Leaders & Notable People
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Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America
"At a time when the meaning of America is up for grabs, Cody Keenan's new book chronicles ten days that tested us and ultimately showed us at our best. It's a captivating story about what's worth fighting for, an antidote to cynicism that will make you believe again."-President Barack Obama, via Twitter
From Barack Obama's chief speechwriter Cody Keenan, a spellbinding account of the ten most dramatic days of the presidency, when a hate-fueled massacre and looming Supreme Court decisions put the character of our country on the line, and a president's words could bring the nation together or tear it apart.
A white supremacist shooting and an astonishing act of forgiveness. A national reckoning with race and the Confederate flag. The fate of marriage equality and the Affordable Care Act. GRACE is the propulsive story of ten days in June 2015, when Obama and his chief speechwriter Cody Keenan composed a series of high-stakes speeches to meet a succession of stunning developments.
Through behind-the-scenes moments-from Obama's suggestion that Keenan pour a drink, listen to some Miles Davis, and "find the silences," to the president's late-night writing sessions in the First Family's residence-Keenan takes us inside the craft of speechwriting at the highest level for the most demanding of bosses, the relentlessly poetic and perfectionist Barack Obama. GRACE also delivers a fascinating portrait of White House insiders like Ben Rhodes, Valerie Jarrett, Jen Psaki, and the speechwriting team responsible for pulling it all off during a furious, historic stretch of the Obama presidency-including a gifted fact-checker who took Keenan's rhetoric to task before taking his hand in marriage. GRACE is the most intimate writing that exists on the rhetorical tightrope our first Black president had to walk, culminating with an unforgettable high point: Obama stunning everybody by taking a deep breath and leading the country in a chorus of "Amazing Grace."
From Barack Obama's chief speechwriter Cody Keenan, a spellbinding account of the ten most dramatic days of the presidency, when a hate-fueled massacre and looming Supreme Court decisions put the character of our country on the line, and a president's words could bring the nation together or tear it apart.
A white supremacist shooting and an astonishing act of forgiveness. A national reckoning with race and the Confederate flag. The fate of marriage equality and the Affordable Care Act. GRACE is the propulsive story of ten days in June 2015, when Obama and his chief speechwriter Cody Keenan composed a series of high-stakes speeches to meet a succession of stunning developments.
Through behind-the-scenes moments-from Obama's suggestion that Keenan pour a drink, listen to some Miles Davis, and "find the silences," to the president's late-night writing sessions in the First Family's residence-Keenan takes us inside the craft of speechwriting at the highest level for the most demanding of bosses, the relentlessly poetic and perfectionist Barack Obama. GRACE also delivers a fascinating portrait of White House insiders like Ben Rhodes, Valerie Jarrett, Jen Psaki, and the speechwriting team responsible for pulling it all off during a furious, historic stretch of the Obama presidency-including a gifted fact-checker who took Keenan's rhetoric to task before taking his hand in marriage. GRACE is the most intimate writing that exists on the rhetorical tightrope our first Black president had to walk, culminating with an unforgettable high point: Obama stunning everybody by taking a deep breath and leading the country in a chorus of "Amazing Grace."
Editorial Reviews
"At a time when the meaning of America is up for grabs, Cody Keenan's new book chronicles ten days that tested us and ultimately showed us at our best. It's a captivating story about what's worth fighting for, an antidote to cynicism that will make you believe again." - President Barack Obama, via Twitter
"Grace is a beautifully written, gripping tale of a monumental week in the life of America. As a political memoir, it is a masterpiece, rendering the White House's characters-including President Barack Obama-in deeply human terms, with unforgettable behind-the-scenes accounts of how history was made. But in Grace, Cody Keenan does something even deeper by opening up the chilling rise of white supremacism, delving into the horrific costs of racial injustice in America, and showing how-with courage, decency, and a rich, expansive form of patriotism-our better angels can prevail." - Samantha Power, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Problem from Hell and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
"Grace is an exuberant love letter to public service and a beautifully written record of how a President and his speechwriter faced down the darkest demons of American identity to offer a better, truer story of who we can be. At a time when cynicism and apathy endanger democracy, Cody Keenan lets us all experience how it felt to be in the room and reminds us of the things that are worth fighting for." - Ben Rhodes, author of The World As It Is
"Cody Keenan's Grace, like the speeches he wrote with President Obama, is a compelling force. People of faith will know the "grace" of which Cody and Obama speak; political and history buffs will appreciate the look inside these tragic, triumphant moments; and all Americans will be moved to tears of sorrow and joy through Cody's retelling. Grace is what's needed in our country right now, and Keenan's Grace is likewise a needed, essential read." - Joshua DuBois, spiritual advisor to President Obama and author of The President's Devotional
"Cody Keenan has the heart of a novelist, the agile mind ...
