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Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“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 Obama stunning everybody by taking a deep breath and leading the country in a chorus of “Amazing Grace.”
“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 Obama stunning everybody by taking a deep breath and leading the country in a chorus of “Amazing Grace.”
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2022
About the author
Cody Keenan
5 books59 followersCody Keenan rose from a campaign intern in Chicago and deputy pirate to become chief speechwriter at the White House and Barack Obama’s post-presidential collaborator. He’s been named the "Springsteen" of the Obama White House, even though he can’t play an instrument, and Obama calls him "Hemingway" for reasons that have little to do with his talent or seasonal beard (ask him sometime). Even British GQ once named Cody one of the "35 Coolest Men Under 38 (and a half)," ahead of Ryan Gosling, but behind Tom Hardy.
In truth, Cody is more comfortable behind the scenes, helping to shape the stories of our time. He got his start as a young aide to the legendary senator Edward M. Kennedy before earning a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. A sought-after expert on politics, messaging, and current affairs, he is now a partner at leading speechwriting firm Fenway Strategies and teaches a popular course on political speechwriting to undergraduates at his alma mater Northwestern University.
Born in Wrigleyville, Cody finally got to write his dream speech just four days before Obama left office—one welcoming the World Champion Chicago Cubs to the White House. To his wife Kristen’s enduring embarrassment, their White House courtship was documented on CNN. Today, they live in New York City with their daughter, Grace.
In truth, Cody is more comfortable behind the scenes, helping to shape the stories of our time. He got his start as a young aide to the legendary senator Edward M. Kennedy before earning a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. A sought-after expert on politics, messaging, and current affairs, he is now a partner at leading speechwriting firm Fenway Strategies and teaches a popular course on political speechwriting to undergraduates at his alma mater Northwestern University.
Born in Wrigleyville, Cody finally got to write his dream speech just four days before Obama left office—one welcoming the World Champion Chicago Cubs to the White House. To his wife Kristen’s enduring embarrassment, their White House courtship was documented on CNN. Today, they live in New York City with their daughter, Grace.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 518 reviews
October 23, 2022
Cody Keenan, chief White House speechwriter for Obama, has managed to write a feel-good, gripping, human history/memoir, complete with a tight plot centered around mass killings and other high-stakes events as well as his own story of grappling with imposter syndrome, meeting his wife, and being a privileged white kid working for the nation’s first Black president. This book has everything, and the title Grace reverberates with multiple meanings: it defines Obama’s style, but it also defines this book—Keenan’s humility and awe at the position he finds himself in.
The plot follows ten consecutive days, centered around writing a eulogy of Pastor Clementa Pinckney who was one of the nine victims killed during Bible study at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston, SC. However, concurrently the Supreme Court is making landmark decisions on the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and marriage equality for LGBTQ people. By backtracking to previous events, Keenan skillfully weaves an enormous story of the art of dealing with nuance—the mandate of a speechwriter for the leader of the free world to tell the truth (Keenan’s wife is a take-no-prisoners fact-checker on the staff) and also consider all the different sensitivities, beliefs, and responses of all the different audiences. An impossible tightrope trek that Obama demands and walks himself.
This memoir is an education in the complexity of politics.
But at the heart of everything is Grace. Even the most heinous events have their almost inexplicably divine moments—such as when the survivors of the Charleston, SC, Emanuel AME Church mass shooting confronted the white supremacist killer with mercy. Over and over these acts of our “better angels” take your breath away and remind you what politics, public service, activism, and humanity can be.
The plot follows ten consecutive days, centered around writing a eulogy of Pastor Clementa Pinckney who was one of the nine victims killed during Bible study at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston, SC. However, concurrently the Supreme Court is making landmark decisions on the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and marriage equality for LGBTQ people. By backtracking to previous events, Keenan skillfully weaves an enormous story of the art of dealing with nuance—the mandate of a speechwriter for the leader of the free world to tell the truth (Keenan’s wife is a take-no-prisoners fact-checker on the staff) and also consider all the different sensitivities, beliefs, and responses of all the different audiences. An impossible tightrope trek that Obama demands and walks himself.
This memoir is an education in the complexity of politics.
