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A review by tofuadmiral
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
4.0
With this powerful and detailed account of his first term in office, President Obama reminds us that democracy is not a gift from on high, but something founded and built together, day by day.
First off, shoutout to my Mom for gifting me this book! I've been inspired by President Obama since way back when I was in the 4th grade. I still remember my teacher rolling out the television cart so we could watch his 2008 inauguration as it happened. Living in a border town as a racialized American, the election of a Black man to arguably the most powerful position in the world was a big deal. Our school was ecstatic, and the hype was palpable. For the first time, I started to harbor aspirations that had previously only been within the realms of white imaginations; could I too, maybe, possibly, be President one day?
The initial childhood idealism has since melted away to a healthy level of skepticism. Obama's larger-than-life image eroded in my eyes under reports of drone strikes, rising income inequality, and a widely held belief that we had "solved the race issue" in the US.
Reading this book has centered me somewhat. This book affords the reader the unique opportunity of seeing behind the scenes of some of the defining moments of the century; The Great Recession, the Greek Debt Crisis, the Arab Spring, the killing of Osama bin Laden, and the Deepwater Horizon spill all happened in his first term.
Understanding the complexity and breadth of these issues allows me to temper my former distaste and dismissive attitude to one of respect; Obama, for all he did, got some cool shit done. From the Affordable Care Act, to the American Recovery Act, and even to his commitment to pulling troops out of Iraq, Obama made some of the most impactful presidential decisions of the last century. In addition to his policy, the precedent he set as a poised and likable world leader was invaluable, especially when contrasted with the debacle that was the Trump Presidency.
This book, through its sheer detail, offers the reader deep insight into Obama's decision-making process, and the complexities of the White House and Office of the President at large. As the most recent and most relatable Presidential memoir, I believe it to be a must-read for any amongst my generation. One critique of mine is that at times the overt themes of American exceptionalism seem like pandering to the average American book consumer, although if I was Obama, I would have done the same thing. A man's gotta eat.
Through its depiction of not only the aforementioned historic events and policies, but also the quiet moments with Bo (his dog), and casual pickup games with CIA detail, this book has truly helped me to understand the American political process, and what it takes to make an impact on a global scale. But it has also helped me understand how a man, mortal as he may be, can shoulder such a great burden, with humility, respect, and even a little bit of humor.
Highly recommend the read, and hope that we can move towards a stronger democracy that models some of the aspirational values Obama depicts.
First off, shoutout to my Mom for gifting me this book! I've been inspired by President Obama since way back when I was in the 4th grade. I still remember my teacher rolling out the television cart so we could watch his 2008 inauguration as it happened. Living in a border town as a racialized American, the election of a Black man to arguably the most powerful position in the world was a big deal. Our school was ecstatic, and the hype was palpable. For the first time, I started to harbor aspirations that had previously only been within the realms of white imaginations; could I too, maybe, possibly, be President one day?
The initial childhood idealism has since melted away to a healthy level of skepticism. Obama's larger-than-life image eroded in my eyes under reports of drone strikes, rising income inequality, and a widely held belief that we had "solved the race issue" in the US.
Reading this book has centered me somewhat. This book affords the reader the unique opportunity of seeing behind the scenes of some of the defining moments of the century; The Great Recession, the Greek Debt Crisis, the Arab Spring, the killing of Osama bin Laden, and the Deepwater Horizon spill all happened in his first term.
Understanding the complexity and breadth of these issues allows me to temper my former distaste and dismissive attitude to one of respect; Obama, for all he did, got some cool shit done. From the Affordable Care Act, to the American Recovery Act, and even to his commitment to pulling troops out of Iraq, Obama made some of the most impactful presidential decisions of the last century. In addition to his policy, the precedent he set as a poised and likable world leader was invaluable, especially when contrasted with the debacle that was the Trump Presidency.
This book, through its sheer detail, offers the reader deep insight into Obama's decision-making process, and the complexities of the White House and Office of the President at large. As the most recent and most relatable Presidential memoir, I believe it to be a must-read for any amongst my generation. One critique of mine is that at times the overt themes of American exceptionalism seem like pandering to the average American book consumer, although if I was Obama, I would have done the same thing. A man's gotta eat.
Through its depiction of not only the aforementioned historic events and policies, but also the quiet moments with Bo (his dog), and casual pickup games with CIA detail, this book has truly helped me to understand the American political process, and what it takes to make an impact on a global scale. But it has also helped me understand how a man, mortal as he may be, can shoulder such a great burden, with humility, respect, and even a little bit of humor.
Highly recommend the read, and hope that we can move towards a stronger democracy that models some of the aspirational values Obama depicts.