In Our Time : Speeches that Shaped the Modern World

In Our Time brings together 40 of the most memorable, eloquent and influential speeches since 1945.

From stark warnings against the threat of totalitarianism to celebrations of independence long fought for, and from rallying-calls for political change to passionate defences of moral principle, Hywel Williams's choice of speeches is richly eclectic in scope.

This is an anthology with many voices: dictators and democrats, liberals and conservatives, nationalists and internationalists, soldiers and peace-makers, popes and presidents.

The oratorical skills of some of the greatest political figures of the late 20th and early 21st centuries are on eloquent display here: Churchill and de Gaulle, Kennedy and King, Nehru and Nasser, Mandela and Mao, Thatcher and Blair, Clinton and Obama.

Each speech is accompanied by a biography of the speaker, a concise introduction setting it in historical context, and a brief account of its impact and consequences. Both inspiring and thought-provoking, Great Speeches of our Time offers a unique and fascinating perspective on world history since 1945.