as delivered in President Obama’s own voice. This would have made it very special. That’s why I hold back one star.

very good

I bought this for my son for his birthday. He was so touched that he cried. A man of such eloquence and grace who's speeches could light a fire in the most darkest moments.

Dionne and Reid did an excellent job in trimming the speeches of President Obama into this comprehensive edition. This review isn't based on the politics of President Obama, but rather the quality of this book. There are 26 speeches transcribed in this book. It starts with Obama's 2002 anti-Iraq war speech, then his 04 Democratic Convention Keynote Address, and two from his time as a US Senator. The book then moves to his time campaigning for President. Once the book moves to Obama's presidency, we get to read the most obvious speeches given (both inaugurals, the anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, his Nobel Peace Prize Lecture, etc.). But there were a few other choices that weren't necessarily prime-time speeches that I think many would be immediately familiar with, but that did, I think, enhance this book a lot. Remarks about the economy in Osawatomie, KS, the death of Trayvon Martin, two University Commencement addresses, these come to mind. They really give us a great, well-rounded look into the thought process of President Obama, and his administration. This book gives us an in-depth look into his views on everything from the economy, race, religion, foreign policy (diplomacy and war), healthcare, gun violence, political discourse, and the trajectory of America (historical and looking forward). That's all I feel we can ask of a book like this. It was more comprehensive than I would have thought, and I was happy about that. Also, as an aside, it's interesting to look at some of President Obama's remarks either before or during the early stages of his presidency, and to look at what the administration was and wasn't able to accomplish, and also to see the ways in which his rhetoric changed throughout the 14 or so years that the speeches in this book span. For example, a lot of the foreign policy issues discussed early in President/Senator Obama's time on the national political stage translate pretty clearly into the actions him and his administration took later on (Iran Nuclear Deal, normalization of relations with Cuba, UN resolution regarding Israeli settlements in Jerusalem, etc.). And you could do this with economics or really any of the other issues covered. That this book allows us to do so is where the value is.

One of my favorite kindle books

Great collection ! Obama Obama

First I'll admit I haven't ordered book yet, but going to as I admire and have thanks for this President of eloquence and grace as well as long admiration for editors Reid and Dionne. I'm 'fudging' my review as I was startled to come to this site and find extremist trolls who were the only bad reviews! In all my researching reviews of a book, I have never seen them to come from pure political venom rather than constructive critical reading. Sadly, it is a sign of the revival of uneducated racists that were waiting below the radar for many years. It still boggles my simplistic mind to see hate based purely on skin color, and reminds me that hate doesn't come from a rational place but from fear. Just to be helpful here, I recommend Obama's "Dreams From My Father" as indication of his eloquece and passion for human justice, as well as his commitment to working the front lines.

Read the book not bad. Also read the negative comments about the book before purchasing it. It looked like only about two people who actually rad the book other just weighed in on it with there options with out reading.😢sad

Talked alot but never said or did anything.

I gave it 4 stars because the words are the President's. However, I would have preferred a compilation of his exact speeaches where he gave them himself. I'm sure there are all sorts of rules governing these things. It would just have made it perfect. I'll settle for B+++++.

I like having a little bit of history,

Great read

This is a well written book. Former President Barack Obama is an intelligent Black man who gave intelligent speeches. I disagree with the other reviewers who said he didn't write his speeches. Yes, President Obama had speechwriters, HOWEVER, he did contribute to his speeches. President Obama is intelligent, dignified, principled, thoughtful, caring man. He is a loving husband and devoted father. In other words, a well-rounded individual who is the opposite of your current President. The predator in chief is a carnival clown who lies, tweets, insults, cheats and steals. He is the worst president ever. I miss having a sane President in the White House. Barack Obama isn't our President, but he is a leader. He is gone from the White House, but he is not forgotten.

What a great speech and great book to read by Great president of our time. Well written and highly recommend to read it. I hope our future presidents learn something from this book. Getachew Teklu

This book was a gift to a family member. It arrived on time and in fine condition.

A comforting reminder of the adult we had in the White House. Contrasting sharply with the dibble we are subjected to from our current POTUS.

I really disliked the narration of the speeches. It did not bring to life the beautiful words penned on paper. I couldn’t listen to it anymore 😞

Good orator. Rotten President

Was hoping to hear his speeches?

A great and honorable addition to my collection. For the naysayer, keep your pocket change. He's God's child, like we ALL are! Respect gets respect. Best of luck and success to Mr. President !

This must have been amateur hour in a Chicago. What lunitic writes this alinsky stuff?

Not good

This was just delivered today after I ordered it on Amazon Prime Day. I am HIGHLY dissatisfied with it's appearance. The binding on this book is absolutely terrible. Pages do not align and are cut to different widths. The overall appearance is an eyesore. I ordered this book not only to read it's contents but to add it to my personal collection of political materials. Without even turning the first page, there is a very high probability that the book will be returned first thing in the morning based solely on the appearance/condition of the pages.

Boring. Read as dated material. Very much like a history textbook I had in college on European history in the early to mid 20th century. Hated the class then and this book triggered unknown PTSD. If you are into fiction I guess it may not be so bad but as for a reality based history of America it's just a wet used towel.

Would give it a zero if possible

Make America great again, oh, sorry, wrong one. Thank God for President Trump.

It is pretty sad that this book seeks to make this man into something that he really isn't. I am sorry but history needs to speak the truth not the way the liberal media wants him to be remembered.

Not worth reading

garbage

Does't include the annnd.... ummmmms...

Complete garbage.

If my health insurance wasn't so high I could afford his book.

Read it? Hell, I lived it; all 8 pathetic years. I'd rather read a transcription of a bowel resection than be subjected to any more of his doublespeak.

🤢

This was a joke gift from a family member, and as we read some of the speeches aloud we all had a good laugh over the fact that 1. almost all of these speeches were written by someone else, then read off of a teleprompter by Obama, and 2. they were all BS. It would have been much funnier if they hadn't actually wasted the money on the book, but I'm treating it as a good object lesson for the grandkids in critical thinking, the diagnosing of logical fallacies, and the dangers of accepting political speeches at face value. Comparing Obama's "Happy Warrior" remarks about Ted Kennedy with his (Kennedy's) real life is an excellent example, if you'd like to do the same thing and need a place to start. Don't spend the money on the book, though - I'm sure your public library will have multiple copies.

Joker

All of Obama's speeches are inspiring! I really enjoyed reading them all over again.