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Biography & Autobiography. History. Politics. Nonfiction. HTML:A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the makingâ??from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER â?˘ NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMINEE â?˘ NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post â?˘ Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times â?˘ NPR â?˘ The Guardian â?˘ Marie Claire In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidencyâ??a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil. Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nationâ??s highest office. Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S. partisan politics and international diplomacy. Obama brings readers inside the Oval Office and the White House Situation Room, and to Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, and points beyond. We are privy to his thoughts as he assembles his cabinet, wrestles with a global financial crisis, takes the measure of Vladimir Putin, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to secure passage of the Affordable Care Act, clashes with generals about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, tackles Wall Street reform, responds to the devastating Deepwater Horizon blowout, and authorizes Operation Neptuneâ??s Spear, which leads to the death of Osama bin Laden. A Promised Land is extraordinarily intimate and introspectiveâ??the story of one manâ??s bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage. Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of â??hope and change,â?ť and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making. He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible. This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obamaâ??s conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common… (more)
User reviews
Obama portrays himself as flawed, all too human, and his own greatest critic, as he is harsher on himself than practically anyone else, save for the most obstreperous and despicable politicians and leaders within and outside of the United States. He repeatedly credits his amazing wife Michelle for her support throughout his political career, largely at the expense of her own goals and personal wishes, for keeping him level headed, and for ensuring that their daughters, Sasha and Malia, had as normal as life as possible during the very abnormal circumstances and white hot spotlight that they faced, especially from the extreme right wing politicians and media and those who subscribed to their racist rhetoric.
The strengths of this book are Obama's writing style, which makes the reader feel as if he is having a personal conversation with the former president while sharing a drink in a local pub or restaurant, his ability to explain complicated topics in a clear and concise manner, such as the 2007-2008 global financial crisis that he inherited from his predecessor and successfully managed, the push to pass the Affordable Care Act that provided millions of Americans with health care security for themselves and their families, and the difficult and sticky foreign policy problems he and this country faced, in Iran, Afghanistan, Israel, Palestine, Egypt and other hot spots. His personal portrayals of leaders such as Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Hu Jintao, Hosni Mubarak and others were also enlightening and informative. Just as meaningful are his descriptions of those closest to him, as he acknowledges the importance of the members of his Cabinet, and also gives equal time to his closest aides, including his body man Reggie Love, a former two sport man at Duke, who was as instrumental in keeping him grounded and sane as anyone outside of his immediate family.
A Promised Land is a remarkable and compelling memoir told by a gifted and insightful writer, which engaged and entertained this reader from the first page to the last. It is a valuable addition to the memoirs and biographies of American presidents, and as such it deserves to be widely read by everyone, even those who did not support him. This book absolutely lives up to the hype about it, and I eagerly look forward to the book(s) that cover the remaining six years of his presidency.
The book is arranged mostly chronologically, although chapters tend to focus on particular events and policy themes. and covers Obama's first term, ending in the nearly simultaneous raid on bin Laden's compound in Pakistan and the White House Correspondents' Dinner at which the president roasted Donald Trump, who was in attendance. This provides a good narrative arc. That said, I found it difficult to push through the last 70 pages of this 700-page tome; it's just too big. "I'm painfully aware," says Obama, "that a more gifted writer could have found a way to tell the same story with greater brevity...[but] I found my mind resisting a simple linear narrative."
You already know whether you're the kind of person who would read a 700-page presidential memoir, so there's not much more for me to say about it. I'm going to read the second volume when it comes out in a couple of years, and I expect to have about the same reaction as I had to this one: it's a must-read for people, especially Democrats, who take politics seriously. But it's not a book you press enthusiastically into your friends' hands, much less a book that will change your mind about anything at all. What it is, at this particular moment, is a reminder that we once had a serious, responsible president, and an encouragement that it could happen again.
I have expressed this opinion frequently and will say it again: I love this man and I was sorry to see his tenure as President come to an end, especially in light of the disastrous administration that followed. Obama is a very intelligent, well-spoken man, and in reading this book, though I did not listen to the audio (wish I had!), I could easily hear his voice in my head the entire time. I'm not going to go into a detailed account of his stories or my specific opinions of them. I am in general not a person who follows politics all that closely, and some of the events I read about I really don't even have a good memory of.