But at the heart of everything is Grace. Even the most heinous events have their almost inexplicably divine moments—such as when the survivors of the Charleston, SC, Emanuel AME Church mass shooting confronted the white supremacist killer with mercy. Over and over these acts of our “better angels” take your breath away and remind you what politics, public service, activism, and humanity can be.
September 9, 2022
Well, this made me cry multiple times. Grace follows a very interesting and emotional 10 day span during Obama’s presidency through the eyes of his chief speechwriter Cody Keenan. The time that this book focuses on was the period in June 2015 between the horrific mass shooting at a church in Charleston, South Carolina where 9 Black people were killed and the funeral for Clementa Pinckney where Obama delivered the eulogy and sang Amazing Grace. But in that same time period the future of the Affordable Care Act and same-sex marriage were due to be decided by the Supreme Court. Keenan, along with a team of other speechwriters, had to plan multiple speeches for massive events, preparing for any possible outcomes.
I think this book does a great job of showing the behind the scenes of the day to day activities of a presidential speechwriter. But it also excellently shows the emotional toll of having to write speeches for numerous mass shootings and funerals over the years. There’s a sense of having nothing left to say, but then still coming up with an amazing speech nonetheless. Seeing the way that Obama would work with the speechwriters and edit what they had written was really interesting.
The way that Keenan wrote this book almost made it feel like a novel at times, it’s really easy to picture the different scenarios and get caught up in the narrative. Pulling all nighters, only having the title staring back at you from the top of a blank page, sadness and anger, celebratory joy, the White House lit up in rainbow lights. This book has so many moving and relatable moments.
I flew through this in less than a day. Definitely check it out if the subject sounds interesting to you!
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I think this book does a great job of showing the behind the scenes of the day to day activities of a presidential speechwriter. But it also excellently shows the emotional toll of having to write speeches for numerous mass shootings and funerals over the years. There’s a sense of having nothing left to say, but then still coming up with an amazing speech nonetheless. Seeing the way that Obama would work with the speechwriters and edit what they had written was really interesting.
The way that Keenan wrote this book almost made it feel like a novel at times, it’s really easy to picture the different scenarios and get caught up in the narrative. Pulling all nighters, only having the title staring back at you from the top of a blank page, sadness and anger, celebratory joy, the White House lit up in rainbow lights. This book has so many moving and relatable moments.
I flew through this in less than a day. Definitely check it out if the subject sounds interesting to you!
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2022
I started reading this book the day Roe vs. Wade was overturned. It made reading this book even more emotional and devastating. This book focuses on ten days of President Obama’s last term of office through the lens of his chief speechwriter. The three big events that were happening in this ten days were the upholding of the ACA, gay marriage becoming the law of the land and the shooting in Charleston. There is so much hope in this book yet we still have so far to go.
I was provided an advanced copy of this book by the publisher which has not affected my review
I was provided an advanced copy of this book by the publisher which has not affected my review
October 25, 2022
God, I miss him.
October 6, 2022
“And we named her Grace.” 😭😭😭
I loved this. My favorite Obama insider memoir - and I loved how it drilled down into a few days, and built context around that, versus trying to cover the entire timespan. Well done.
I loved this. My favorite Obama insider memoir - and I loved how it drilled down into a few days, and built context around that, versus trying to cover the entire timespan. Well done.
October 27, 2022
If you’ve been following me for any considerable length of time (on Insta), you know that I love politics. I was ecstatic when this book was chosen as the Ashley Spivey October book because it gave me the push to prioritize it. I’m not going to review it really other than to say that I gave it 5 stars (I knew early on that I would). The prose is tight, powerful, and engaging. The fact that SO MANY historical events took place over 10 days boggles my mind. I ugly sobbed throughout the entire epilogue. The. Entire. Epilogue. I loved it. I wish I could personally press this one into all of your hands.
🗳I was reading as Ontario, the province where I live, conducted a municipal election with voting rates of an appalling 36%.
♻️I was reading as leaked documents confirmed that our Premier @fordnation gutted Ontario’s conservation authorities in order to (supposedly) address the housing crisis.
🚫I was reading as my city elected a new Mayor who aims to add more officers to the beat to help address homelessness and community safety issues.
