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ISBN:1847670350 EAN:9781847670359 ASIN:1847670350
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Amazon.com Review Barack Obama's first book, Dreams from My Father, was a compelling and moving memoir focusing on personal issues of race, identity, and community. With his second book The Audacity of Hope, Obama engages themes raised in his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, shares personal views on faith and values and offers a vision of the future that involves repairing a "political process that is broken" and restoring a government that has fallen out of touch with the people. We had the opportunity to ask Senator Obama a few questions about writing, reading, and politics--see his responses below. --Daphne Durham 20 Second Interview: A Few Words with Barack Obama
Q: How did writing a book that you knew would be read so closely by so many compare to writing your first book, when few people knew who you were? A: In many ways, Dreams from My Father was harder to write. At that point, I wasn't even sure that I could write a book. And writing the first book really was a process of self-discovery, since it touched on my family and my childhood in a much more intimate way. On the other hand, writing The Audacity of Hope paralleled the work that I do every day--trying to give shape to all the issues that we face as a country, and providing my own personal stamp on them.
Q: What is your writing process like? You have such a busy schedule, how did you find time to write? A: I'm a night owl, so I usually wrote at night after my Senate day was over, and after my family was asleep--from 9:30 p.m. or so until 1 a.m. I would work off an outline--certain themes or stories that I wanted to tell--and get them down in longhand on a yellow pad. Then I'd edit while typing in what I'd written.
Q: If readers are to come away from The Audacity of Hope with one action item (a New Year's Resolution for 2007, perhaps?), what should it be? A: Get involved in an issue that you're passionate about. It almost doesnt matter what it is--improving the school system, developing strategies to wean ourselves off foreign oil, expanding health care for kids. We give too much of our power away, to the professional politicians, to the lobbyists, to cynicism. And our democracy suffers as a result.
Q: You're known for being able to work with people across ideological lines. Is that possible in today's polarized Washington? A: It is possible. There are a lot of well-meaning people in both political parties. Unfortunately, the political culture tends to emphasize conflict, the media emphasizes conflict, and the structure of our campaigns rewards the negative. I write about these obstacles in chapter 4 of my book, "Politics." When you focus on solving problems instead of scoring political points, and emphasize common sense over ideology, you'd be surprised what can be accomplished. It also helps if you're willing to give other people credit--something politicians have a hard time doing sometimes.
Q: How do you make people passionate about moderate and complex ideas? A: I think the country recognizes that the challenges we face aren't amenable to sound-bite solutions. People are looking for serious solutions to complex problems. I don't think we need more moderation per se--I think we should be bolder in promoting universal health care, or dealing with global warming. We just need to understand that actually solving these problems won't be easy, and that whatever solutions we come up with will require consensus among groups with divergent interests. That means everybody has to listen, and everybody has to give a little. That's not easy to do.
Q: What has surprised you most about the way Washington works? A: How little serious debate and deliberation takes place on the floor of the House or the Senate.
Q: You talk about how we have a personal responsibility to educate our children. What small thing can the average parent (or person) do to help improve the educational system in America? What small thing can make a big impact? A: Nothing has a bigger impact than reading to children early in life. Obviously we all have a personal obligation to turn off the TV and read to our own children; but beyond that, participating in a literacy program, working with parents who themselves may have difficulty reading, helping their children with their literacy skills, can make a huge difference in a child's life.
Q: Do you ever find time to read? What kinds of books do you try to make time for? What is on your nightstand now? A: Unfortunately, I had very little time to read while I was writing. I'm trying to make up for lost time now. My tastes are pretty eclectic. I just finished Marilynne Robinsons Gilead, a wonderful book. The language just shimmers. I've started Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which is a great study of Lincoln as a political strategist. I read just about anything by Toni Morrison, E.L. Doctorow, or Philip Roth. And I've got a soft spot for John le Carre.
Q: What inspires you? How do you stay motivated? A: I'm inspired by the people I meet in my travels--hearing their stories, seeing the hardships they overcome, their fundamental optimism and decency. I'm inspired by the love people have for their children. And I'm inspired by my own children, how full they make my heart. They make me want to work to make the world a little bit better. And they make me want to be a better man.