"Grace is a beautifully written, gripping tale of a monumental week in the life of America. As a political memoir, it is a masterpiece, rendering the White House's characters-including President Barack Obama-in deeply human terms, with unforgettable behind-the-scenes accounts of how history was made. But in Grace, Cody Keenan does something even deeper by opening up the chilling rise of white supremacism, delving into the horrific costs of racial injustice in America, and showing how-with courage, decency, and a rich, expansive form of patriotism-our better angels can prevail." - Samantha Power, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Problem from Hell and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
"Grace is an exuberant love letter to public service and a beautifully written record of how a President and his speechwriter faced down the darkest demons of American identity to offer a better, truer story of who we can be. At a time when cynicism and apathy endanger democracy, Cody Keenan lets us all experience how it felt to be in the room and reminds us of the things that are worth fighting for." - Ben Rhodes, author of The World As It Is
"Cody Keenan's Grace, like the speeches he wrote with President Obama, is a compelling force. People of faith will know the "grace" of which Cody and Obama speak; political and history buffs will appreciate the look inside these tragic, triumphant moments; and all Americans will be moved to tears of sorrow and joy through Cody's retelling. Grace is what's needed in our country right now, and Keenan's Grace is likewise a needed, essential read." - Joshua DuBois, spiritual advisor to President Obama and author of The President's Devotional
"Cody Keenan has the heart of a novelist, the agile mind ...
Readers Top Reviews
JessicaMLaino
Cody Keenan & Kal Penn spoke last night to kick off the book tour for GRACE. It was a riveting conversation about both of their experiences in the Obama Administration, the state of politics, and the issues that transcend political party lines and land at human rights. GRACE pulls you right into 10 high-octane days in June '15. A white supremacist shooting, a national reckoning with race & the confederate flag. The state of marriage equality & the Affordable Care Act. It tugs at your heartstrings. You'll feel a pit in your stomach and a desire for inclusive change, inclusive action. It's also a fabulous book on leadership, managing teams, and speechwriting from the POV of author Cody Keenan, Obama's former speechwriter.
C.Y. Yin (Santa M
I purchased the Kindle edition of this book three days ago (10/5/22, for $9.99 with the tagline on the cover, "Editor's Choice". As I opened the book a day later, I found out that all the punctuation marks, with the exception of the period, were replaced with some strange characters. When I went on the Amazon site last night and the first thing I noticed was that the price of the Kindle edition had gone up to $15.99 and the tagline changed to "Best Seller". Plus, the punctuation marks on the sample page were all intact. When I contacted Amazon's Customer Service this morning regarding this odd problem in my Kindle edition, I was told that I had to contact the author myself (Yes, those were the exact words from the rep.!) When I indicated that I didn't want a refund but a replacement, my request was denied. So I was in essence left in the cold with the $9.99 refund, which was quickly issued and the book immediately disappeared from my iPad. So, I received a defective book in Kindle edition and was refused a replacement, unless, I suppose, I have to pay the jacked-up price.
KMC.Y. Yin (Santa
Halfway through this read and can’t put it down. Soothing words, poetic writing, and everything I need to renew my hope the future of America.
Andrew DunnKMC.Y.
It’s rare that you can go through a book in a single setting. This is one of those. American politics can feel hopeless. This book gave me hope.
J. SlaterAndrew D
I’m really looking forward to digging into this book and am excited. However, it should be made clear that the audio version does NOT sync to the Kindle version. A technical publishing disappointment for what I expect to be an excellent book!
