President Elect Barack Obama's truth-telling text is a terrific read. It was written when the 44th US President was a junior Senator. Many believed then that Senator Obama would make a good Vice Presidential or Presidential candidate in 2008. Wow! Were they ever more right? If you are one among them, this book will solidify your belief. If you are not convinced that a Junior US Senator or a man of color has got the ingenuity it takes to be elected to one of the most intelligence & conviction requiring offices, then this text has the power to sway you. Then Sen. Obama speaks direct & forthrightly, which in & of itself is refreshing, about his insights into American culture. Pointedly with the acumen of a senior US official, Obama's "Audacity" speaks necessary truths about the US' shortsightedness. I nodded in agreement with Sen. Obama throughout his text. He's a good writer who shows he's more of an older, wiser man than his physical appearance. I'd call this his 'campaign book', adding my most sincere support & congratulations to the new US President Elect who authored this text~Read full review
The life of a politician is very stressful according to Barack Obama, and I truly believe him. He is hopeful that America can be a place where all Americans can prosper, no matter what their dreams are. He is a father who loves to spend time with his wife and two daughters. His long legislative sessions sometimes force him to postpone vacations or miss a school function. Obama has been mistaken for a valet by white people outside of a restaurant. He has also been followed by security guards just because the color of his skin. Yet, he remains a politician who believes that all citizens can live in harmony regardless of their ethnic background. Barack's belief in partial birth abortion has drawn criticism and questions about his Christian faith from his former opponent in the Senate race Alan Keyes, nurses and newspaper writers. Barack grew up exposed to all different religions. By reading the Bible and the Koran as a child, he is a man with a respect for all religions. Obama supports many good ideas in my opinion. He supports affirmative action, a movement that gives all people from different minorities and individuals with disabilities equal opportunity in admissions to colleges and access to jobs in the work force. Obama believes that the United States government and political regardless of party, should strive to meet the needs of all citizens. Barack supports giving welfare benefits to legal immigrants and putting child locks on guns. Barack strongly believes that people who serve in public office should strive to perform their jobs with integrity. Obama believes that public servants should listen to the needs of the people they serve, and they be held accountable for personal involvement in scandals and mis use of tax payer money. Obama has made his share of mistakes along the way. He accidently pressed the wrong button and voted against a bill that protected children against sexual predators. He missed voting on an important bill about gun control, because he was on vacation. The Audacity of Hope is a honest inside look about how difficult the job of a politician really is. This book also gives the reader a clear picture of Barack's position on issues like values, family, politics and race. This book portrays Barack Obama as a very knowledgeable and compassionate person. He will make a fine President, because he listens to the needs of everyone.Read full review
but hey this writing a review is getting to me so all i can will tell u to do is go out and buy this book it is fucking awesome i think this seller has more!!!! and dont mine the bullshit that comes after this because they sa my reveiw half to atleast have a 1000 characters!!!!!! His 1995 memoir, “Dreams From My Father,” written before Mr. Obama entered politics, provided a revealing, introspective account of his efforts to trace his family’s tangled roots and his attempts to come to terms with his absent father, who left home when he was still a toddler. That book did an evocative job of conjuring the author’s multicultural childhood: his father was from Kenya, his mother was from Kansas, and the young Mr. Obama grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia. And it was equally candid about his youthful struggles: pot, booze and “maybe a little blow,” he wrote, could “push questions of who I was out of my mind,” flatten “out the landscape of my heart, blur the edges of my memory.” Most memorably, the book gave the reader a heartfelt sense of what it was like to grow up in the 1960’s and 70’s, straddling America’s color lines: the sense of knowing two worlds and belonging to neither, the sense of having to forge an identity of his own. Mr. Obama’s new book, “The Audacity of Hope” — the phrase comes from his 2004 Democratic Convention keynote address, which made him the party’s rising young hope — is much more of a political document. Portions of the volume read like outtakes from a stump speech, and the bulk of it is devoted to laying out Mr. Obama’s policy positions on a host of issues, from education to health care to the war in Iraq. But while Mr. Obama occasionally slips into the flabby platitudes favored by politicians, enough of the narrative voice in this volume is recognizably similar to the one in “Dreams From My Father,” an elastic, personable voice that is capable of accommodating everything from dense discussions of foreign policy to streetwise reminiscences, incisive comments on constitutional law to New-Agey personal asides. The reader comes away with a feeling that Mr. Obama has not reinvented himself as he has moved from job to job (community organizer in Chicago, editor of The Harvard Law Review, professor of constitutional law, civil rights lawyer, state senator) but has instead internalized all those roles, embracing rather than shrugging off whatever contradictions they might have produced.Read full review
I read this book not because I agree with everything he has to say, but because in some ways, I had respected him because he seemed to be a thoughtful and eloquent American with a compelling story. I give the book 4 stars for style and significance in our culture, but much less for substance. The Senator has a generally warm and inviting style of communicating that portrays himself as a change in American politics. In terms of writing style, THE AUDACITY OF HOPE is a good, though sometimes "preachy" read; at times, it seems a bit too earnest or striving for political correctness. Obama deserves credit for being able to discuss his values and faith in a manner that is more comfortable than many of his political contemporaries. And, in the book, he does a reasonable job of articulating why and how his faith and values cause him to think and act in the way that he does. At times, the reader may wonder if he is too ambitious - or even naive. One can respect his energy and commitment to change, even as one firmly disagrees with his policies and plans. And, I certainly do take issue with some of the Senator's actual policies and worldview that he discusses. His health care plans may sound noble, but they would likely lead to significantly decreased quality and choice for most Americans and soaring taxes and budget deficits...big government at its worst. Furthermore, given the overall poor performance of government in other programs, do you really want government managing your health care? Another issue: while I do believe there is strong evidence to suggest a warming in the earth's climate, Senator Obama and I would disagree on the primary causes and "cures" for this warming. I don't believe that cutting taxes for those who pay taxes (aka "the rich") is unfair; I may go so far as to say that Obama's affinity for radical and government-forced redistribution of wealth reeks of socialism (though it's socialism masked by a warm smile). Another point: I don't believe that a "pro-choice" position offers adequate choice for the unborn child; Obama's rhetoric in the book is moderate, but his voting record on abortion is extreme. Some of his associations are troubling, particularly with some radicals who seem to have shaped a significant portion of his worldview and helped launch his career. I do agree with Senator Obama that America must overcome our addiction to foreign oil, though his opposition to many reasonable remedies is curious. I do agree that more emphasis needs to be placed on strengthening families and upholding traditional values; on reducing teen pregnancy and the root causes of poverty. However, it is difficult to align many of Obama's expressed ideas here with the numerous radical and ridiculous statements of Obama's pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright - a man who preached one sermon that inspired the title of this book. Senator Obama's stated efforts to transcend partisanship are laudable, but it would be helpful if he acknowledged that partisanship is not only the province of "right wing Republicans" but also a staple of many of his Democratic brethren. In the meantime, whether one is a "conservative" or a "liberal," there is much to gain in terms of insight into one of the most significant individuals on the American political stage today by reading this book.Read full review
LOVE this book because of newly elected President Obama's candid and sincere honesty on a multitude of various issues. Excellent insight on what's to come for a new generation provoking political unity amongst previously divided partisianship. Awesome & down to earth read, highly recommended for everyone to read, regardless of race, social class, gender or cultural backgrounds. President Obama gets to the grit without causing the grit. Very informative of how our majority Democratic structure is continously evolving with a fresh outlook through individual sacrifices. We may not all agree on various issues, but clearly, we are all more similar than different in so many ways...regardless of political affiliation, race, gender, or social class structure.
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Books
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on Books