Reviews of: Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

by Barack Obama

Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance Barack Obama

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The politicians who can actually write may be counted on one hand, but on the evidence here, Barack is among their number (he reminds us that William Faulkner said the past is never dead and buried – it isn’t even past; can you imagine Barack's predecessor in the Oval Office quoting Faulkner – unless the allusion was written for him by one of his speechwriters?). In fact the book -- Obama’s remarkable life story – was, of course, written before his destiny was irrevocably changed by his success in the US presidential election, and it is a striking account of a young man coming to terms with the problem of his identity and issues of belonging in a racially divided country (a racial division that Obama – by the very example of his success – may do a considerable amount towards healing). The son of a black African father and a white American mother, Obama details the dramatic journey that constituted his parents’ life before his own trip to Kenya to confront the sobering realties of his father’s life. It is a book about coming to terms with the past – and comparisons with writers such as Proust in such areas are not as ridiculous as they would be if almost any other politician were involved.

Dreams from My Father gives real hope that ‘dumbing down’ – in order to appeal to the lowest common denominator – will not be the hallmark of the Obama presidency. --Barry Forshaw

Reviews


disappointed

Sorry, I started this book with enthusiasm and interest. I didn't finish it I'm afraid that although the style is charismatic we might become as disappointed with his leadership as his authorship.
2009-01-02

Not what i expected...

Like many other people, I wanted to find out more about the man who is to be the next American President. The man of the moment who everyone is talking about! I followed the election process with interest, and wanted to find out more about Obama's history and early life.

Part of what i liked about Obama was that he wasn't focused on the colour of his skin, and that he was a President for everyone, not just for black people. This book is pretty much the opposite. It is so race heavy it gets boring after a while. I know it was written very early on in his career, but even some of the language and references are quite heavy going with black nationalism and Malcolm X quotes often popping up. You'd think he had a terrible upbringing when in fact it was quite privileged, and he was surrounded by people that loved and cared for him. We're told that you shouldn't stereotype and tar everyone with the same brush, but this is what Obama seems to spend half the book doing.

This book wasn't what I'd expected and I think that's why i was a bit put-off. It's not a biography and you will be disappointed if you buy this book expecting one.




2008-12-11

He is brilliant

I am always interested in people's life story, especially that of famous people. He is the proud of black people. I am still reading this book, haven't finished it yet, but really enjoying it. I can learn a lot from it.
2008-11-26

Honesty, clarity...in short a template for politicians to follow.

One can only admire both the man and the book - mainly for its 100 per cent honesty and sheer breadth of subject matter. This, truly, is the 21st century approach to political memoir writing. The cross party/racial appeal of Obama is because he can transcend the barriers that we put upon ourselves - barriers that he himself hurdled throughout his political and social life. The gift that Obama has - and one that comes through in his writing - is his ability to connect with the reader, regardless of their ethnic background. This really is a very good read and should be required reading for any student of political history. If you liked this book - and value books that have a core of honesty at their heart - I recommend One Love Two Colours: The unlikely marriage of a Punk Rocker & his African Queen, by Margaret Oshindele-Smith - another book that shows how the individual can overcome prejuduce and intolerance.
2008-11-23

Simple but elegantly written

Obama completely embraces the importance of effective communication as reflected on this book. I like the part where he realized how important is saying the right words and get the people's undivided attention to what he is saying.
2008-11-20

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