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Hope and History
- Author
- William J. vanden Heuvel
- Narrator
- Donald Corren
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date
- 15 June 2019
- Run Time
- 11 hours 16 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
Hope and History is both a memoir and a call-to-action for the renewal of faith in democracy and America.
US Ambassador William J. vanden Heuvel presents his most important public speeches and writings, compiled and presented over eight decades of adventure and public service, woven together with anecdotes of his colorful life as a second-generation American, a soldier, a lawyer, a political activist, and a diplomat. He touches upon themes that resonate as much today as they did when he first encountered them: the impact of heroes and mentors, the tragedy of the Vietnam War, the problems of racism and desegregation in America, tackling the crisis in America’s prisons, America and the Holocaust, and the plight and promise of the United Nations. Along the way, he allows us to share his journey with some of the great characters of American history: Eleanor Roosevelt, William J. “Wild Bill” Donovan, President John F. Kennedy and RFK, Harry S. Truman, and Jimmy Carter.
Throughout, vanden Heuvel persuades us that there is still room for optimism in public life. He shows how individuals, himself among them, have tackled some of America’s most intractable domestic and foreign policy issues with ingenuity and goodwill, particularly under the leadership of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and those who sought and still seek to follow in his footsteps. He is not afraid to challenge the hatred and bigotry that are an unfortunate but undeniable part of the American fabric. He exhorts us to embrace all the challenges and opportunities that life in the United States can offer.
Critics Review
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“Through this exquisite rendering of Bill vanden Heuvel’s remarkable life and career, readers will find exactly what the title suggests—hope in our troubled times.”
Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize–winning author
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“When Bill tells a story, you feel like you’re living it with him. Reading this memoir will ignite a reflection on what we must do to move forward into this twenty-first century.”
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, Roosevelt Institute
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“Bill vanden Heuvel has written an eloquent story of his American journey.”
Andrew Young, former Ambassador to the United Nations, and Mayor of Atlanta
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“From Presidents to peasants, Bill is always learning and always contributing. We need more people like him.”
David Miliband, International Rescue Committee
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“Bill vanden Heuvel was a treasured and brilliant advisor to my father. Now, he has given all of us an even better gift: fascinating stories, drawn from a life at the center at of the action, where he grasped what was critical for freedom to flourish. He makes events come alive.”
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, former Lt. Governor, Maryland
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“A well-respected American diplomat looks back on his life and career…Clear and straightforward…he provides an interesting look at the civil rights struggles of the 1960s and the ‘revolution of rising expectations.’…His memoir makes for hopeful reading.”
Kirkus Reviews
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Details
- Author
- William J. vanden Heuvel
- Narrator
- Donald Corren
- Duration
- 11 hours 16 minutes
- Release Date
- 15 June 2019
- ISBN
- 9781982622640
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Genre
- History of the Americas, History, Memoirs, Politics and government
Synopsis
Hope and History is both a memoir and a call-to-action for the renewal of faith in democracy and America.US Ambassador William J. vanden Heuvel presents his most important public speeches and writings, compiled and presented over eight decades of adventure and public service, woven together with anecdotes of his colorful life as a second-generation American, a soldier, a lawyer, a political activist, and a diplomat. He touches upon themes that resonate as much today as they did when he first encountered them: the impact of heroes and mentors, the tragedy of the Vietnam War, the problems of racism and desegregation in America, tackling the crisis in America’s prisons, America and the Holocaust, and the plight and promise of the United Nations. Along the way, he allows us to share his journey with some of the great characters of American history: Eleanor Roosevelt, William J. “Wild Bill” Donovan, President John F. Kennedy and RFK, Harry S. Truman, and Jimmy Carter.Throughout, vanden Heuvel persuades us that there is still room for optimism in public life. He shows how individuals, himself among them, have tackled some of America’s most intractable domestic and foreign policy issues with ingenuity and goodwill, particularly under the leadership of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and those who sought and still seek to follow in his footsteps. He is not afraid to challenge the hatred and bigotry that are an unfortunate but undeniable part of the American fabric. He exhorts us to embrace all the challenges and opportunities that life in the United States can offer.
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