So glad I can share these with my kids.

These are all great. Wondering when some women will be featured? Elizabeth Candy Stanton (The Solitude of Self) for instance. So many great women ignored.

Appreciate

This is an outstanding idea. Disappointed in the overall library. Keep adding more and make sure to use authors that do the historic speeches justice!

Great resource. I hope speeches by prominent women will be added soon

The mlk speech is powerful

This idea of publicising some of the gretest speeches in our history is a terrific one, but the emotionless droning of some of these readers leaves me longing to hear these speeches delivers with the passion and care that they deserve. The Washington Farewell speech is one of my favorite speeches in all of history and to hear it muddeled through was such a disappointment. Not only is the reader hard to understand, but when he is running out of breath, you can barely hear him. I hope that in the future, these speeches will be read with more passion and furosity.

This sham should never be included in the greatest men of our country. Wake up

With out the inclusion of Dr. King's speech, the name of your podcast and the show it's self has no legitimacy.

It is an excellent speech. It should be required to be listened by all Americans.

Good idea...keep them coming!

To anyone complaining that this podcast is not including speeches from people of other nations - go cry elsewhere. Cripes, this is a podcast, not a pulpit. Wait until this podcast ends before you whine.

Interesting to hear MLK. Also interesting to here Nixon warm up his I'm not a crook speech. This Podcast will be of more interest to people who have wome historical perspective. It is not all motivational. Almost all of it is interesting. It is good to hear the original thought not what has been mass marketed.

How great it is to hear such great prose from the actual great men who were inspired to write it. To hear President Reagan say those famous words "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down these walls." It sent chills down my spine like when I heard them at the age of 17. To hear the "I Have A Dream Speech," in light of the outcome of our 2008 election, is so moving. Please, iTunes, keep bringing us great resources like this in the future.

....they haven't updated in weeks ... is this podcast still active?

This podcast offers some of the speeches that have either driven us in a new direction or exemplify an age. They are great from a historical perspective, but quite entertaining as well.

i appreciate this greatly

i very much enjoy this series. churchill's first speech as prime minister, eisenhower's farewell address, nixon's "checkers" speech, "television is a vaste wasteland"-- all are very interesting speeches, revealing of their era, and they benefit from being heard rather than read. my only complaint: the podcast description says we'll get a speech "each week", but clearly the frequency has been much lower.

I wasn't sure at first, but listening to Kennedy's speech and than hearing Ronald Reagan's a second time in my lifetime was just inspiring. We have a long commute to and from school and work, so I recently played MLK's speech right after the recent MLK Holiday and it sparked a great discussion with my children that I never would have achieved otherwise! Hearing the passion from the speakers as they talk, along with the crowd's reaction makes the topic they spoke about much, much more meaningful.

Not to many places can you find these famous speeches and without a cost. These speeches spoken by some of the most influential people the world has ever known should be heard by all and this is the perfect way to spread that knowledge. This is an excellent idea and learning tool for the ever increasing technologically advanced generation of today. Keep up the good work!

You would think, from the name this would be good, Try again

I get to hear "I have a dream" born in 62' I only got to hear a small part of it growning up and in school..now i can hear MLK speech and be amazed at his words and his voice.

With few exceptions, these speeches offer a fascinating glimpse into our past. It is sometimes amusing, sometimes inspiring, and sometimes a bit saddening to hear the great thinkers and leaders in history speak of the social and political world they live in, and urge action to create a better future.

Agree - The original speeches are excellent - the others definitely lack something in their delivery

I concur that this is a great idea, but could be MUCH improved by choosing the appropriate person to read the speeches. For example, the Douglass speech was a great choice, but the reader's heavy NY accent distracted from the power of the words. It would be wonderful to hear the words infused with more passion!

No doubt original speeches, including the "I have a Dream" and "Evil Empire" speeches, are best among these. So as more live speeches are added the podcast will get better. The audience reaction can be heard and is enthralling for both cited - positive listener responses punctuates each speech and builds to a crescendo - the respective crowds realize that they are hearing a speech for the ages, and cheer approvingly. Pod listener can draw parallels when hearing both - I find both speeches find their basis in faith to value the individual over the collective, and connect freedom with social responsibility.

I look forward to every installment with eager anticipation.

The idea for this podcast is great, the selection of speeches good, but the narroators are lacking. My suggestions: get new narrators, or stick with speeches that were taped at the original moment of the giving. That would be nice. Kennedy's address to the nation during the CUban Missile Crisis? I would say that poeple shouldn't subscribe to this, just get select episodes, like I have a dream.

The real recordings of the speeches (like Dr. MLK) are fantastic to have and I thank you so much - excellent offering. HOWEVER, who in the world is narrating the Gettysburg address? One of the most moving and passionate moments in history and it falls with a thud. Still, please continue with offerings - it'll improve, I'm sure.

The Martin Luther King Jr speech came in handy. I put that entire epsiode out for the holiday, I had already downloaded it some time ago. I look forward to the other episodes as well, you've picked some very interesting speakers.

Although these speeches are delivered in clear, rich voices, they often sound a bit recited -- lacking the natural feeling or passion that must have ignited the originals. Also, the translation of Catiline ‘s address seems too formal for the occasion. Was he trying to rouse a mob of English professors? The rest of us, then or now, would be too busy looking up words to know when to cheer. Contrast this with the style of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered by King himelf, possibly one of the most gifted political orators since Lincoln.

The original recording of "I have a Dream" has to be one of the most powerful speeches ever given. I was very moved by it.

Listening to MLK share his dream was moving beyond belief and yet in stark contrast the narrator for the other speeches is not the right person for the job. The complete lack of emotion and pacing left these speeches dry and uninspiring. I'd bet you could get some "A" level actors to do these readings and hit a home run with it.