Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History (edited by William Safire) will provide you with hours of speechwriting inspiration.
Every serious speaker should own a speech anthology, and Lend Me Your Ears is arguably the best.
This article is one of a series of public speaking book reviews from Six Minutes.
On December 7th, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japanese forces.
The next day, Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed the United States Congress with his memorable “a date which will live in infamy” speech.
This speech had two purposes:
In this speech analysis article, we focus on Roosevelt’s choice of words to see how they helped communicate his message. Then, from these choices, we extract 5 key speech writing lessons for you.
This is the latest in a series of speech critiques here on Six Minutes.
[…] an iron curtain has descended across the continent.
On March 5, 1946, at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, Winston Churchill delivered one of his most famous speeches. Though he was not the first to use the phrase “iron curtain”, this speech brought the phrase into common usage and is thought by some to mark the beginning of the Cold War.
In Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History, William Safire writes:
This is a Beethoven symphony of a speech. […] this is the most Churchillian of Churchill’s speeches.
This speech analysis article examines how to use charisma tactics in speech writing. It is the latest in a series of speech critiques here on Six Minutes.
Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is one of the most famous, most quoted, and most recited speeches of all time. It is also one of the shortest among its peers at just 10 sentences.
In this article, we examine five key lessons which you can learn from Lincoln’s speech and apply to your own speeches.
This is the latest in a series of speech critiques here on Six Minutes.
Yesterday morning, I ran five miles on the treadmill. I greeted my waking wife and daughter with a hug. I enjoyed a delicious inauguration breakfast omelette. I checked email. And then I glued myself to the living room chair to watch what I believed would be the greatest speech of my life.
I wasn’t alone. All around the world, people were doing the same (well, except for the 5 mile run).
Many were expecting, hoping, and praying for the greatest speech of all time.
And was it? That is a question that is answered in the heart of each individual. It is the subject for endless water-cooler discussions. It is the topic for debate among thousands of journalists and public speaking experts.
Yesterday, I wrote about 5 speechwriting lessons we can all learn from President Obama’s speech (including the speech video and text).
Today, just as on election night and for the Republican and Democratic conventions, I’ve compiled a very small sample of the speech critiques, analysis, and opinions of Barack Obama’s Inaugural Speech. May the debate continue.
Some will argue that Barack Obama’s Inauguration speech was not his most electric speech, or that it failed to deliver on unreasonably high expectations.
Nonetheless, studying the speech provides five key speechwriting lessons that can help us all be better communicators.
This article is the latest in a series of video speech critiques which help you analyze and learn from excellent speeches.
“I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most memorable speeches of all time.
It is worthy of lengthy study as we can all learn speechwriting skills from King’s historic masterpiece.
This article is the latest in a series of video speech critiques which help you analyze and learn from excellent speeches.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008. History was made.
The immediate impact is tremendous, etched on the faces of millions as they watched the results and listened to the speeches. The longer-term impact has yet to be written.
While we can’t accurately predict the next four years, we can assess the speeches from election night. Both Barack Obama and John McCain received praise for their performances.
Watch the speeches, and then read the analysis from many sources.
Last week, we examined speech critiques of Barack Obama and others at the Democratic Convention 2008.
This week, it was the Republicans’ turn at the microphone with the whole world watching.
One by one, they spoke — John McCain, Sarah Palin, Rudy Giuliani, Joe Lieberman, Fred Thompson, Tom Ridge, and Cindy McCain.
One by one, they were critiqued — by Nick Morgan, John Watkis, Garr Reynolds, Bert Decker, and Denise Graveline.
The 2008 Democratic Convention was an oratory feast.
One by one, they spoke — Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Maya Soetero-Ng, Jesse Jackson Jr., and Ted Kennedy.
One by one, they were critiqued — by Nick Morgan, John Watkis, Bert Decker, Denise Graveline, Terry Gault.
This article is a collection of speech videos and numerous speech critiques from public speaking experts.
Watch, listen, and learn from their strengths and weaknesses. Enjoy!
Republicans? John McCain, Sarah Palin, and the 2008 Republican convention speakers are critiqued here.
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