Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
Book Review: The pursuit of happiness
Summary: 5 Stars
Barack Obama was of an interracial marriage. Most of us remember, until 1967, many children in interracial marriages, like those in gay households today, were deprived of equal rights under the laws. Yet, few recall that Albino Luciani (later to become John Paul I) led the same struggle in Italy.
As a bishop, in Jan 1965, he told the Italian Parliament, "We are speaking here of the pursuit of happiness - the inalienable right of free men to grow up and fall in love with whomever God deems one fall in love with, together with the sacred duty to provide for the economic and loving support of children so that they too can enjoy the pursuit of happiness. . . Marriage is a God-given individual right and cannot be infringed upon by the majority. The state cannot tell its citizens who they can or cannot marry less we cease to be a free society. . ." I got that out of the only existing biography of the 33 day pope, Lucien Gregoire's 'Murder in the Vatican; The Revolutionary Life of John Paul'. In the same session, Luciani won the right for single persons, including homosexuals, to adopt children to help care for Italy's huge orphan population.
Like Luciani, Obama is a man of towering eloquence, and it is that which will eventually bring him to the top. In the short run, his writings and his deeds will pave the way. Yet, it is his heritage, perhaps, more than anything else that makes him understanding of the true meaning of democracy, "Democracy which finds its strength in rule by the people, can only realize its purpose, its sacred duty to society, in preserving the basic human rights of its loneliest individual." (Albino Luciani, Christian Democratic Party Convention, August 1963).
Book Review: Beautifully Written
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a beautiful book.
I wanted to learn more about his life as a law student, how and when he met his wife Michelle, and to see a photo or two of his extended family.
But what really upset me is that Senator Obama puts teachers in the working class. Teachers are NOT in the working class!!!! Not only must they meet increasingly burdensome requirements (as if teachers are the source of every ill in the public school system), but they are required to earn master's degrees just to keep their licenses! And his state, Illinois, has some of the most burdensome requirements for teachers anywhere in the U.S. As an organizer who worked alongside teachers, I am really disappointed to see that he's one of those politicians who degrade teachers.
Book Review: Dreaming of the Future
Summary: 5 Stars
Attracted by the Barack buzz, I picked up this book last holiday season, but didn't have an opportunity to read it until this holiday season. I found it to be honest, inspiring, and overall, provoking. Obama offers a straight-forward account of his life as the product of a biracial union as well as a child of a single parent. From descriptions of the childhood with his warm, wise grandparents at the beginning of the book to his trip to his father's Kenyan home, this book is both charming and serious at the same time. When writing about his post-undergraduate, pre-law school work as a community organizer, Obama demonstrates his knowledge and love for Illinois at the deepest level. This book is a great choice for anyone who wants to read an account of community organizing or a political autobiography, but I would recommend this book to anyone because of its broad appeal to human nature.Book Review: Find Out About Barack Obama In His Own Words
Summary: 4 Stars
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This book is the 1995 memoir written by Barack Obama, the African-American senator from Illinois, updated in this 2006 large print edition (which is the same as the 2004 paperback edition). It is an introspective and earnest account of his search for meaning and identity as an African-American males. Somewhat anguished, it insightfully illustrates the struggles and dilemmas black people face in this country. I learned a great deal from his experiences, foreign to me as a Caucasian female. The book describes the author's journey to community and political involvement, his personal development, and his family background.
I had been curious about this senator with a mother from Kansas, a father from Kenya, especially since he may in the future be a candidate for the Presidency of the United States. This book answered many of my questions. It probed Barack Obama's roots in a sensitive and personal way that I will not soon forget. If you want to really understand who he is, read this book.
I would not call "Dreams from My Father" an entertaining read, but more an educational read because of the intensity and heaviness of the subject matter and the anger, cynisism, and frustration the author experienced. It would be, however, very wortwhile for those who wish to know more about Barack Obama, and for those who wish to know more about what it feels like to be black in America.
After reading this memoir, I'm continuing on to read Barack Obama's second book, "The Audacity of Hope".
****
Book Review: Find Out About Barack Obama In His Own Words
Summary: 4 Stars
****
This book is the 1995 memoir written by Barack Obama, the African-American senator from Illinois, updated in this 2004 edition. It is an introspective and earnest account of his search for meaning and identity as an African-American males. Somewhat anguished, it insightfully illustrates the struggles and dilemmas black people face in this country. I learned a great deal from his experiences, foreign to me as a Caucasian female. The book describes the author's journey to community and political involvement, his personal development, and his family background.
I had been curious about this senator with a mother from Kansas, a father from Kenya, especially since he may in the future be a candidate for the Presidency of the United States. This book answered many of my questions. It probed Barack Obama's roots in a sensitive and personal way that I will not soon forget. If you want to really understand who he is, read this book.
I would not call "Dreams from My Father" an entertaining read, but more an educational read because of the intensity and heaviness of the subject matter and the anger, cynisism, and frustration the author experienced. It would be, however, very wortwhile for those who wish to know more about Barack Obama, and for those who wish to know more about what it feels like to be black in America.
After reading this memoir, I'm continuing on to read Barack Obama's second book, "The Audacity of Hope".
****