Learn English the Obama way

Barack Obama’s speeches are proving to be more than just moving. They’re providing English lessons to many Japanese. The English-language textbook, The Speeches of Barack Obama, has become a bestseller in Japan, topping the list at Amazon’s Japanese Web site. The 1,050 yen ($11.81), 95-page paperback book features Obama speeches with Japanese translations. Yuzo Yamamoto ...

By , copy chief at Foreign Policy from 2009-2016 and was an assistant editor from 2007-2009.
589198_090123_obama35.jpg
589198_090123_obama35.jpg

Barack Obama's speeches are proving to be more than just moving. They're providing English lessons to many Japanese. The English-language textbook, The Speeches of Barack Obama, has become a bestseller in Japan, topping the list at Amazon's Japanese Web site. The 1,050 yen ($11.81), 95-page paperback book features Obama speeches with Japanese translations. Yuzo Yamamoto of Asahi Press, which published the book, told Reuters:

Barack Obama’s speeches are proving to be more than just moving. They’re providing English lessons to many Japanese. The English-language textbook, The Speeches of Barack Obama, has become a bestseller in Japan, topping the list at Amazon’s Japanese Web site. The 1,050 yen ($11.81), 95-page paperback book features Obama speeches with Japanese translations. Yuzo Yamamoto of Asahi Press, which published the book, told Reuters:

His speeches are so moving, and he also uses words such as ‘yes, we can,’ ‘change’ and ‘hope’ that even Japanese people can memorize.

 

Preeti Aroon was copy chief at Foreign Policy from 2009-2016 and was an assistant editor from 2007-2009. Twitter: @pjaroonFP

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