A Promised Land
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By Barack Obama
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2 reviews
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A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making-from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracyIn the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency-a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil. Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation’s highest office. Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S. partisan politics and international diplomacy. Obama brings readers inside the Oval Office and the White House Situation Room, and to Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, and points beyond.
We are privy to his thoughts as he assembles his cabinet, wrestles with a global financial crisis, takes the measure of Vladimir Putin, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to secure passage of the Affordable Care Act, clashes with generals about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, tackles Wall Street reform, responds to the devastating Deepwater Horizon blowout, and authorizes Operation Neptune’s Spear, which leads to the death of Osama bin Laden. A Promised Land is extraordinarily intimate and introspective-the story of one man’s bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage.
Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of “hope and change,” and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making.
He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment.
Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible. This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama’s conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day.
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An excellent autobiography. Loved the way he has described his time as American president and when he had met his wife Michelle. I love the way he has praised all members of his team especially Joe Biden and Hilary Clinton. He had also praised former prime ministers Gordon Brown and David Cameron for their work.
Had very challenging times like off shore drilling environmental issue which had done quite a bit of damage to the environment. He did look at environmental issues and faced big challenges to get climate change bill passed through the senate. At summit in Copenhagen he had big challenges trying to get nations to cut emissions. Biggest opposition to this was China at the time. Did manage to get EU members states to agree a draft agreement.
He successfully manged to push through his affordable Healthcare Obama Care which I thought was a good policy. He also describes the Terrorism issues he had faced during the presidency and how difficult it was to deploy troops. He had managed to locate Osama Bin Laden during that time. He mentioned his issues with current President Donald Trump and the issues about him being a true American citizen. Overall I thought he was a very good leader compared to Donald Trump
I do not read many autobiographies and perhaps I cheated with this one in listening to it on the BBC Sounds. Obama read the abridged book himself in ten 15-minute parts. It was very easy to listen to and the relationship and respect between himself and George W Bush was thrown into stark contrast to the Obama/Trump and the Trump/Biden transitions. It was interesting to hear of his progress as he set on his political career and the clear support of his wife.
