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sam_book's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
This was a beautifully written book. He gave so many insights into events that shaped my childhood and perspective of the world.
reading_runner's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Obama is obviously a great speaker and writer, but I feel the book really dragged on in the last 1/3. Also, the entire book felt like one long humblebrag, which was a turnoff at times.
ellie_cripps's review against another edition
5.0
Listening to this as an audiobook was an absolute game changer. Learning about why Obama entered into politics, how some of the most important decisions of the 21st century came to be made and how the presidency affected him and the people around him straight from the horse's mouth was fascinating. It might be a long book but it's a seriously worthwhile listen, and doesn't deny some of the mistakes of his presidency which I appreciated. His writing is as careful and considered as his opinions and it was a pleasure to listen to.
rerosenthal85's review against another edition
5.0
I read this on audio and, apart from President Obama’s conversational and at times truly lyrical writing, it was such a delight to get to hear his voice every day. A riveting and inspiring account of his life in public service through his first presidential term, he pulls back the curtain on the everyday challenges and joys of the office of (what should be) the chief public servant of our nation. His descriptions of the obstacles, decision-making moments, and processes that no one else sees were particularly compelling to me and highlight his singular strength of character and persistent hope in what the United States of America can be. They also bring the wholesale degradation of the dignity, character, and responsibility of his office in the term following his own into stark relief.
haylsbookshelf's review against another edition
This was incredibly well written! A beautiful story of Obama’s road to the White House, stories of his childhood & later on his kids, & the way he sought to bring about change.
The content could be dense, but it was written in a way that kept you engaged and turning pages. I loved how his family life was woven throughout & reading those parts were some of my favourite
The content could be dense, but it was written in a way that kept you engaged and turning pages. I loved how his family life was woven throughout & reading those parts were some of my favourite
blankpagealex's review against another edition
5.0
Barack Obama was elected president the year I graduated from college and just about every significant event in my life occurred during his presidency, so revisiting those eight years from his perspective is a double dose of history lesson and nostalgia trip. Do you remember where you were when the healthcare bill passed? When Osama Bin Laden was killed? When Joe Wilson shouted "You Lie?"
While I don't agree with everything that our 45th president said or did during his time in office, it was fascinating to see important events from his perspective. The biggest takeaway from this book is that politics is complicated and every decision could potentially have ripple effects that could impact international relations, the economy, state and local governments, and much more. Obama was clearly a thoughtful leader and it is inspiring to see him lay out the process of decision making. He's occasionally a bit too eager to pat himself on the back when he made the right call, but he also constantly gives credit to the various people who made is administration work.
You don't have to agree with everything Obama said or did to take something away from this book. I found it frustrating when he describes his reaction to the BP/Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster and outlines a several paragraph rant that he *wanted* to say wherein he correctly rails against decades of pro-fossil fuel and anti-environment policy that has led to the degradation of our natural resources. Instead he composes himself and delivers an impotent message that criticizes BP without alienating the oil states. How much better would our world be if he'd said the quiet part out loud?
There are many books about the Obama administration, but why not take the time to hear from the perspective of the person at the helm? I am very much looking forward to part 2...
While I don't agree with everything that our 45th president said or did during his time in office, it was fascinating to see important events from his perspective. The biggest takeaway from this book is that politics is complicated and every decision could potentially have ripple effects that could impact international relations, the economy, state and local governments, and much more. Obama was clearly a thoughtful leader and it is inspiring to see him lay out the process of decision making. He's occasionally a bit too eager to pat himself on the back when he made the right call, but he also constantly gives credit to the various people who made is administration work.
You don't have to agree with everything Obama said or did to take something away from this book. I found it frustrating when he describes his reaction to the BP/Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster and outlines a several paragraph rant that he *wanted* to say wherein he correctly rails against decades of pro-fossil fuel and anti-environment policy that has led to the degradation of our natural resources. Instead he composes himself and delivers an impotent message that criticizes BP without alienating the oil states. How much better would our world be if he'd said the quiet part out loud?
There are many books about the Obama administration, but why not take the time to hear from the perspective of the person at the helm? I am very much looking forward to part 2...