🤬 I was reading as a problematic celebrity spouted hateful anti-Black and antisemitic remarks.
🇮🇷 I was reading as women and girls in Iran continue to face persecution for simply existing.
This extraordinary memoir was not about any of the above issues specifically, but the themes and the threads of each issue are prominent throughout the book.
While this book filled me with immense sadness and immense hope, it mostly made me reflective about how I can continue trying to make a difference where I live.
🗳I was reading as Ontario, the province where I live, conducted a municipal election with voting rates of an appalling 36%.
♻️I was reading as leaked documents confirmed that our Premier @fordnation gutted Ontario’s conservation authorities in order to (supposedly) address the housing crisis.
🚫I was reading as my city elected a new Mayor who aims to add more officers to the beat to help address homelessness and community safety issues.
🤬 I was reading as a problematic celebrity spouted hateful anti-Black and antisemitic remarks.
🇮🇷 I was reading as women and girls in Iran continue to face persecution for simply existing.
This extraordinary memoir was not about any of the above issues specifically, but the themes and the threads of each issue are prominent throughout the book.
While this book filled me with immense sadness and immense hope, it mostly made me reflective about how I can continue trying to make a difference where I live.
March 19, 2023
At a current average rating of 4.59 at this writing, I am glad to see that this book hasn't been subjected to 1-star trolling -- tho probably helps it is from Cody Keenan, head speechwriter for Obama (post Jon Favreau), who I'm guessing a lot of folks don't know -- and shamefully I even have to add my myself to the list! Gladly I can say that has now been corrected and I know his role in what I think will go down as one of the greatest and certainly most memorable presidential speeches - Obama's eulogy for Clementa C. Pinckney, pastor of the Emanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston where the pastor and eight of his parishioners were gunned down by a white supremacist. But backtracking that week (or actually the 10 days of the title) also entailed Supreme Court decisions over the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) and marriage equality -- so as noted in the book, this short time from was some real-life (NBC series) "The West Wing" material.
Going back to the high average rating for this book, I am guessing it is due to folks having the same reaction as I did reading this book. Multiple times I had goosebumps and mistiness in the eyes and it was very personal for me as a gay man with the Supreme Court decision (tho I did get married about 6 months prior to that thanks to a 9th Circuit Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in Arizona where I was living at the time) and also as someone who utilizes the ACA as a self-employed business owner. But even beyond that if you have an ounce of empathy in your soul or if you believe that that proverbial moral arc of the universe bends toward good, I'm guessing this book will move you in the same way. And then on top of that add in the Charleston shooting aspect adding in gun violence and racism -- and this book is a LOT in a very good way, but in a very sad way as well given all that has transpired since Obama left office. (Insert diatribe on the state of politics, the country, the world, etc., etc., etc.).
Keenan has a funny line in the opening pages: "I couldn't, however, say the same about my job. To be a speechwriter for Barack Obama is f&cking terrifying." So it goes without saying (but I will!), that this is a very well-written and extremely informative book about the speechwriting process as well as a fascinating inside look at working in the White House and the personalities (the Obamas, Valerie Jarrett, and Jen Psaki to name a few). For instance, the Charleston eulogy was one that both Obama and Keenan did not want a part of, but again ultimately became one of the great moments in Obama's presidency thanks to the "bones" created by Keenan and the Obama's involvement and spontaneous-ish-ly breaking out in song to "Amazing Grace."
A no-brainer Goodreads' 5 stars on this one for the pure emotion the book elicited even tho I found myself having to put in down for both good and bad/sad reasons, often occurring within 30 seconds of each other (Oh this aspirational, "hope-y change-y" stuff is what the United States of America is all about! Look at things now (sad trombone)!). But yeah, one of those book that I will highly tout to 80% of my friends and family on Facebook and hide the post from the other 20%!
October 9, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for accepting my request to read and review Grace.
Author: Cody Keenan
Published: 10/04/22
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs - Nonfiction (Adults) - Politics
From intern to chief speechwriter for Barack Obama we get the sense and work behind the speeches the president gives. Keenan also explains the reason and the process of fact checking. In addition, he touches on why speechwriters are used.
