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  • Thanks, Obama

  • My Hopey, Changey White House Years
  • By: David Litt
  • Narrated by: David Litt
  • Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (53 ratings)

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Thanks, Obama

By: David Litt
Narrated by: David Litt
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Publisher's Summary

Remember when presidents spoke in complete sentences instead of in unhinged tweets? David Litt does. In his comic coming-of-age memoir, he takes us back to the Obama years - and charts a path forward in the age of Trump.

More than any other presidency, Barack Obama's eight years in the White House were defined by young people - 20-somethings who didn't have much experience in politics (or anything else, for that matter) yet suddenly found themselves in the most high-stakes office building on earth. David Litt was one of those 20-somethings. After graduating from college in 2008, he went straight to the Obama campaign. In 2011 he became one of the youngest White House speechwriters in history. Until leaving the White House in 2016, he wrote on topics from health care to climate change to criminal justice reform. As President Obama's go-to comedy writer, he also took the lead on the White House Correspondents' Dinner, the so-called "State of the Union of jokes".

Now, in this refreshingly honest memoir, Litt brings us inside Obamaworld. With a humorist's eye for detail, he describes what it's like to accidentally trigger an international incident or nearly set a president's hair aflame. He answers questions you never knew you had: Which White House men's room is the classiest? What do you do when the commander in chief gets your name wrong? Where should you never, under any circumstances, change clothes on Air Force One? With nearly a decade of stories to tell, Litt makes clear that politics is completely, hopelessly absurd.

But it's also important. For all the moments of chaos, frustration, and, yes, disillusionment, Litt remains a believer in the words that first drew him to the Obama campaign: "People who love this country can change it". In telling his own story, Litt sheds fresh light on his former boss' legacy. And he argues that, despite the current political climate, the politics championed by Barack Obama will outlive the presidency of Donald Trump.

Full of hilarious stories and told in a truly original voice, Thanks, Obama is an exciting debut about what it means - personally, professionally, and politically - to grow up.

©2017 David Litt (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

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Funny, poignant idealism-to-wisdom tale

David's self depreciating account, humorously delves into his awkward coming of age as an Obama Whitehouse speechwriter, eventually disabused of starry-eyed political idealism but discovering a stronger raison d'etre.

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Amazing! Loved this guys humour and narration

Having just listened to Michelle Obama's, Alyssa Mastromonaco book's and Beck Dorey-Stein's for their take on the "Obama years" at the Whitehouse I needed MORE MORE MORE Obama. haha. What can i say? I have an Obama problem!

This memoir was great to listen to!

The narrative was quick, punchy, interesting and it was LOL funny in places, what an absolute breeze to get through - I felt genuinely bummed when I took my headphones off that I was leaving his world and going into mine (not that mine's bad! I stress I love my life!) but wow, what an experience to have been there at the time and made a significant impact on the output.

I would recommend this book for anyone interested in the Obama years from a light perspective (i.e not too heavy on the politics more the events) probably also good if you liked Elon Musk / Steve Jobs memoirs with a view on how to establish yourself in the world after university.

Just to let you know, I work for Audible, but the views expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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I loved this book

A very amusing and at times moving take on a young mans journey. It makes me yearn for the kindness of the Obama years. I highly recommend this book.

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Dear Litt

I keep listening to your book. It’s funny and self-effacing. Mostly though, when it comes to your account of things, Mr Axelrods, and President Obama’s, they’re all pretty much the same. God bless you all . Xx

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