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 ...

I approached this book with high expectations, mainly because I was so impressed with “Dreams From My Father.” As I got into the book, I quickly realized that this one was coming from a different angle. I am not saying that is necessarily “bad,” just that it is coming with a different vibe. One thing that impressed me throughout is that President Obama is an excellent writer. I simply do not want to overlook this basic fact. He is a man filled with an abundance of exuberance, a healthy kind of political optimism that this country needs. He's like a breath of fresh air, in this sense. No one knows what his political future holds, but no matter what, he is making his mark, and spelling out clearly his political ideas, and this book is one good indication of that. In many ways, this book is highly Historical and academic, but for the purpose of letting the country know where he is coming from politically, it serves its purpose. There is much to be gained from its contents. This book can be complemented by another, “Reality's Pen: Reflections On Family, History & Culture,” by Thomas D. Rush. Rush's book can be found right here on Amazon. In Rush's work, we get to see the “average Joe's” fascinating 1989 account of two very long conversations with what will eventually become the first African-American President in American History. It's good to get this account because it occurs long before Obama is famous, between two people just going about the daily business of their lives. What makes the interaction even more compelling is the fact that Obama innocently lays out an image of what he hopes to see occur within his romantic life, a romantic life prior to the time of his introduction to Michelle. It is oh so fascinating, and can be found in the piece on page 95 of Rush's work called, “You Never Know Who God Wants You To Meet.” Rush's book also contains additional anecdotes of richness, making it an overall, well-rounded book.

Before anyone gets put off by this title, they should read my review of Obama's first book, Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, and they should read that book, first, before this book, and then read, keeping an open mind for valid scholarship, this review.This is a book by then Senator Obama in preparation for his run to become President. He does write reasonably well."In the wake of 9/11, my meetings with Arab and Pakistani Americans... They (Muslims in America) have been reminded that the history of immigration in this country has a dark underbelly; they need specific assurances that their citizenship really means something, that America has learned the right lessons from the Japanese internments during World War II, and that I will stand with them should the political winds shift in an ugly direction" (p.261)Without entering a discussion about the "exclusion zones" (not internment) in WWII, about which Obama knows nothing other than shallow Urban Rumors, the above sentence puts Obama on the side of CAIR (the Council of American-Islamic Relations), an FBI designated front group for Hamas, and an unindicted co-conspirator terrorist funding organization, funded in part, if not largely, by Saudi Arabia: the Muslim Brotherhood, (who assassinated Sadat and tried to blow up the twin towers in 1993) which is the parent organization of the Muslim Students Association (as well as of Hamas) on every major and most minor colleges, who use the documentation CAIR provides; the active Hamas and Hezbollah supporters in Dearbornistan, MI and elsewhere in Michigan and the USA, and Jamaat-al-Fuqua, from Pakistan, which has 28 terrorist training camps in the USA. CAIR dominates the Islamists here in the USA. It is the voice of Islam to the media and the Obama administration.Our Muslim population in the USA is tripling, sextupling, over the coming decades, for CAIR et alia want the USA to become an Islamist Country ruled by Sharia Law, Obama is putting himself on the side of these Islamists rather on the side of America. His analogy with the exclusion zones in WWII is entirely wrong. Can you imagine anyone saying they are on the side of our own American Nazis, who are also American Citizens?In an interview with Nicholas Kristoff on 06MAR08 "Mr. Obama recalled the opening lines of the Arabic call to prayer, reciting them with a first-rate accent. (`Allah is Supreme! ... I witness that there is no god but Allah! I witness that Muhammad is his prophet!') In a remark that seemed delightfully uncalculated (it'll give Alabama voters heart attacks), Mr. Obama described the call to prayer as "one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset. Only a Muslim, or an Islamist apologist, would say this.The Islamic call to prayer chills Coptic Christians in Egypt, Christians in the West Bank, Baghdad, Kosovo, many places in Europe, and certainly in Hamtramck, Coldwater, Flint, and Dearbornistan, MI, as well as numerous other places around the USA. The opening prayer that Islamists state denigrates all non-Muslims 5-times a day.Obama has stated that Indonesia is ready to join the modern world. Well, it is not so ready, as the over 10,000 slaughtered Christians since 9/11 would state, if they could. There is no documentation that Islam is ready to moderate or modernize, no matter where in this world it is.Obama has publicly stated, with emphasis, that he was never a Muslim. That is a blatant, deliberate lie, as my review of his first book cogently explains.In an interview with ABCs George Stephanopoulos, Obama said he was grateful that McCain had not attacked "my Muslim faith".Steely-eyed crack reporter Stephanopoulos played the part of Mike Wallace on 60 minutes and asked him "What do you mean by "your Muslim faith". Except George didn't do that. Doe eyed Stephanopoulos acted as if he was Obama's press secretary, and quickly said "You mean your Christian faith!" Obama replied, "Yes, I mean my Christian faith".I have been a candidate for the US Congress and the US Senate. I understand how easily one can make a misstatement. But honestly, who has ever, in the US history of elective politics, made a mistake about what religion he believed in and belonged to? If Obama really converted to Christianity at the Reverend Wright's Black Liberation Theology Church almost 20 years before this, he should have no doubt anywhere in his mind about that. The difference between " turn the other cheek" Christianity, and "Kill the unbelievers wherever you find them.." Islam is tremendous and unmistakable (Sura 9.5, from the final and concluding chapter, 9, of the historical Qur'an). It would have been nice if Stephanopoulos had done his job in 2008, for certainly Obama's response today, with 4 plus years to think about it, would be different.As we know from Obama's off the cuff remarks, such as those folks, like me, who are "clinging to their guns and religion"; his "re-distribute the wealth" comment to Joe the Plummer, and his whispers t...