As a writer, he had to move quickly and several of the ten days he covers are mass shootings. No two speeches can be the same, and they have to be sincere. I was intrigued by the process and how important President Obama took each word. It was impressive.
As Keenan reiterates conversations I could hear Obama's voice. I particularly enjoyed hearing about riding in Air Force One, and the facts on the Presidential motorcade, and the discipline of Obama's diet and alcohol intake.
I thoroughly enjoyed the snippets of stories, on monumental days, I remember living. Hearing President Obama's chats as relayed through Keenan were insightful.
There is profanity.
I would gift this to a student, there is a lot to learn here. It's cleverly written, sincere and heart warming. It's a fast read for smart people.
Author: Cody Keenan
Published: 10/04/22
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs - Nonfiction (Adults) - Politics
From intern to chief speechwriter for Barack Obama we get the sense and work behind the speeches the president gives. Keenan also explains the reason and the process of fact checking. In addition, he touches on why speechwriters are used.
As a writer, he had to move quickly and several of the ten days he covers are mass shootings. No two speeches can be the same, and they have to be sincere. I was intrigued by the process and how important President Obama took each word. It was impressive.
As Keenan reiterates conversations I could hear Obama's voice. I particularly enjoyed hearing about riding in Air Force One, and the facts on the Presidential motorcade, and the discipline of Obama's diet and alcohol intake.
I thoroughly enjoyed the snippets of stories, on monumental days, I remember living. Hearing President Obama's chats as relayed through Keenan were insightful.
There is profanity.
I would gift this to a student, there is a lot to learn here. It's cleverly written, sincere and heart warming. It's a fast read for smart people.
October 15, 2022
i met Cody yesterday and we talked about taylor swift AND the book is very good so 5 stars
June 18, 2022
* I've received an early copy of this book in exchange for a fair review via NetGalley.
Cody Keenan takes the reader along a grueling week-in-the-life of a President's head speechwriter, notably during one the most prolific weeks of the Obama administration. The week of June 17th, 2015 commences with a massacre in a historic Black church in Charleston, leaving 9 dead, sending shockwaves across the nation. Cody struggles to find the words necessary to once again comfort and instill confidence in the American people in the line of the never-ending battle over gun violence, race issues, and overall political divide. All the while, trying to balance how President Obama will respond to the seminal SCOTUS decisions regarding the constitutionality of the ACA and same-sex marriage legalization.
Cody's narrative reads like a novel while he eloquently depicts the ebbs and flows of speechwriting as a white man for America's first Black president. His intimate anecdotes and conversations brings to light life inside of the White House, working alongside loyal staffers within his 'Speechcave' and paints President Obama as the down-to-earth leader of the free world and literal visionary that always seems to elevate his speeches to reach the mountains, while Cody's laying the foundation at base camp.
Although President Obama is a 'self-proclaimed president who doesn't need a speechwriter', it's clear that Cody's influence shines through on some of Obama's most influential speeches and this captivating story helps the reader catch a glimpse into the tireless work that brings it all to life.
I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the everyday hustle & bustle, behind-the-scenes action at the White House or to someone just interested in politics & history in general. Come October, I'd be shocked if this isn't at the top of the NYTimes Bestseller's List.
Cody Keenan takes the reader along a grueling week-in-the-life of a President's head speechwriter, notably during one the most prolific weeks of the Obama administration. The week of June 17th, 2015 commences with a massacre in a historic Black church in Charleston, leaving 9 dead, sending shockwaves across the nation. Cody struggles to find the words necessary to once again comfort and instill confidence in the American people in the line of the never-ending battle over gun violence, race issues, and overall political divide. All the while, trying to balance how President Obama will respond to the seminal SCOTUS decisions regarding the constitutionality of the ACA and same-sex marriage legalization.
Cody's narrative reads like a novel while he eloquently depicts the ebbs and flows of speechwriting as a white man for America's first Black president. His intimate anecdotes and conversations brings to light life inside of the White House, working alongside loyal staffers within his 'Speechcave' and paints President Obama as the down-to-earth leader of the free world and literal visionary that always seems to elevate his speeches to reach the mountains, while Cody's laying the foundation at base camp.
