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brookey8888's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
I really enjoyed this. I learned a lot because I was a child during his whole presidency. This book made me happy,sad(I cried multiple times), and angry. He does talk about his life but it’s mostly about his presidency. How he got there and what happened. So I understand most of this but I won’t lie when he talked about certain things I was confused.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Islamophobia, Racism, and Religious bigotry
plantbasedbride's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
An extensive exploration of Obama's first term in office, perfect for those who are fascinated by the minutia of politics.
As a Canadian, I found the detailed timelines of the passing of bills a bit tedious but loved the big picture analysis of the American political system and the insights into how the Presidency affected Barack and his family.
I would highly recommend the audiobook as it's narrated by Obama himself!
As a Canadian, I found the detailed timelines of the passing of bills a bit tedious but loved the big picture analysis of the American political system and the insights into how the Presidency affected Barack and his family.
I would highly recommend the audiobook as it's narrated by Obama himself!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Racism and Homophobia
pagesfromhome's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
Barack Obama was the first president I volunteered for as well as the first one I voted for. So naturally, I'm a little biased to liking him and it would come as no surprise that I loved the first part of his memoirs.
Obama is known for being a little long-winded and that is certainly the case here. He often dives into the political process in ways that can feel a little too heavy in juxtaposition to the moments where he waxes poetic about the love he holds for his family. I'll admit that by far my favorite parts of the book were those moments where he was either speaking about his wife and daughters or the moments where he let his honesty really shine. At multiple points of the book, Obama is clearly saying things that he didn't feel appropriate sharing as President so I really enjoyed that blunt honesty. Unfortunately, having those moments of complete honesty then made those moments of not-so-honest stores felt more cagey.
Ultimately, this book was a 4.25 star for me. Obama is an incredible writer and I am very much looking forward to the next part of this series. I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in hearing about the goings-on of the modern political process, but as always, be aware that every political memoir is a piece of propaganda even though Obama is exceptionally self-aware of his own flaws throughout the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Genocide, Violence, Torture, Racism, and Racial slurs
Minor: Antisemitism, Death, Genocide, Islamophobia, Homophobia, and Police brutality
bookswithsoumi's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
For a man who needs no introduction, I can tell you that his behemoth of a book (700+ pages!) is truly inspirational to hopeful millennials like myself. Obama’s words took me on a journey from his tropical childhood in Hawaii to the suspenseful months leading up to the 2008 election to the major events of his first term, ending at the killing of bin Laden.
I would HIGHLY recommend listening to the audiobook, clocking in at 29 hours and 10 minutes. Not only will you get through the book faster, but also you will vicariously experience Obama’s ups and downs. His occasional f-bomb was gratifying to my soul weary from 2020.
My highlights include:
🔎Travelling with Obama on his state visits to China, Russia, and India and international summits in London and Copenhagen.
🔎Simplified explanations for the lay people like me on issues such as wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Great Recession.
🔎Overall just learning how a president can effect change in society.
The best quotes:
💫”And then there was the unsettling fact that, despite whatever my mother might claim, the bullies, cheats, and self-promoters seemed to be doing quite well, while those she considered good and decent people seemed to get screwed an awful lot.”
💫“But you don’t choose the time. The time chooses you. Either you seize what may turn out to be the only chance you have, or you decide you’re willing to live with the knowledge that the chance has passed you by.”
And the funniest quotes:
🤣“I’d met my share of highly credentialed, high-IQ morons”
🤣“Two hundred and thirty-two years and they wait until the country’s falling apart before they turn it over to the brother!”
Time to read: 56 days (with audiobook listening in between)
Who should read this book: people who want to try memoirs for the first time!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, Death, Chronic illness, and Cancer
Minor: Torture and Sexism
sionnac's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.5
I read Michelle Obama's book too and interesting to hear them talk about same period. He's a good writer and I will look forward to the next one. The crises and military operations were hard to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Cancer, Islamophobia, Racism, Terminal illness, and Violence
Minor: Child death and Mass/school shootings
alylentz's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
More readable and engrossing than I expected from a political memoir that's so hefty. Started to feel a little formulaic after a while, but I definitely learned a lot and feel like I got a lot out of reading this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Cancer, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Islamophobia, and Police brutality
Minor: Death, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, and Violence
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