Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
by Barack Obama
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Book Reviews of Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
Book Review: Worth Reading
Summary: 4 Stars
Good Book. It is clearly well written by a very intelligent and introspective person.
Pretty much required reading for anyone who wants insight into the life of the first Black President of the USA ..... (soon to be...)
Especially as it helps to explain his unique odyssey from Hawaii to Indonesia, Chicago and Africa.
The parts about Kenya were, for me, the best and most touching and interesting parts of the book; as they come at the end, it's worth reading this book all the way through,
Can't wait to see his White House memoirs...........(..?).....
Book Review: Coming of Age, Coming to Terms, Coming to Grips
Summary: 5 Stars
This is NOT the usual self-serving "autobiography" of a politician that was ghost-written by his speechwriter and rushed into print just before the primaries. In this lyrical, beautifully written memoir, a young man struggles to come to terms with his heritage as a child of biracial parents. It is unusually honest, even noting in an afterword where his memory clashes with that of his sister: did he meet her in an airport or a bus station? There is a painful rawness as he speaks of Kansas, which shaped his grandparents, of Hawaii, where his parents met and parted, of Indonesia where his mother remarried, of returning to Hawaii to live with his grandparents and go to school. He touches upon the wounds of youthful rebellion, of pulling back from the brink.
He says little of his mother but one can get a sense of the strength and compassion of her character by the fact that she raised her son to admire and see greatness in the character of the man who had abandoned her--who had in fact other wives. He visited only once, when the author was ten. Later, as an adult, the author travels to Kenya, his father's country and meets his sister and his African relatives. He learns that his father was not the man he thought and that although his father had potential, it was never realized.
The author returns to America to wrestle with the issue of his brown skin and how some people in America react to that. There is self-discovery on all levels of this reflective book. To write like this a man must grapple with the demons of his own soul and emerge victorious. It's the kind of journey and coming of age that equips a hero to slay monsters, I think.
This book is not about politics. If you are interested in Obama's political philosophy, turn to The Audacity of Hope.
Book Review: A Good Insight into the Man
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great book, for those people who want to learn more about Barack Obama the man this is a must read. I think it is especially important because it was written before the man had any political asperations. He is an intelligent, hard working family man, who truly cares about all people and his country. Book Review: A huge disappointment
Summary: 1 Stars
I am an undecided voter and decided to read this book hoping to gain some valuable insight on the presidential nominee. I did gain some insight, that for all his education, he hasn't learned to look beyond skin color. Want change? Read this book, it will change the way you look at Obama. I am biracial and I do not struggle with it, I am proud to be ALL that I am. The color of my skin is not who I am. I do not want a President who only sees the world in black & white. Book Review: Dreams from My Father
Summary: 3 Stars
Book was okay. Decent reading. However, I wanted to get more insight into Obama before election. Learned nothing. I expected clarification of his ideas/ideals.