There are ten 15 minute abridged extracts on BBC Sounds (free and downloadable for another 5 weeks) here plus an interview with historian and broadcaster David Olusoga which helped to set the scene. I would suggest that you listen to this first.
The former President eloquently tells his story about the long hard slog he had to become the Democratic candidate then become elected President (with a little help from the Republican choice for vice President, Sarah Palin, who proved to be pretty useless).
I had forgotten that he was elected in the midst of the 2007 financial crisis and had to cope with the resulting economic downturn and grapple with continuing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The passing of the so called "Obamacare" health bill was his greatest political victory but the loss of Democratic control over Congress meant that the Republicans could frustrate and block him implementing further significant reforms.
If being elected was tough then being President was even tougher with long hours, constantly making stressful decisions and much personal abuse. He was an early US champion on climate change, an improbable Nobel Peace Prize winner (bizarrely nominated after only 2 weeks in office despite being the "Commander in Chief" of American forces fighting two wars) but will always be remembered as the First African American President of the United States America.
A decent, thoughtful and pragmatic man, who I sense wanted to do much more but was constrained by the very deep political polarisation in American society. I look forward to reading his book (check out Newham Bookshop) and the next one on his second term.