Although President Obama is a 'self-proclaimed president who doesn't need a speechwriter', it's clear that Cody's influence shines through on some of Obama's most influential speeches and this captivating story helps the reader catch a glimpse into the tireless work that brings it all to life.
I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the everyday hustle & bustle, behind-the-scenes action at the White House or to someone just interested in politics & history in general. Come October, I'd be shocked if this isn't at the top of the NYTimes Bestseller's List.
July 17, 2022
Through many dangers, toils and snares
We have already come
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far
And Grace will lead us home
This book encompasses these lyrics beautifully. I feel like our country needs this reminder of how far we did come and how it all unraveled...but how we must keep working for change. I loved this book. I have to admit that I am a big West Wing junkie and this book gave all the inside workings of speech writing in the White House, but was very smart to focus on one big speech and create the threads of the book around that speech and that defining week in the administration, and reliving other big moments in the 8 year Obama Administration in the context of the speech. It usually takes me a while to work through nonfiction, but I completed this book in record time for me...it was gripping and so very poignant. Thank you, Mr. Keenan and thank you, President Obama for your service to this country and your heart for its people! 5 enthusiastic stars.
Thank you for the ARC for my honest review!
We have already come
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far
And Grace will lead us home
This book encompasses these lyrics beautifully. I feel like our country needs this reminder of how far we did come and how it all unraveled...but how we must keep working for change. I loved this book. I have to admit that I am a big West Wing junkie and this book gave all the inside workings of speech writing in the White House, but was very smart to focus on one big speech and create the threads of the book around that speech and that defining week in the administration, and reliving other big moments in the 8 year Obama Administration in the context of the speech. It usually takes me a while to work through nonfiction, but I completed this book in record time for me...it was gripping and so very poignant. Thank you, Mr. Keenan and thank you, President Obama for your service to this country and your heart for its people! 5 enthusiastic stars.
Thank you for the ARC for my honest review!
January 9, 2023
Wow loved this book. I knew I loved President Obama but love him even more now as seen through the lens of his chief speechwriter Cody Keenan.
It’s interesting to read about the writing process and learn more about the behind the scenes as to how, why and what should be written for specific events. Cody K is a fabulous writer and seems like a standup guy. He gave credit where credit was due (to the previous writers, the President himself and his staff) He acknowledges that speech writing is a group effort and everyone seemed to have mutual respect for one another.
Really enjoyable and educational read. How cool to know you played a part of history by working in the White House for the President. And a good one at that.
It’s interesting to read about the writing process and learn more about the behind the scenes as to how, why and what should be written for specific events. Cody K is a fabulous writer and seems like a standup guy. He gave credit where credit was due (to the previous writers, the President himself and his staff) He acknowledges that speech writing is a group effort and everyone seemed to have mutual respect for one another.
Really enjoyable and educational read. How cool to know you played a part of history by working in the White House for the President. And a good one at that.
March 2, 2023
Wow wow wow I was not expecting to love this as much as I did. Ur girl has consumed a lot of political memoirs over the years, and even the best ones of the genre tend to be pretty formulaic. Keenan avoids that by telling “limiting” himself to the story of 10 days of Obama’s presidency, and in doing so reveals some of the most beautiful prose I’ve ever read - let alone in a political memoir!!
October 10, 2022
As a writer during my own days in public policy, this book resonated with me, and sometimes made me cry. Both a solitary as well as a collaborative pursuit, the power of the pen, or laptop remains immeasurable in its use for good or ill. The ten days in the life of our nation outlined in this book, provide a small glimpse as well as a framework for how words can be used to offer hope, joy, peace, comfort…and grace in extraordinary ways at the intersection of public policy and faith.
December 6, 2022
The number of times I cried should be it’s own metric, honestly.
March 24, 2023
Nonfiction that left me absolutely verklempt. It was both an emotional and educational read. The author had a meteoric rise to become President Obama’s chief speechwriter in his early 30s. The book covers a week with three major occurrences: the SCOTUS opinion upholding the Affordable Care Act; the SCOTUS decision affirming the right to marriage for everyone; and the funeral of Rev Clementa Pinckney after the massacre at Mother Immanuel Church in Charleston.