Product Description At the heart of The Audacity of Hope is Senator Obama?s vision of how his country can move beyond its divisions to tackle concrete problems. He examines the growing economic insecurity of American families and the racial and religious tensions within the body politic, and considers the nature of threats from outside America?s borders. By returning to the principles that gave birth to the US Constitution, he says, Americans have a chance to repair a political process that is broken, and restore to working order a government that has fallen dangerously out of touch with millions of ordinary Americans.
The real Barack Obama?November 19, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
For anyone out there wondering who the real Barack Obama is, "The Audacity of Hope" will give you one clear idea. It is part memoir, part political manifesto, encompassing his comprehensive vision for America. The book reveals him to be very smart, well read, compassionate, and sometimes quite funny. I think few people reading the book will agree with him on every policy issue, and no one is really prepared to take on the problems facing our country. But, reading this book gave me faith that the American people have elected a very capable public servant.
Chapters are essays arranged around a single theme (eg "Faith" "Family") and some are better than others. I particularly liked what he had to say about his conversion to Christianity and some of the values he learned being raised in a multi-ethnic family. Obama can be quite funny at times, such as when he describes the disdain he felt for his 2004 Senate competitor, Alan Keyes: "Mr. Keyes made no effort to conceal what he clearly considered to be his moral and intellectual superiority. With his erect bearing, almost theatrically formal manner, and a hooded gaze that made him appear perpetually bored, he came off as a cross between a Pentacostal preacher and William F. Buckley." He goes on to say, "That self-assuredness disabled in him the instincts for self-censorship that allow most people to navigate the world without getting into constant fistfights." I was not expecting to laugh out loud when I read this book. Those lines had me slapping my knees.
Other parts of the book are non-apologetically wonky. He goes on a little too long in some chapters (do we need to hear every idea he has?) and others strain to make symmetry out of unalike things. Overall though, this is a really engaging and well written book. I enjoyed it very much.
As I close, I'm left with the constant problem with memoirs, can you trust the author to know himself? What good are all these ideals if the president is hypocritical, insincere, or lacking in self-awareness? The ability to inspire people can only go so far. So we'll see. In the meantime, we've just elected a youthful president with new ideas, a comprehensive understanding of US political history, experience with all types of Americans, and a multi-faceted approach to leading the country. Count me among the impressed.
Good ReadNovember 18, 2008 Though not as good as "Dreams from my Father", a well written book. The book talks deeply about Barack's ideals and issues with the current state of politics. Though you may not agree with his political views, Barack is an undeniably intellegent person who is not afraid to express his political views. The message was powerful; it is now just a matter of executing.
Great Book!November 17, 2008 After reading this book, all I can say is, "I'm so glad I voted for him. "This book is inspiring, thoughtful and hopeful." Read it. I would also recommend highly his other book: Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
President Barack ObamaNovember 17, 2008 It was after reading this book that I realized that I had to do everything within my power to ensure that Barack Obama was elected President of the United States.
There are two kinds of people in the world - those who know how to dream, and those who donot. For those of us who do, this book was a set of important guidelines on what this country could be. It took dreamers to create this great society, and it will take a dreamer and a man of action to get us out of the quagmire we're in today.
It was a long shot, but just like millions of other Americans, I knew that if the rest of the country got to know Barack Obama the way I'd taken the time to do, they would elect him president, and they did. If you don't support your newly elected president, that's okay. This country is great because we have the freedom to disagree, even with our most important leaders. But if you love this country at all, then you have to know that there's a movement afoot, one that will take us into a shining new future, one that involves all Americans taking control of their own civic lives, and working together across racial and political lines to do what's best for the country.
Anyone that doesn't want to be a part of that? Pretty sad.
The Audacity of Hope - ObamaNovember 17, 2008 1 out of 15 found this review helpful
This book was full of lies. The only hope of change he will bring to this country is to bring it to fall. God better step in and help this country because we are doomed to a life of hell. Bush made his mistakes, but because the economy is so bad (not Bush's fault if you look at history) Obama will just give give give to the ones that don't pay taxes and take take take from those who do, regardless if you are middle class or rich.
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Q: How did writing a book that you knew would be read so closely by so many compare to writing your first book, when few people knew who you were?