I know, I was supposed to have read this, oh, back in 2007 or '08 when everyone else was reading it. And I thought about it, really I did. But the cynic in me thought, "Come on - what do you think it'll be? It'll be a 400 page sales pitch about why he should be President." I lost faith in our elected officials a long time ago, and if I wanted to learn about Obama, I would rather have done so from a third party, rather than reading a self-aggrandizing autobiography about how awesome he is.In a way, my Cynical Self was right - this is a sales pitch for Barack Obama. I don't know if he was giving the Presidency serious thought when he was writing it, but he could have re-titled the book "Why You Should Vote for Barack Obama" and it would have been perfectly appropriate. Given that he wrote the book after his exceptional keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention, however, it is very likely that he wrote it with higher office in mind.The table of contents reads like a campaign platform, with chapters titled simply, "Values" or "Faith" or "Family," and each chapter deals not only with Obama's views on the topic, but his personal experiences dealing with it. In "Republicans and Democrats," for example, he talks about how the Gingrich Rules bled out from Washington to infect his own state of Illinois, and how hard it was to get anything done when Republicans and Democrats viewed each other as enemies, rather than as different actors in the same play. In "Opportunity," he talks about meeting the guys over at Google who can't find enough American software engineers and the auto workers who can't see their jobs surviving in the new economy. In "Family," he talks about the challenges he faces as a political husband and father, and the more serious challenges facing other families around the country.Make no mistake - this book is, first and foremost, an answer to the question "Who Is Barack Obama?" And it's a very comprehensive answer. We get not only his positions on the issues of the day, but also his personal history (and how it informs his opinions) and a good sense of how the man looks at the world. For an angry, post-Bush Liberal, however, it is immensely, frustratingly even-handed.I'll admit - if I'm feeling a little low, I think about my favorite things: a good book, a thunderstorm on a summer afternoon, sunlight filtered through autumn leaves, and Dick Cheney in an orange jumpsuit and manacles, preferably tarred and feathered. With bells on.It's a natural human impulse, I think, the drive to give as good as you get, and after the last eight years of being on the side slandered every time it questioned authority; of being a supporter of elected officials who have been the target of right-wing vitriol since I was in college; of having to defend the idea that government can be a force for good against thirty years of the incessant, endless, Reaganite drumbeat of Government Is Bad, what I really, really want is to see some heads roll. I want shame and ignominy visited upon those who put their own twisted and medieval ideologies ahead of governing the country. I want to see talking heads and pundits begging on the streets for spare change while the rest of us soar into a utopia of rational understanding.And Barack Obama won't let me have that. Dammit.There are a lot of people annoyed with President Obama right now, and not only from the opposition party. There are Democrats who are frustrated with his pace and what they perceive as his lack of action. All of those people really should have read this book before they got behind him. I'm sure they still would have thrown their support to him, but they would have known better what to expect - a centrist, deliberative politician who plays the long game in lieu of scoring empty political points by, just to pick an example out of thin air, sending Karl Rove to Gitmo.Throughout the book, he emphasizes that while he has indeed picked a side in our political system, he can also see the value in opposing opinions. He knows that there is merit to some GOP ideas, and that they have simply lost their way at this time. Rather than dismiss ideas that don't match his own, he looks for where his ideas and those intersect, and tries to find some kind of common ground to work from, in the hopes that a synthesis can lead to good governance. He is constantly questioning his own assumptions and trying to examine his own biases, seeing the world in the manner of Atticus Finch. He admits that no real problem has a simple solution, no matter how much we wish it were otherwise. And above all, he knows that hope alone won't make the world better. Only deliberate, consistent action will lead us to a better country. Hope merely points the way.Reading this book is a glimpse not only into the mind of Barack Obama but, in some sense, into the mind of everyone who wants to occupy higher office. A great deal of the book focuses not only on his positions and how he has come by, but wha...

