Post by dustdevil28 on Jan 19, 2009 14:58:13 GMT -8
I've been meaning to read President Barack Obama's autobiography for some time and finally got around to it. For those that maybe interested I thought I'd take a few moments to review that book and offer my thoughts on it.
One of my biggest disappointments from this past election cycle, other than McCain losing, was the underreporting by the media on Obama as a man. There never was a critical look taken at him and anybody who seemed to ask him any serious questions soon became targets themselves. In an election cycle like that it's a bit hard to know the person that we are electing to the highest office in the land. In reading this book I hoped to get a look at Obama that was more in depth than had been reported on. I wasn't disappointed.
Dreams from my father gives about as raw a look in Obama as a man as I think is possible. In this book Obama describes his early childhood in Indonesia, followed by his time in Hawaii, followed by the college years and so forth. The book mostly focuses on Obama trying to deal with being a black man raised by white people. He often times shows a resentment for not having the "authenticity" of other black people, and with this guilt or resentment, he sought to embrace himself in the black community through becoming a community organizer. To him he needs this connection in order to feel as though he belongs to his group, showing sensitivity to any suggestion that he may be leaving them even when they are well meaning gestures.
Barack had the knowledge and ability to gain a good job and make a nice living for himself. In making his choice to work as an organizer and even his actions during it, it seems that he shows himself to be a man who prides himself on his loyalty and his good sense. He can deal without the money, but he cannot deal with the thought that he has left black people to suffer when he feels he could have helped them. That is a very noble sentiment, and one I'm afraid that I do not share with the man.
Obama closes the book by retelling his first trip to Kenya a few years following the death of his father. It is fascinating to read about Obama being introduced to his family and hearing the stories of his father and grandfather growing up. The colonial times in Kenya, the strong will of both his Grandfather and father, his father's fall from grace shortly after he was born to be followed later by a good recovery. To hear of the tribal pride and customs that his family practiced and to a certain extent still practice was a very fascinating read, but well after the book covered the main parts of Obama dealing with his views on the race relations in America.
Overall I enjoyed the book and I would recommend it to anyone, conservative or liberal alike. For me, it gave me some answers I was looking for with Obama as to what kind of man he is, why he went to trinity church, why he stayed. Some of the decisions I still disagree with, but I at least understand the motivation behind his choices now. For the rest, it’s as raw a look at the man as you will probably ever see and I think it is important that we all have a clear view of the man who will lead this nation for the next 4-8 years.
Any thoughts?
-Zach
One of my biggest disappointments from this past election cycle, other than McCain losing, was the underreporting by the media on Obama as a man. There never was a critical look taken at him and anybody who seemed to ask him any serious questions soon became targets themselves. In an election cycle like that it's a bit hard to know the person that we are electing to the highest office in the land. In reading this book I hoped to get a look at Obama that was more in depth than had been reported on. I wasn't disappointed.
Dreams from my father gives about as raw a look in Obama as a man as I think is possible. In this book Obama describes his early childhood in Indonesia, followed by his time in Hawaii, followed by the college years and so forth. The book mostly focuses on Obama trying to deal with being a black man raised by white people. He often times shows a resentment for not having the "authenticity" of other black people, and with this guilt or resentment, he sought to embrace himself in the black community through becoming a community organizer. To him he needs this connection in order to feel as though he belongs to his group, showing sensitivity to any suggestion that he may be leaving them even when they are well meaning gestures.
Barack had the knowledge and ability to gain a good job and make a nice living for himself. In making his choice to work as an organizer and even his actions during it, it seems that he shows himself to be a man who prides himself on his loyalty and his good sense. He can deal without the money, but he cannot deal with the thought that he has left black people to suffer when he feels he could have helped them. That is a very noble sentiment, and one I'm afraid that I do not share with the man.
Obama closes the book by retelling his first trip to Kenya a few years following the death of his father. It is fascinating to read about Obama being introduced to his family and hearing the stories of his father and grandfather growing up. The colonial times in Kenya, the strong will of both his Grandfather and father, his father's fall from grace shortly after he was born to be followed later by a good recovery. To hear of the tribal pride and customs that his family practiced and to a certain extent still practice was a very fascinating read, but well after the book covered the main parts of Obama dealing with his views on the race relations in America.
Overall I enjoyed the book and I would recommend it to anyone, conservative or liberal alike. For me, it gave me some answers I was looking for with Obama as to what kind of man he is, why he went to trinity church, why he stayed. Some of the decisions I still disagree with, but I at least understand the motivation behind his choices now. For the rest, it’s as raw a look at the man as you will probably ever see and I think it is important that we all have a clear view of the man who will lead this nation for the next 4-8 years.
Any thoughts?
-Zach