definitely a worthwhile read

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream by Barack Obama
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Believe it or not, i had never read "The Audacity of Hope", not when it came out, nor during Obama's presidency. I ran across this audio version of it and grabbed it, since he has come again to my attention in the context of the stumping he did for some Democratic party candidates during the 2022 midterm season. As i listened to this abridged version, in his own voice, i was struck by the immense knowledge and intelligence of the man. His reflections on the topics contained in this version (Republicans and Democrats, Values, Our Constitution, Politics, Faith, Race, Family) were informed, engaging, and thoughtful. I found them especially so given that this was written years before his election as President. I would say that Obama falls squarely into the Neo-Liberal camp, which is problematic to me, but his views were nevertheless very interesting. Obviously there is a stark contrast between Obama and his successor Trump, whose intelligence and insight was more on the level of a spoiled child (sorry kids for the comparison :| ) . It is serendipitous that i happened upon this book immediately following reading Bernie Sanders manifesto on Political Revolution, and immediately preceding my reading "We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy" by Ta-Nehisi Coates, which reviews the Obama years in the White House among other things. Really looking forward to it. "The Audacity of Hope" is definitely a worthwhile read, even if your opinions differ from the authors. He embraces a good balance of reason and humanity, and is a really exceptional person in our nation.


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