The book came on time and what a wonderful book it is. Audacity of Hope gives us all something to think about. Yes, our upbringing may be tough, but if you hang in there and accept the opportunities that come your way, you too can be great. Obama has inspired so many of us to take another look at where we are and where we hope to be. Its never to late to be all you were meant to be. There are going to be some dark days, but we must keep hope alive, by doing positive things in our lives. We should not even think about doing things pertaining to crime and then going to jail. This is not what our life is to be, but going to school, excelling in our studies, graduating top of the class, and going off to college. In addition, we should surround ourselves with positive people that will help you get to the top. Obama didn't do it by himself, but he knew what it took to be the best and he reached that plateau.I never thought I would live to see a black man in the White House as President. The people of all nationalities went to the polls and their voices were heard, and elected Obama, a black man to the White House. I am proud that he is our 44th President, and he has made a mark on society as one who gets it done. He nor his family are flashy, but good ol down home kind a folks.

I found his chapter on Faith to be hard to swallow, not because I didn't like what he had to say (though I didn't at times), but because I think he didn't like what he [had] to say.The notion that life is so abysmal, so empty and thankless as to make us desire a higher meaning and explanation--is not only a shallow sales pitch that tries to convince the individual to believe in god--its so simplistic, two-dimensional and unsophisticated that its just impossible to believe this is Obama's real explanation. As the rest of the book exhibits, he's clearly smarter than that. To make any assumption as to why he claims he believes in the Christian deity would be futile and arrogant--except to consider that he is saying what [needs] to be said in order to please a very large electoral base.The only part I found believable was that he enjoys the good company of the Black Church.As most smart people know (even those desperately in fear of an end by death), it's not the achievement of a goal that provides the source of salvation, gratification and a meaning to life, but the journey itself. I suppose for those in need of a more easily digestible answer--a way out of fear, a way into instant gratification--religion can offer a satisfying comfort.Obama clearly mentions his dissatisfaction with our society's lack of appreciation in relation to the absence of "delayed gratification"--a clear hypocrisy compared to his explanation of his religious beliefs. Getting past his mention of "non-believers" (more than once), he goes further by spelling out an agnostic perspective--admitting he doesn't know what happens when we die. These are not the words of a "believer"--this is an intellectual with thoughts grounded in truth, science, reason and good sense on the prowl to find common ground within any subject.

This book is a summary of Obama's world views and the personal experiences which helped reinforce those views. It is not a biography, though some important biographical details are found throughout. Mostly it focuses on his reflections on U.S. politics, inequality and opportunity, as well is issues of faith, race, and foreign policy. As it is work written before his election as President, much of it focuses on politics is his challenges to being first elected as an Illinois Senator. Obama's book is easily read, as it is written in a very accessible style. He believes in a strong, limited, but progressive role of the United States government, which would help the poor and the marginalized, but also acknowledge the realities of a globalized economy. There is still work to be done to heal racial prejudice and the injustices suffered as a consequence of it, and Obama is for women's freedom to choose abortion, if necessary, and to work as equal participants to men in the economy. Religiously he also affirms his Protestant Christian world view. Reading this book one finds a fairly comprehensive and centrist approach to American politics, which only those on the political extremes would object to. It is informative, and certainly worth perusal.

It so happens that I'm finally getting around to writing this review just after the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention and just before Hurricane Gustav is about to make landfall at New Orleans. Both events underscore the importance of Barack Obama's book, The Audacity of Hope, in the public discourse of the early 21st Century. I think it's irresponsible for any American--and especially anyone who plans to vote in November--not to read it.The next election for President of the United States is a contest between reason and emotion. At last week's convention, some of the greatest minds in the world today appeared in support of the most highly educated group of office-seekers in history (including both members of the Democratic ticket and their wives). From the euphoria evident in television broadcasts, a casual observer could get the impression that the entire event was about feelings. But it wasn't. It was about justice and poverty, nuclear proliferation and terrorism, the state of the planet and the state of humanity. Thoughtful speeches were made by brilliant people who have devoted decades of their lives to understanding these complex issues and struggling to make the world a safer, happier place.Then Senator McCain made the astonishing choice of Sarah Palin--a woman who apparently believes in creationism but not global warming--to be his vice-presidential running mate. I believe that history will show that this was not a shrewd political move; it was an impulsive act by a famously impulsive man.I first read a book about global warming in the 1970s. Even then, scientists knew that unchecked human expansion and the increasing burden of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere would bring about dramatic changes in weather patterns, resulting in much greater variations of temperature and more violent storms than the earth has experienced in the brief period of human habitation. Hundred-year events would become annual events, and five-hundred-year storms would begin to be seen with some regularity. So why are some people still surprised that it's happening?We are decades behind making the changes we should have been making to preserve the planet in a habitable condition for our children and grandchildren (much less generations beyond those of this century). In my opinion, we can no longer afford the luxury of political correctness or the laissez-faire attitude that one opinion is as good as another. We need someone leading the most powerful country on earth who is extremely well-informed, clear-headed, skilled in communication and consensus making, and concerned about the things we all should be concerned about. As this book makes abundantly clear, that person is Barack Obama.

