The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

The Audacity of Hope is a well-written and thoughtful book. The writing style was clear and easy to follow, which made it enjoyable to read. I also appreciated how the facts and viewpoints were presented in an organized and understandable way. It gives good insight into important issues while keeping the reader engaged throughout the book.

Would recommend to other people

This is not the first book penned by our former president, but it is the newest, and the first that I have acquired from the author. I've not had the privilege of reading any of Barack Obama's previous books, but this book (which contains 10 chapters along with Prologue and an Index of 10 pages) is a promising read that is well-indexed and is written in warm tones.I have been an admirer and a "fan" of our former president for years, and I believe he has put his finger on an important point -- in these difficult times, we need the strength of audacity to hope for better times and a better world. Our survival as a species is in great jeopardy, and some of us are working hard to destroy our last hope of survival. As a nation, we are at the very edge of collapse, and the failure of our government to deal with threat of Fascism and perdition that faces us now. This book is a small volume, 262 pages in 10 chapters, in paperback form. Easy to read, informative, and well written.

I first read this book in 2008, and it convinced me to vote for Obama. I decided to read it again in 2017 to see if it was still worth reading, and it was. This is mainly a policy book, but probably my favorite parts are the little stories Obama tells about being in the Senate, the first time he went to the White House, good stories about his early campaigns, plus little snapshots of his personal life that he shares, including an account of how he met Michelle, and a candid admission of struggling to maintain a good work/life balance. Sometimes these parts are funny to read now, such as when he reflects on his growing fame (in 2006) and writes, “Even outside of Chicago, it’s becoming harder to walk unnoticed through airports.” I’m sure it’s much harder now!Throughout the book, Obama makes a convincing case for finding common ground and working together to solve problems in a non-ideological, practical and compassionate way, on such topics as money in politics, income and wealth inequality, race, immigration, and other issues still relevant today. He writes, “…whenever we exaggerate or demonize, oversimplify or overstate our case, we lose. Whenever we dumb down the political debate, we lose.” He emphasizes the need for empathy, to put yourself in somebody else’s shoes and to see things from their perspective, to hear both sides of the story. This point of view seems to be a core part of his personality, and I felt like reading this book gave me a better sense of how to do that in my own life.In this book, Obama points us toward a more reasonable, common sense form of politics that is still worth aiming for. Reading this book again gave me a sense of perspective on current events and actually a feeling of optimism about the future. I could be wrong about it, but I think the main point of the book, that there is more that unites us than divides us, is still true, and I think Obama’s vision of a better kind of politics will win.

This line appears at the end of Chapter Two, namely Values, within the 2nd book written by Barack Obama, entitled The Audacity of Hope – Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream - published in 2006 & just 2 years before he became the 44th President of the United States.A thoroughly balanced book about a wide-range of considerations on the subject of a quest for empathy, yet with a political premise; however a comprehensive & insightful narrative about a respective proposition for a better America. In-part a memoir, certainly from the perspective of a concerned citizen & also state senator from Illinois (at the time), with so many things considered & conscientiously surmised by an analytical mindset & intelligent member of society who I wouldn’t mind being chosen to play on his team.Altogether, a courageous overview of thought-provoking topics & while there are so many diverse subjects literally on-the-table for discussion, which need our immediate attention & that a lesser man like myself perhaps would be somewhat afraid to broach abruptly at the dinner table, with propitious fear that somebody would surely start a food fight, just to antagonize me because I might not be able to present all the facts & figures, as well as the author has done. But only because I might not be as practiced & diplomatic as the author, not to mention wise, yet I can state for a fact, since I’ve read his 2nd book & liked it very much, which gives me some credence to confidently pay my respect to whichever problematic situation, by being outspoken in a preemptory manner, to take some sort of action; in effect, either before or after the dessert is served. But something has to be said, at some point & better late than never, if for no other reason than to start a conversation about our apparent lack of systematic & empathetic concern.I would venture to say that the book is a courageous attempt to help resolve the problems that plague, not only our nation, but the whole world, on some diplomatic level. A tempered approach, in spite of the fact that it took me 10 years to ultimately decide to read it, for whatever indefensible tardy reason.I think The Audacity of Hope should be a supplementary textbook in secondary schools, colleges & universities, to encourage students to participate in the world around them & far beyond the familiar & secure neighborhood they’ve grown accustomed to & thereby somewhat numb to the aches & pains across the street or around the corner & out of sight & out of mind; as I would likewise encourage both academia & the general population to pick a problem, voice an opinion, consider the alternatives & make an effort to remedy the situation in a peaceful manner, as articulated by the President recently, in a supportive speech at the 2016 Democratic Convention - ‘Don’t Boo – Vote!'I will admit that it took a major effort for me to study this book & focus on the subject matter because there is no familiar fairy-tale or thoughtless story-line to follow, like those attention-getting action-figures or gratuitous & repetitious violent scenarios and/or sexual misconduct, like in a big-budget, blockbuster summer movie – yet not inside this necessary nonfiction tome & tale of a redemptive challenge.While the act of reading became a test for me to have to want to pay attention to something that was easier left-alone until later, or to let someone else deal with the messy cleanup. Obviously, I couldn’t or didn’t want to think as deliberately as Mr. Obama encouraged me to concentrate on the details of so many diverse headlines. Thus, my initial selfish reason not to read it sooner.But I persevered because I had a goal of sorts in mind, since I had recently read Mr. Obama’s excellent 1st book aka Memoir. Also, I needed to justify & substantiate my ambiguous desire to write The White House suddenly & specifically Mr. Obama – with a letter of gratitude, at a time in my life that I felt it necessary to voice an opinion, moreover some sophomoric concern about my fearful state-of-mind with the world at-large. As I needed to tell somebody whom I admired & was currently in-charge of something more than I felt I could do about anything, in this day & age when murder & mayhem seem to be the rule rather than the exception.And so I read Mr. Obama’s 1st book, Dreams From My Father – A Story of Race & Inheritance & I wrote my multi-page letter of support to The White House & fond farewell (also simultaneous birthday wishes on his 55th B-day) to President Obama & now I’ve finished his 2nd book & subsequently expressed my overall thoughts about both good books in book reviews, arbitrarily posted online. Altogether I feel a better person for having done so, or done something about my muddled emotional state on the contemporary condition of the world at-large – and by doing so, made some sort of an in-kind effort, I believe, to help me take a more courageous & stronger second step.So do yourself a favor & force your stubborn ...