Obama, Brian Abrams
Obama, Brian Abrams
List: $14.99 | Sale: $10.50
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Obama
An Oral History

Author: Brian Abrams

Narrator: Tom Parks, Fred Stella, Emily Sutton-Smith

Unabridged: 11 hr 9 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download (DRM Protected)

Published: 07/10/2018


Synopsis

The first ever comprehensive oral history of President Obama’s administration and the complex political machine that created and powered a landmark American presidency.In this candid oral history of a presidential tenure, author Brian Abrams reveals the behind-the-scenes stories that illuminate the eight years of the Obama White House through more than one hundred exclusive interviews. Among those given a voice in this extraordinary account are Obama’s cabinet secretaries; his teams of speechwriters, legal advisers, and campaign strategists; as well as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who fought for or against his agenda. They recall the early struggles of an idealistic outsider candidate and speak openly about the exacting work that led to cornerstone legislation. They share the failures and dissent that met Obama’s efforts and revisit the paths to his accomplishments. As eyewitnesses to history, their accounts combine to deliver an unfiltered view of Obama’s battle to deliver on his promise of hope and change.This provocative collage of anecdotes, personal reminiscences, and impressions from confidants and critics not only provides an authoritative window into the events that defined an era but also offers the first published account into the making of the forty-fourth president of the United States—one that history will soon not forget.

About Brian Abrams

Brian Abrams is the author of three bestselling Kindle Singles oral histories: And NOW…An Oral History of Late Night with David Letterman, 1982–1993; Gawker: An Oral History; and Die Hard: An Oral History. Abrams has written for the Washington Post Magazine, Time, and The Lowbrow Reader. He lives in New York City. You can visit www.brianlabrams.com for more information and follow the author on Twitter @BrianAbrams.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Ang

This feels fairly slight, because 8 years in 400 pages isn't really enough. But it's full of interesting tidbits about Mr. Obama and the process of serving with him for however many years each person stayed. It'll also make you sad as hell, because two years later, we are mired in a hellish hellscape......more

Goodreads review by Anne

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It was in turns a reminder of better days (for those of a left-leaning political persuasion) and a reminder that it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine. There were no scandals, and life-changing acts of legislation passed during Obama's tenure (DACA, the Affordable......more

Goodreads review by Jeff

Three stars for the book itself, plus one extra for the experience of remembering what it was like to have a thoughtful and principled administration for eight of the last eighteen years. I usually enjoy oral histories. This one could have definitely used more explanatory paragraphs to break up topic......more

Goodreads review by Andrew

The author interviewed a great number of ex-staffers and congressional allies and adversaries, but the Obamas, Bidens, and Clintons are sorely missing. Also, it begins in 2004, not 2009 as stated in the book’s title. 😎......more