The theme of grace abounds throughout the week and ends with President Obama famously singing Amazing Grace as part of his eulogy.
It felt like an episode of the West Wing and Obama was Jed Bartlett, giving these heart wrenchingly profound soliloquies about what America can be. It was an interesting peek into the daily workings of the White House and Obama’s work personality.
The book was a testament to how much work it takes to excel at something. Like a musician or artist, they are born with talent yet it takes continual practice and hard work to make every performance shine. The same applies to the very talented speechwriters who work in the White House.
The theme of grace abounds throughout the week and ends with President Obama famously singing Amazing Grace as part of his eulogy.
It felt like an episode of the West Wing and Obama was Jed Bartlett, giving these heart wrenchingly profound soliloquies about what America can be. It was an interesting peek into the daily workings of the White House and Obama’s work personality.
The book was a testament to how much work it takes to excel at something. Like a musician or artist, they are born with talent yet it takes continual practice and hard work to make every performance shine. The same applies to the very talented speechwriters who work in the White House.
June 10, 2026
I listened to the audiobook, and the author has a pretty solid Obama impersonation. He’s an incredible writer. I felt like I was there with some of his descriptions. This book made me miss Obama SO much. I miss the days when presidents were…presidential. Obama and his staff were smart, thoughtful, and truly cared about this country and its people. I miss that. I hope we can get back to that one day.
October 12, 2022
I recently watched a video clip from a John McCain rally in 2008 where he politely but decisively shut down attendees spouting wild and racist conspiracies about Barack Obama. He went on to say while the two of them might disagree on policy he has great respect for Obama as a person.
I have not been able to get that clip out of my head in these weeks leading up to the 2022 midterm election. 2008 was not that long ago as far as actual time passing, just 3 presidential election cycles have since passed, but it also feels like a nostalgic time and a world that can barely be remembered. This simple act of humanity and professionalism would never happen at this point. At best we can only hope candidates will stand idly by when faced with dangerous conspiracy theories rather than do the work of starting or actively endorsing them.
All that to say Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America was a balm to my weary soul.
Set during possibly the most monumental 10 days of Obama's presidency, a short time period which saw a hate fueled massacre of Black Americans at worship, SCOTUS ruling on marriage equality and health care access via the Affordable Care Act, and ending with a historic speech from President Obama, Grace takes us behind the scenes through the eyes of Obama's chief speech writer Cody Keenan.
Keenan offers unique perspective both on the inner workings of communication for a presidential administration, what it's like to lead during such a tumultuous time, and also what it's like to be a speech writer for one of the greatest orators of our time. I found it all very interesting and impactful.
Keenan's story cut through all the cynicism and dysfunction of politics to remind me there are good people doing good work within our institutions. It made me feel hopeful. Highly recommended.
I have not been able to get that clip out of my head in these weeks leading up to the 2022 midterm election. 2008 was not that long ago as far as actual time passing, just 3 presidential election cycles have since passed, but it also feels like a nostalgic time and a world that can barely be remembered. This simple act of humanity and professionalism would never happen at this point. At best we can only hope candidates will stand idly by when faced with dangerous conspiracy theories rather than do the work of starting or actively endorsing them.
All that to say Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America was a balm to my weary soul.
Set during possibly the most monumental 10 days of Obama's presidency, a short time period which saw a hate fueled massacre of Black Americans at worship, SCOTUS ruling on marriage equality and health care access via the Affordable Care Act, and ending with a historic speech from President Obama, Grace takes us behind the scenes through the eyes of Obama's chief speech writer Cody Keenan.
Keenan offers unique perspective both on the inner workings of communication for a presidential administration, what it's like to lead during such a tumultuous time, and also what it's like to be a speech writer for one of the greatest orators of our time. I found it all very interesting and impactful.
Keenan's story cut through all the cynicism and dysfunction of politics to remind me there are good people doing good work within our institutions. It made me feel hopeful. Highly recommended.
