Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance [Paperback]

 

 

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Long before he was a candidate to be President of the United States, or even a candidate for the state legislature, Barack Obama wrote "Dreams from My Father". He had been elected as the first African-American president of the "Harvard Law Review", and if that had been the end of his public career, this book would have long been out of print. But, with Obama running for the U.S. Senate, it was reprinted, and now his Presidential run has undoubtedly increased the interest in this work.

This is an interesting book, though certainly Obama's skill as a writer does not match that of his skill as an orator. The book is divided into three sections: "Origins", a look at his younger days; "Chicago", his decision to move to Chicago and work as a community organizer; and "Kenya", about his visit to see his extended family in the country where his father was born. The edition which I read also includes two introductions: one written for the original release of the book; and a second introduction written for the 2004 edition during his run for U.S. Senate. The book closes with a brief epilogue, and an excerpt from his second book "The Audacity of Hope".

"Origins" is an interesting look at some of the aspects of his growing up. This section is focused primarily on race, which is not surprising considering the reason he was asked to write the book. This section also contains key stories about his family, and most importantly his father, but I wish he had spent more time on that part of his life in this book. The section starts with the period prior to his realizing that race was important, and moves through a brief example of his being embarrassed by it, to a longer period of his taking on what is often considered the typical lifestyle of young black men. Finally he seems to break out of the trap he was falling into and embraces who he really is. The stories are rather a sparse collection from his childhood, so this is by no means a full biography, but one does get a glimpse of the road he took to get to where he is, including a detour into drugs, and touches on the death of his father. It is a story which takes him from Hawaii to Indonesia; to California and on to New York.

"Chicago" covers the period when he decided to become a community organizer. At the time he was in New York City, and initially he seems to be pulled away from his decision by corporate America. He then rededicates himself to his decision, and after some initial difficulties he meets Marty Kaufman, who offers him a position in Chicago, which he decides to take once he realizes that he has not connected with New York. His stories of his initial attempts and initial failures are interesting and insightful. It is in the last chapter of this section where he meets Reverend Jeremiah Wright Jr., and is introduced to the workings of the Trinity United Church of Christ. This occurs after he has decided to attend Harvard, and it is clear that Reverend Wright had a huge impact on him. It is here that he talks about the "Audacity of Hope" sermon, after which he would title his second book. Reverend Wright has become a controversial figure, and there are some signs of his controversial views in Obama's description, but the real impact appears to be in helping Obama find a connection to his faith, and not a case of Wright's opinion's or views leading Obama away from who he is.

"Kenya" covers Obama's trip to Kenya to meet his relatives before he goes on to attend Harvard. For me this was the most interesting section of the book, as it gives the reader a look at Obama's extended family, and the interactions between the members. It is also a look inside life in Kenya, and Barack's search to get to know his father. It is also in this section where Barack Obama realizes exactly who he is. Barack forms a fairly strong relationship with his half sister Auma, in spite of the distance and the difficulties which it creates. Both of them seem to be searching to define themselves in the world in which they live.

Oddly enough, though it was his being the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review which caused this book to be written, there is very little mention of his time at Harvard included; just a couple paragraphs in the Epilogue cover that period. That is perhaps the weakness of this book, as there are many gaps in his story which are not covered or receive only passing mention. What are included, are undoubtedly the events which he considers the most significant in his search for who he is.

I would have liked to learn more about some other parts of his life as well. The strength of this book is that it was written before Barack had entered the political arena, so while it is certainly possible that he had already decided to pursue such a career, he could not possibly have known how successful he would be, or how far he would go. Thus I believe he was very honest in the telling of his story. Overall, this is not a literary masterpiece, but it is an interesting read and provides insight into a man who is very likely to become the first African-American U.S. President.

As a first-time writer, Obama does a wonderful job in relating the stories that affected his life. Obama details his personal reflections on his family, his childhood, race in America, and what it means to be biracial in a multi-ethnic society. Obama is painfully honest in discussing his life, which is not only rare for a politician but requires a tremendous amount of self-understanding and respect for the reading public. This book is a must read for those who are interested in Obama as a politician and for those who have an interest reading first-hand accounts of growing up in America as an "other".

In Barack Obama's "Dreams from My Father" I discovered a fascinating brain and an accepting mind that came to terms with his dual inheritance. He provided us with an insight of the African-American experience, of the hopes and dreams of the people, of the realities they confronted and of their failures.
In his inspiring appearance at the Democratic convention, Obama emerges as a rising star in the American politically scene, a figure with a strong personality that is easy to relate to. The speech was very moving.
The fact that this book was written before Obama gained so much political popularity, is the reason why it is so authentic, unlike many of the autobiographies we read. And as a mulatto, this book reminded me of Disciples of Fortune. It is so amazing how the heroes in these books came to terms with their inheritances.

Recommended: DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE, LE MIRADOR, COLLIN POWELL, MY LIFE,LONG WALK TO FREEDOM

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4.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring
This book was initially published in 1995. There is a foreword added in 2004. By retracing his roots, it seems that President Obama got answers from a personal past that he had... Read more

Published on Sep 6 2009 by I LOVE BOOKS

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting!
Written before he entered politics, this book narrates Barack Obama's quest for his own identity, torn when he was young between his mother's working class white family and the... Read more

Published on July 21 2009 by Pierre Gauthier

4.0 out of 5 stars A Father's Son
In his first memoir Obama, a young aspiring, well-educated political activist, traces the story of his life from the Midwest to Hawaii to Indonesia to Kenya over a span of thirty... Read more

Published on Jun 17 2009 by Ian Gordon Malcomson

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Read !
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
This book was a true eye opener. President Obama came through very difficult situations in his family life and in the... Read more

Published on Jun 1 2009 by Robert Jacob

5.0 out of 5 stars Dreams of my Father By Barack Obama
WOW What a great book . It is written by President Barack Obama and is a truly great book everyone should read this one ... M

Published on May 7 2009 by mary

5.0 out of 5 stars Before He Was Famous
Barach Obama's first book would be well worth reading, even if he were not about to become the most powerful man in the world. Read more

Published on Nov 28 2008 by Oliver

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic
Dreams from My Father is a greatly inspiring memoir. Controversial, though it is, the story reflects the soul of a man who is open to his identity. Read more

Published on Feb 26 2005 by Pius

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful
Greatly insightful, and a wonderful memoir style of novel. Well worth the time to read. One day will be a classic. Read more

Published on Dec 3 2004 by Time travels

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoy Reading
Obama makes little mention of his white half -- although by his own account he was lovingly brought up by his white mother and her parents, and this might have provided further... Read more

Published on Mar 20 2004

4.0 out of 5 stars A Surprise Find
I highly recommend this book to almost everyone. It should really get more attention!

The writing is thoughtful and interesting, and the subject matter unique. Read more

Published on Jan 2 2001

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