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#Obama
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Amiable
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Using a memoir by Cody Keenan, President Obama‘s chief speechwriter, to check off this prompt in #Nonfiction2024: “Speak”

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Amiable
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Pickpick

I picked this first off my #AuldLangSpine list from @MallenNC because I spent 2023 watching all 155 episodes of “The West Wing,” and I thought it would be a nice segue to read a memoir by President Obama‘s speechwriter. And it was. But it was also a story of hope, redemption, the power of forgiveness and how we can make the world a better place if we try. That‘s a message that‘s been lost in the past 8 years. Oh, how I miss this president. 😕

CocoReads Next to Martin Sheen, Obama has been my favorite president. I miss him too. #WestWingLove 3mo
Amiable @CocoReads I would totally vote for Jed Bartlett! 🇺🇸 3mo
Leftcoastzen Word . I guess I should watch the West Wing 3mo
See All 9 Comments
Julsmarshall I miss him too, and President Bartlett! 3mo
MallenNC I really liked this memoir (obviously). I‘m a professional writer so if I were a West Wing character I might have Cody‘s job. 3mo
Amiable @MallenNC Me too! In fact, my last job was at a university, where I sometimes wrote speeches for the president. It wasn‘t my favorite part of the job, though. I‘d prefer Kristen‘s job —I love doing research. (edited) 3mo
MallenNC @Amiable That‘s too funny — I work in PR for a college. I have written speeches and remarks for our president. It‘s not easy! 3mo
Amiable @MallenNC The biggest obstacle in my previous job was the fact that I was not allowed to ever consult with the president before writing her speeches or remarks. I was just given a topic and a timeframe. It can be difficult to write in another person‘s voice when you have never actually spoken with them. 🙄 There were a whole lot of issues with that job —which is why it‘s my PREVIOUS job. 😄 3mo
MallenNC @Amiable Oh yeah that‘s essential. It‘s hard enough to write a speech or message but to try to do it without the other person‘s voice would be impossible. In Grace it really showed how much of a collaboration the process was. 3mo
67 likes2 stack adds9 comments
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Amiable
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Raising a mug of tea (ok, yes, it‘ll be more than one—I‘m planning on a long, lazy day on the couch) to @MallenNC as I embark on the first read from your #AuldLangSpine list. Cheers!

monalyisha Love this post! Enjoy! 3mo
MallenNC I hope you like this one as much as I did. I am about to start reading too. I have today and tomorrow before I have to go back to work so I‘m planning to focus on relaxing and reading. 3mo
lynneamch Oh my. This will probably break my heart, but it sounds too good to miss. 3mo
51 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Amiable
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I'm so intrigued by my #AuldLangSpine list from @MallenNC. I've only read #1 and 5 so far, so there's a world of possibilities to explore! I've put holds on several of them at my library, and I'm pretty sure I already own #11. I want to commit to at least one fiction and one NF. I think I'll start with #13 (because I'm nearly done with the last season of “The Crown”) and #18 (because I spent my summer watching all 154 episodes of “The West Wing“).

JenReadsAlot I loved House of Eve! 3mo
Amiable @JenReadsAlot That‘s one I just put a hold on! It looks really good. 3mo
IndoorDame I‘ve been curious about Broken Horses. I‘m glad to see it show up on this list! 3mo
See All 9 Comments
MallenNC I‘m so glad you‘ve found some good possibilities on my list. I love doing this list swap but I always worry a little! Grace and Coronation Year are good ones to go with to start! (edited) 3mo
MallenNC @JenReadsAlot House of Eve was so good! I recommend it a lot. 3mo
MallenNC @IndoorDame If you like audiobooks, Broken Horses is excellent in that format. There‘s music between each chapter. 3mo
IndoorDame @MallenNC I do like audiobooks! And for several years running now an audio music memoir or biography has made it into my top of the year list so I‘m on the lookout for one of those for 2024! 3mo
Amiable @IndoorDame @MallenNC I‘m not a huge fan of audiobooks, but if you like music memoirs/bios I would highly recommend Malcolm Gladwell‘s audiobook about Paul Simon called “Miracle and Wonder.” 3mo
IndoorDame @Amiable oooh, stacked. Thank you! 3mo
49 likes9 comments
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Smarkies
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Mehso-so

Didn't realise this was supposed to be a YA advice book when I picked it up as the blurb was a little misleading. However, that was not the real issue - it was the non-chronological nature of this that threw me. At each section, I was trying to place where she was in her life.
#roll100

janeycanuck This was meant to be YA?!? I had no idea! It was definitely a bit of a mess. 3mo
Smarkies @janeycanuck Nearing the end of the book, it says something about this book being aimed 15 - 20ish... but it seemed to read younger than that. 3mo
janeycanuck @Smarkies oh, I definitely missed that part! 3mo
22 likes3 comments
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keithlafo
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Pickpick

I had a melancholic experience reading this. Given the state of the world, it‘s hard not to miss Obama‘s leadership, even with his administration‘s faults. This book works not just as an insider memoir but also a philosophical musing about what America is and can be.

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Elle Rodd

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Elle Rodd
Pickpick

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MallenNC
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One of the local Barnes & Noble stores is moving to a new location and they had most books available for 70% off a few weeks ago. These are the books I got and I am just getting around to sharing. The fiction shelves were mostly cleared out but I found one novel from my TBR and all these nonfiction books. I read Grace from the library and loved it but the rest are new to me.

keithmalek We also just had a Barnes & Noble switch locations. Do you live in Brooklyn? 8mo
MallenNC @keithmalek This was in North Carolina. The store moved bc the mall it had been beside was torn down. I guess they‘re reviewing stores all over. I‘m glad they‘re moving and not just closing. 8mo
36 likes2 comments
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MallenNC
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Pickpick

This is a memoir focused mostly on the week during which Keenan‘s office had to write a eulogy after the racist killings at a church in Charleston and in response to two important Supreme Court decisions. He also weaves in some other significant speeches from his time in the Obama White House. You really get a sense of the stress of trying to find just the right words and to prepare for different outcomes.⬇️

MallenNC As a writer who has had to do that in my job on a much smaller scale, this was a somewhat stressful reading experience but I enjoyed it a lot. Recommended to writers and fans of the West Wing. This was my #DoubleSpin for March but I didn‘t finish it until now. (edited) 12mo
Megabooks I found this really interesting too! 12mo
MallenNC @Megabooks One of the things I liked best was how he showed speechwriting as a particularly difficult kind of writing. I also appreciated how honest he was about having imposter syndrome about his job despite his success. 12mo
36 likes3 comments