Dreams from My Father - Barack Obama

Synopsis: Detailed as 'As Story of Race and Inheritance', Dreams from my Father is a memoir by Barack Obama. It details his early life and the subsequent journey he goes on - an honest representation of growing up as an African-American, it shows the trials and tribulations that he faced, making him who he is today. Thoughts / Opinion: Demonstrating where the foundations are for his life and politics, this beautifully crafted memoir by Obama strikes many chords - Obama writes with such an intimate style that it is almost impossible to not see where his hopes and aspirations came from, it ... more

First, and very importantly, this book was written long before the current President of the USA even aspired to a political career. Is it a Biography? Yes, though it isn't a simple 'story' of his life to the date of writing and in some ways it reads more as a novel. It does go through his life in a more or less chronological way, it is almost a collection of anecdotes from his childhood and early adult life. It doesn't go into any detail on his time at Harvard however. What do we learn about the man? I felt I learned a lot. Knowing that this book was written in 1994 when, even if he had ... more

This is Obama's first book and it is truly one of the best I have ever read. I have been reading a lot of autobiographies lately and generally find I prefer the stories of real people as opposed to characters and this was by no means a disappointment. Regardless of your political views as an author you have to admire Obama's honesty and gift for story telling which anyone will be able to relate to on a personal level. The book covers his story from his childhood growing up in Indonesia and Hawaii through until 1995 when it was published the year before he was elected to the State Senate and ... more

I have found this book so prevalent in relationship to my own life As the daughter of a former Black Ambassador and a white British mother my own struggles with inter cultural relationships and finding one's own niche in life In his memoir written at the age of 33, Barack Obama, the son of a black African father and a white American mother, describes the search for meaning in his life as a black American. It is a detailed honest and emotional account of his personal quest and meaning of his life as a black American. I found it so easy to read and comprehend also the degree of his emotional ... more