Scan barcode
salalamander's review against another edition
3.0
Not my usual genre. He writes how he speaks and I was a good read. Long and detailed.
natimat's review against another edition
4.0
I think this book shows how intricate politics is, how every well made decision has more to it than we think, and why the reality differs from our expectations.
tildahlia's review against another edition
3.0
After enjoying Michelle Obama's book, I was looking forward to triangulating her personal perspectives with Barack's. In that, it was a disappointment. In contrast to Michelle's candid vulnerability, I found a lot of this book defensive and aimed at managing his legacy. It went very much into the minutiae of public policy decisions, which I get was trying to show the complexity of presidential decision-making (which is no surprise to me) but felt tedious and self-serving in parts. I would have liked more personal reflection, possibly at a greater distance from his presidency, as having started writing immediately after his term finished, it felt he hadn't fully processed many aspects of his presidency. I will say though, he can definitely write. Good not great.
porshuhhhh's review against another edition
too slow maybe the audio version would be easier.
stephnhall0607's review against another edition
3.0
I’ve really been trying to get more into politics and understand my personal views better and the policies of former Presidents.
President Obama goes in-depth into the policies and politics of his time on the Senate, as well as 8 years of Presidency. I am really happy that I got this book via audiobook. It made the dry content a little easier to get through. Just as he was during State of the Union Addresses and other speeches, Obama is poignant and talks beautifully.
I will say this is definitely an interesting read and would recommend it to anyone looking to understand the ins and outs of politics. I’ve learned so much about foreign and domestic policy, healthcare reform, war politics, and so on.
President Obama goes in-depth into the policies and politics of his time on the Senate, as well as 8 years of Presidency. I am really happy that I got this book via audiobook. It made the dry content a little easier to get through. Just as he was during State of the Union Addresses and other speeches, Obama is poignant and talks beautifully.
I will say this is definitely an interesting read and would recommend it to anyone looking to understand the ins and outs of politics. I’ve learned so much about foreign and domestic policy, healthcare reform, war politics, and so on.
katyrain1's review against another edition
4.0
This book was cool in that it comes from a perspective not often seen. Authored solely by a former president who is a real author. I enjoyed hearing the family dynamics and struggles of being a minority in a position of power. There were sections (international relations) that I found a bit dry, but that is to be expected in a book this long.
akilahrs's review against another edition
5.0
Listening to this via audible was the best decision. His narration made it that much more captivating. It was a great glimpse into his life as president