I like the guy, but I was kind of disappointed in the book - not that there's anything wrong with it, for it's truly better than most others in its genre. It's just that after hearing him speak and getting a dose of that extraordinary inspiration, charisma, and "it" factor that he exudes and captivates his audience with, the book just didn't come close to doing that for me.'Audacity of Hope' is pretty much the well Obama draws on for his speeches: yeah, we're on the wrong track as a country, yeah, it's gonna take a lot of work to get back where we were and head where we want to go, but we can do it if we believe in ourselves, roll up our sleeves and get to it, instead of allowing cynicism and cumulative disappointments to lull us into do-nothing apathy. You can boil the Obama message down to: "optimism is good, cynicism is bad, America is about optimism and can-do spirit, we're Americans, let's do it."And he tosses in some policy suggestions, some good, some not, some blah - while emphasizing he isn't necessarily wed to the details of any of them and is open to suggestions about how to improve them, but that they'd make a good starting point in the discussion for turning things around.No real surprises in his policy prescriptions - I've come across versions of most of them someplace or other before. Then again, the guy never promoted himself as a radical but as a species of idealistic pragmatist, so it stands to reason that his policy prescriptions would be in the mainstream/ slightly left of center range.The disappointment of the book is that the same message that comes across so uplifting and inspiring when he orates it from the podium, just doesn't do the same when read in a book. Maybe it's because I've read a lot of good books in my life, so an author has to be out and out extraordinary to impress me with his/her writing, but like most Americans of my generation (X) I haven't heard that many good speeches, what w/ public oratory seeming to be a dying art in this country and all.Long and short of it, it's a good book on par with many other good political biographies, so if you enjoy that genre you'll enjoy 'Audacity of Hope' as well. But if you've read a bunch of political autobiographies odds are you'll rank this one in the "pretty good but not exceptional" category.Which is probably unfair to Obama - his extraordinary speechifying skills set the bar a tad too high for what I should've reasonably expected from his book. It's a good, solid, read (which is why I went ahead and gave it four stars despite the disappointment), just nowhere near as electrifying and moving as one of his better speeches.I recommend this book - at the time of this writing odds are pretty high that its author is gonna be our next Prez. Unlike Dubya's ghostwritten autobiography that sheds no light on what (if anything) is in his noggin, 'Audacity of Hope' was definitely written by Obama, and is a decent window on how his train of thought gathers steam and moves (if you want a similar window into what makes him tick as a person, try the book he wrote 10 or so years before this one).

Great audiobook! I really enjoyed it. Great motivator and a wonderful speaker. Very inspirational. There's nothing negative in his writings. Only inspiration and hope. Hope for all people. I'm very selective when it comes to what I feed my brain and my children. There's no negative and/or hate messages in his writings. I don't know what else to say. Just read and judge for yourself. I'm not a tabloid or front page reader. You might say I'm from the show me state. I had to do the research to find out the truth. I respect, but I can't agree with the review I just read. That's why I got the books and did the research. Man is imperfect....it's God I worship. I'm first and far most a member of the Democratic Party. That's where my focus is. This is a very important time in our lives and no matter who gets to run in November on the Democratic ticket, I will support them. Out with the present damaged government and let's work together towards a new one that's cares about it's people. Be careful, if you're a Democrat, not to make statements that may damage the party due to the "favorite game". This is not a game. This is the real world. As I said, I enjoyed Mr. Obama's audiobooks. They were very well written and spoken and a great feeling and inspiration for all ages. Take away the politics, the faces, the spin and listen to the message without your prejudices (we all have them)and judge for yourself. I did. Thank for reading my review. I think both Hilliary and Obama could both make a difference, but I have to say Mr. Obama can inspire the people. According to the latest polls people feel he can be trusted to do a good job if chosen. No matter who's choosen it's our jobs as citizens of the USA to keep tabs, checks and balances to make sure our nation is healthy with a functional government that's for the people. It's "WE THE PEOPLE"...we are the only ones that can make a difference, reclaim our government and heal the nation. It's not up to Mr. Obama to fix us. He can't. We have to fix ourselves. He seems to have the ability to unite and open up mutual channels of communication that's needed to move forward. With the ability for all to cooperated and communicate for the greater good we can accomplish great things.ps. Dreams of the father:and the audicity of hope are also great!