When They Go Low, We Go High: Speeches that shape the world - and why we need them

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A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 'For all those who believe in the politics of principle and hope this a wonderful reminder that they do not always lose. For all those who despair that politics can ever be inspiring again this is a must-read to shake you out of your misery' Paddy Ashdown 'By the people, for the people' 'I have the heart and stomach of a king' 'We shall never surrender' The right words at the right time can shape history. By analysing twenty-five of the greatest speeches ever given - delivered by iconic figures from Elizabeth I to John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama - Philip Collins tells the story of democracy. For it is through the finest words spoken in public that progress unfolds. When They Go Low, We Go High is a passionate defence of the power of public speaking, and an urgent - and timely - reminder of how words can change the world. 'For all those who believe in the politics of principle and hope, this is a wonderful reminder that they do not always lose. For all those who despair that politics can ever be inspiring again, this is a must read to shake you out of your miser' Paddy Ashdown

Philip Collins, now director of the Social Market Foundation, was Head of UK Strategy for an international bank, tutor at Cambridge, and producer at the BBC. He writes for numerous newspapers and magazines and is a frequent contributor to Newsnight and World Service.

'Anyone interested in the past, present and future of speeches and speechwriting will find it a fascinating read. For those of us who like nothing better than to marvel at effective use of an anaphoric tricolon, it's an absolute must.' Spectator 'Wonderfully sharp and well informed' Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday 'It deserves to find a home in many Christmas stockings, in the library of anyone interested in oratory or political theory, and on the odd A-level reading list... he brings to his analyses a deep understanding of the pragmatics of speech-making' Guardian 'Collins... understands intimately the mechanics of rhetoric. He believes that we, as human beings, possess the capacity to extract ourselves from the swamp in which we have sunk. Great speeches, the author suggests, are the solution to Trump' The Times 'Wonderfully sharp and well informed' Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday 'Perfect conference reading' Andrew Marr 'No writer today understands the art of the speech so well as Philip Collins. His brilliant new book is an urgent tour through 2000 years of human history, revealing how the greatest addresses were shaped, while reminding us that politics and politicians still matter, and that when the greatest men and women speak to us, their words have the power to change the world' Dan Jones, bestselling author of The Plantagenets 'An utter gem of a book: Collins takes some of the finest speeches ever made and breathes new life into words you thought you knew well. Whether it's the inaugural addresses of US presidents - or the revolutionary writing of Castro, Pankhurst and Mandela - Collins' deft touch illuminates and contextualises these moments in history with wit and sensitivity - and the conviction that rhetoric may yet be our most powerful tool for changing the world' Emily Maitlis