October 9, 2022
4.5⭐️ This was one of my favorites of all the Obama-era memoirs I’ve read. I loved the framing of the book and how it spanned ten days but was interwoven with stories from other times in the Obama administration. Also, just as someone who teaches rhetoric, I’m a big fan of speechwriters and seeing this inside look at how they get made was fascinating. Sometimes a little repetitive in parts, but I loved overall.
October 26, 2022
In an age of political polarization and strife, I had forgotten how human and humane President Obama was (still is) before and during his presidency. Opponents worked tirelessly against his agenda, some out of spite others for profit and political gain, young constituents (including myself) demonstrated disappointment over unfulfilled promises forgetting what he and his team had delivered in his eight years in office, and an old Democratic Party that doesn't look like the future we are approaching remained woefully divided amongst themselves, unable to relate to the new generation of citizens and likely voters demanding results.
I had forgotten President Obama's fervor for growth, for unity, for real conversation and real action. But I will never forget the pained look on his face when, in spite of all of his efforts, the will of a loud, thuggish minority rallied behind an equally loud thuggish candidate and won. It would be easy to assume that progress halted that day never to see again the kind of usher we found in our 44th president. After reading Cody Keenan's book, hearing the significant joys and pains of being a speech writer for someone like President Obama, I was humbled by his candor, especially in regards to who his boss truly was and how many of us may have failed to see him for the visionary that he strived to be every day both personally and professionally.
I love the way President Obama could deliver any type of speech on any subject and have you sitting on the edge of your seat desperate to believe that this man and what he stands for is real. To learn that his words were in collaboration with others like Keenan rather than a speech that he would never see until the day he had to deliver it, made me appreciate President Obama the man in a way I hadn't done since his first bid for presidency. Through Keenan's eyes, we are privy to the evolution of Obama and the incredible challenge he had to endure from both sides of the aisle in ten harrowing days of his presidency. Armed with a truly remarkable gift for storytelling, Keenan invites readers to bear witness to the foundational work that President Obama laid out, including his fight for health care, for LGBTQ, for gun reform; a foundation that in spite of radical conservative messaging, lives on and has only rooted itself deeper into the consciousness of voters.
Our democracy is in danger and it was foolish of me to believe that one man could save it from our own need for self-destruction. Keenan reminds readers that while President Obama remains a beacon of hope for many, there were and still are hundreds of thousands of individuals who inspired Obama's words, his thoughts, his policies, and his unwavering belief that We the People are capable of greatness. I urge everyone to pick up this book and remember that change is possible so long as we the people demand it through our collective voice and collective action.
I had forgotten President Obama's fervor for growth, for unity, for real conversation and real action. But I will never forget the pained look on his face when, in spite of all of his efforts, the will of a loud, thuggish minority rallied behind an equally loud thuggish candidate and won. It would be easy to assume that progress halted that day never to see again the kind of usher we found in our 44th president. After reading Cody Keenan's book, hearing the significant joys and pains of being a speech writer for someone like President Obama, I was humbled by his candor, especially in regards to who his boss truly was and how many of us may have failed to see him for the visionary that he strived to be every day both personally and professionally.
I love the way President Obama could deliver any type of speech on any subject and have you sitting on the edge of your seat desperate to believe that this man and what he stands for is real. To learn that his words were in collaboration with others like Keenan rather than a speech that he would never see until the day he had to deliver it, made me appreciate President Obama the man in a way I hadn't done since his first bid for presidency. Through Keenan's eyes, we are privy to the evolution of Obama and the incredible challenge he had to endure from both sides of the aisle in ten harrowing days of his presidency. Armed with a truly remarkable gift for storytelling, Keenan invites readers to bear witness to the foundational work that President Obama laid out, including his fight for health care, for LGBTQ, for gun reform; a foundation that in spite of radical conservative messaging, lives on and has only rooted itself deeper into the consciousness of voters.
Our democracy is in danger and it was foolish of me to believe that one man could save it from our own need for self-destruction. Keenan reminds readers that while President Obama remains a beacon of hope for many, there were and still are hundreds of thousands of individuals who inspired Obama's words, his thoughts, his policies, and his unwavering belief that We the People are capable of greatness. I urge everyone to pick up this book and remember that change is possible so long as we the people demand it through our collective voice and collective action.
