The Inheritance

The World Obama Confronts and the Challenges to American Power

By: David Sanger

Narrated by: Robertson Dean

Length: 16 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

The Chief Washington Correspondent for The New York Times examines the effect the Bush Administration’s foreign and domestic policies will have on global politics.

This trenchant analysis of the Bush Administration’s legacy is a riveting, behind-the-scenes account of the foreign policy decisions that have come out of the White House in the last eight years. Detailing the administration’s few successes and its stunning string of failures, this audiobook maps the world America faces after the Bush presidency. A veteran reporter with unprecedented access to Bush Administration officials, David E. Sanger provides keen insight to the complex challenges facing the next president, from rebuilding Afghanistan to preventing Iran and North Korea from becoming nuclear-armed states.

©2009 David Sanger (P)2009 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"The Inheritance reaffirms Thomas Jefferson's belief that for the American democracy to work there must be an informed citizenry. David Sanger's book epitomizes the requirement....Sanger's telling is full of behind-the-door stories that read like Alan Furst spy novels. This is a superior work of journalism." (Jim Lehrer)
"One of the most important books of the year." (Bob Schieffer, CBS News)

Very informative.

This book brings the reader up to speed on the major issues facing the new president. I thought it would be a "lets bash Bush" book and there are sections which are critical. However, there is much here for those interested in our immediate future.

Gloom and Doom or Hope ...

Where is this world going ... ???

Reading "Inhertiance" by David Sanger is incredible experience. I suppose it is one of the best accounts about the global political, economical and security situation ever written. It is motivated by the drastic change in American policies expected with Obama presidency, by the dreadful facts about Iran nuclear program, Pakistan instability, North Korea convulsive attempts to drag world attention to them and their pigmy leader, terrorism and China's military programs.

The part of the book is about Bush and his misjudgments, but ultimately this is the book about the world as it is at the beginning of 2009. It shows how important are threats that we even 3-4 years ago did not even think of - like that of cyber-terrorism, or the real ability to smuggle atomic weapons to any peaceful country....

The actuality and accuracy of the book is clearly seen and heard in the recent Obama's Strasburg (April 2009) speach. He said something that plays well with the title of my review: "At the crossroads where we stand today, this shared history gives us hope - but it must not give us rest" ...

I'm sure that we mere mortals do not even think or feel how fragile is the world.

Lest we forget it - it will makes our daily steps a bit more careful and thoughtful....

How Much Change did we get?

What did you like best about The Inheritance? What did you like least?

Sanger has some sources alright and he lays out a sound assessment of the major issues Obama was to face as he started his administration. This isn't masquerading as a dispassionate history but personally I believe David Sanger should have let the facts speak for themselves rather than take several jabs at the Bush administration throughout the book. Your a NY Times reporter we know you can't stand the Bush admin. Even though this book was aimed for consumption in the late 2008 time-frame, it is interesting to read it now and see where Obama has and hasn't diverged from the past admin. Overall a solid book that gives each issue its due voice.

What a load of crap!

This book was an utter waste of time. Mr. Sanger clearly hated George Bush, and couldn't be objective of anything President Bush did during his Presidency. President Bush could have invented perpetual motion, and Mr. Sanger would have something negative to say. A complete waste of money. I am sorry I purchased this book.

Ken Deupser