But while I do deeply respect Obama's intelligence and eloquency, there's no doubt that the man can be long-winded with a tendency to go into TOO MUCH detail. Despite my overall enjoyment of the book (which is quite long), I will admit that it took me a long time to get through it -- quite a few months, in fact. There's no doubt that it's well-written (though could've honestly been edited), but I personally can only read a non-fiction political memoir in chunks, and so I would read some, put it aside for a while, and then return. I don't particularly want to compare it to Michelle Obama's Becoming, because they're different types of books, but I will say that hers was a much quicker read for me and more enjoyable, due largely to the subject matter and the way it gave a more personal, family-oriented view. But as always, while reading this book, I felt that I was getting a mostly candid look at the man behind the title, and he will continue to be, to me, one of the most respected historical figures of my lifetime.
Obama's writing talent is not a secret.
What we all saw on TV screens and read in papers in the first four years of the Obama administration is now interpreted with first hand knowledge, from behind the scenes. Each and every agonizing decision, however major or minor, comes to the surface in this memoir, with details that are sometimes surprising, sometimes predictable, but always honestly presented. I understood Washington politics like never before after reading this tome of a memoir. It's actually amazing how much Obama was able to accomplish, despite McConnell's stubbornness and unsubstantiated rejection of basically each and every good deed... Can't wait for Part Two.
When I began reading this book, my first reaction was that it felt so good to be back in Obama-land, reliving those heady early days expressed with such modesty and candor. I choked up reading about his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, and Election NIght 2008 in Chicago’s Grant Park. Of course, soon after that the real work of being president began, and Obama had several concurrent crises to address. At this point the memoir became more event-driven and less emotionally charged, but no less interesting. I was struck by the sheer breadth of the President’s responsibilities and the significance of decisions that ended up on his desk. Throughout the narrative Obama also described events that ultimately influenced the outcome of the 2016 election and all that followed. While it’s unclear how much of this he saw coming and how much was told in hindsight, I found his perspective helpful.
Obama is a superb writer, whether he is explaining the intricacies of the country’s financial and healthcare systems, describing a complex military campaign, or relating poignant moments shared with his family. Highly recommended.
So okay, I gave up on this with still a few hundred pages to go - skimming, skimming. The end. But know this, Obama is a damn fine writer. He admits he's not really good in a debate or a town hall, because he can go on too long to make a point, likes to see all sides of a question, etc. And he indulges that in this book, which I'm sure all the presidential historian types will eat up. But I tended to zone out, fall asleep. I do, however, love a good memoir. And Obama's first one, DREAMS FROM MY FATHER, is an excellent one. I loved it. This one? This one is for the historians and political scholars and pundits. Let 'em have at it.
- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER
I attempted to read the book but with a page total of 751 pages it would have taken me forever, so I switched to the
This is the first book in a two-book series as there was a lot that Obama included. This first volume takes us from his childhood through his time in the Senate to his Presidency. Obama helps the reader understand what encompasses being the President of the United States, not only the legalities behind it but also the intricacies. He relays stories of meeting Vladimir Putin for the first time as well as discovering that staff members were working on secret negotiations without his knowledge. Learning new and interesting things about the Obama Presidential era made me wonder how he lasted as long as he did while leading the country.
Obama chose to end this volume of his life story on a perfect note...after the successful death of Osama Bin Laden. This could easily be the crowning achievement of Obama's first term as it was something President Bush had attempted to achieve.
I am actively awaiting the second volume of President Obama's writing as he is intelligent in his word choice and phrasing. He is easy to understand yet speaks with the knowledge of a man who has attended the best schools and seen things that others will never know.
In terms of memorable or fun ideas, maybe I heard one per hour? The only one I
Told by Obama with his distinctive speech patterns, I found myself deeply engaged in topics that had never crossed my mind before. I lived through
I was intrigued about the core of people who worked with Obama to help him reach his goals. I enjoyed his viewpoint on his colleagues, political opponents and the many world leaders he worked with while in office.
I came out of this listening experience with a deepened respect for Obama's leadership and character. I was reinforced in my belief that he was a fundamentally decent man who wanted to do more but was constrained by political realities. I was heartened by both his faith in America and his determination to make America a better place.
I enjoyed learning about his concern for the effect his political ambitions would have for his wife and daughters.
This story is only the beginning since it ends with the location and death of Osama bin Laden. I look forward to reading further volumes of his memoir.
Because of its length, I had thought that I would listen to a chapter or so a day. However, I was quickly swept up by the events Obama described and ended up listening to his story for three days.
Even quotes “Jaws”! AND Eminem! And helps to coach up his daughter's basketball team! I love this guy!!!
This book is bittersweet to read, especially right now as the sitting president has just been impeached for a SECOND time. President Obama was a real
I was left with a deeper understanding of what it