October 15, 2022
The history of Presidential speeches is a specialized genre. This work is exceptional in that the author is/was the speechwriter for President Obama. He discusses several Presidential addresses, but gives particular attention to Obama’s speech following the mass shooting in Charleston, SC, in June, 2015. Presidents can give verbalization to national emotions and thoughts in such times. This very fine book, history and memoir and confessional, reminded me of the importance of such moments and how I have missed them.
March 1, 2023
Brilliant! Inspirational and beautifully written. (Authored by Obama’s head speechwriter - so of course it’s beautifully written!). I highlighted so many passages throughout the book. And I really enjoyed the first person account and the insider view into the Obama administration.
“‘That’s when America soars. When we look out for one another. When we take care of each other. When we root for one another’s success. When we strive to do better and to be better than the generation that came before us and try to build something better for generations to come.’”
“‘It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we’ve been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. Because for all our outward differences, we all share the same proud title: Citizen.’”
“But there’s a reason [Republicans] work so feverishly to lock in minority rule: They know they’re the minority. They know they’re outnumbered by Americans who know what this country can be, a place of equality and diversity and progress and democracy where all of us have a role to play. And for all the mileage that remains on that journey, we marched closer to it during those ten days in June 2015 than ever before. We felt it. We lived through it in real time.”
“‘That’s when America soars. When we look out for one another. When we take care of each other. When we root for one another’s success. When we strive to do better and to be better than the generation that came before us and try to build something better for generations to come.’”
“‘It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we’ve been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. Because for all our outward differences, we all share the same proud title: Citizen.’”
“But there’s a reason [Republicans] work so feverishly to lock in minority rule: They know they’re the minority. They know they’re outnumbered by Americans who know what this country can be, a place of equality and diversity and progress and democracy where all of us have a role to play. And for all the mileage that remains on that journey, we marched closer to it during those ten days in June 2015 than ever before. We felt it. We lived through it in real time.”
July 18, 2023
I surprisingly found myself unable to put this book down. I was a young teenager during the events that Keenan recounts here and largely politically unaware until the 2016 election, only vaguely paying attention to the SCOTUS decision that would decide if I could marry whoever I wanted and the pain my state of South Carolina was feeling in the wake of the massacre in Charleston. Now, as a politically active and aware adult, I find myself fascinated by the politics of my childhood and in particular the presidency that shaped it. Keenan describes the events of these ten days in ways that made me feel the stress he was under, the relief, and the hopefulness that the former President delivered in these important ten days. I highly recommend this for anyone who is interested in politics, history, and the behind-the-scene of the presidency.
December 25, 2022
This book is incredible. I give it 5 stars because I use my internal rating system of “am I talking about this to everyone I know?” YES. It was like a real-life West Wing but way better because it’s true. I loved Cody’s take on his colleagues and the president and the country as a whole. I loved the optimism and realism. I loved the epilogue and cried because of how dark it was and cried because of how beautifully it ended. I think everyone should read this.
May 29, 2026
This book was such a beautiful reminder of the vitally essential change & progress that can be achieved through good governance. I loved the insights into the presidential speechwriting process. And I cried happy tears several times 🥹
October 29, 2022
Grace was a good book. The book examines the relationship between Obama and his speechwriter. It tells the story of the ten days that shaped his presidency.
June 18, 2023
Echt een fantastisch boek. De interactie tussen Obama en hem, de gedachtespinsels die leiden tot iconische speeches en de storytelling van Cody zorgen ervoor dat het heerlijk ouderwets pagina-omslaan geslagen is.
January 28, 2024
A good read in the days leading up to the presidential election!
February 8, 2024
Well written, I did get choked up a few times (I guess what else do you expect from a speechwriter?). A lot of liberal democrat pride in the Obama era and in America itself.
“Progress, however unfinished, was still better than huffing the self-satisfied fumes of purity.” (Chapter 8)
“Progress, however unfinished, was still better than huffing the self-satisfied fumes of purity.” (Chapter 8)
November 14, 2024
Was I really ready for a political memoir one week after the re-election of DT? I picked this one to find out if I was. Wow. So enjoyable and a definitive account of a monumental time in our history. And inspiration for the fight ahead.
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