Thursday, February 21, 2008

2008 Book 13: Dreams from My Father





















































Book #:13
Book Title:Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
Author:Barack Obama
Publisher:Three Rivers Press
Pub. Date:2004 (my edition); 1995 (original)
Pages:480
Started:February 16, 2008
Finished:February 20, 2008
Time to Read:5 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:(This is not the actual back cover text; I borrowed this book from my friend Danielle and returned it before writing this review. Therefore, this text is taken from The Red Room.)

"In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a black African father and a white American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a black American. It begins in New York, where Barack Obama learns that his father—a figure he knows more as a myth than as a man—has been killed in a car accident.

This sudden death inspires an emotional odyssey-first to a small town in Kansas, from which he retraces the migration of his mother's family to Hawaii, and then to Kenya, where he meets the African side of his family, confronts the bitter truth of his father's life, and at last reconciles his divided inheritance. The Audio CD of this book was awarded the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album."

Stars:*
Review:Before reading this book, I actually gave thought to voting for Barack Obama in the 2008 general election. Me, the self-described moderate Republican. Actually gave it thought.

And then, I read the book. And now? Hell, no. Never. I will give Mr. Obama much credit for being a cohesive and compelling writer. But my praise ends there. I believe that his entire platform for the presidency is a fraud. I believe that, further, Mr. Obama harbors racist views, despite being multi-racial himself. And although it was an interesting tale, at times, of the life a young man coming of age, it was not a tale that would ever make me want to vote him in as President.

Who should read this book? Anyone considering voting for him. It may open your eyes.



If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Thanks for this, definitely need to look into this before election time.