Barack Obama - Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

Growing up in a bi- racial household would certainly have its share of ups and downs and it often leaves children and other family members torn in different directions, especially if the marriage doesn't work out. This social setting not uncommon in the modern world, but it was less common in the recent past when mixed marriages were frowned upon by society in general. One prominent politician grew up in such a family and he published his first book as an examination of his personal and racial history. The book is called Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, a memoir by U.S. Presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

Basic Facts About This Book:

This 453 page book consists of an introduction followed by nineteen untitled chapters subdivided into three main parts. Part 1, titled "Origins", comprises the first six chapters of the book. It is here that Barack Obama introduces the reader to his family tree and the foundation on which his life began. Born in Hawaii in 1961 to a white woman and a black man, young Barack spent his early days living in a tropical island paradise where he was raised by his mother and grandparents. Obama's father had to take an early exit from family life to return to Africa to complete his studies, with the understanding that he would return. But shortly afterward, Obama's mother and father split up and his mother quickly found someone to take his place. This took the family to Indonesia and it introduced the young Obama to yet another new culture and new way of life.

Part 2, titled "Chicago", comprises the next eight chapters of the book. Obama has now reached young adulthood and after studying at Occidental College for two years, he transfers to Columbia University in New York City. It was here that Obama studied political science and it led to the political career he has today. Starting in Chicago, Illinois, Obama takes a position as an organizer, addressing important issues to the local people on Chicago's south side and doing what he can to improve the lives of the residents in this volatile part of the city.

Part 3, "Kenya", comprises the last part of the book and its final five chapters. Barack was in Chicago when he learned that his father had been killed in a car accident (something he reveals at the beginning of the book) and he decides to travel to Kenya to search for his family roots and discover the other members of his extended family. He gets to meet several siblings, grandparents, and other relatives whom he only knew by voice or by name before. Obama ends the book with an Epilogue and a copy of his keynote address to the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

Final Thoughts:

Barack Obama is a man with a very interesting past and he speaks eloquently in this, his first published book. Obama obtained the deal to write this book after he was elected as the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. The book describes his early family life, his experiences as a young, ambitious man trying to improve the lives of people in Chicago, and his ultimate search to connect the branches in his expanded family tree.

This book is an autobiography of sorts, covering Obama's life up to 1995, when he was 34 years old. Obama spends most of the pages of this book talking about his family and its influence, along with the ever- present issue of racism that occasionally reared its ugly head during his childhood and young adult life. Obama introduces and describes many people in this book, with quotations from family, friends, co- workers, and some of the political activists he worked with in Chicago. Obama describes many of the important people in his life in intimate detail. From his maternal grandparents to his mother to some of his closest friends, Obama details their personalities and the unique contribution that each person made in shaping his personality and political/social beliefs.

Confused but curious, Obama spends much of his youth in the midst of a personal crisis. He grew up first in Hawaii, then moved to Indonesia, then back to Hawaii where he attended the prestigious Punahou School- a private college preparatory school where he graduated in 1979. The young Obama realized early on that his family and his upbringing were unique and he set out to find the keys that would unlock his past. His is not a troubled youth. Instead, it is a youth filled with curiosity and soul- searching. Obama sincerely enjoys his culturally diverse past and he wants to find out all he can about the men and women who helped make him the man he is today.

One issue that is addressed quite frequently in this book is the subject of racism. Obama was born into the world in 1961 and while he missed the direct experience of some of the most racially tense times in U.S. history, he was still around to witness his share of racial division, misunderstanding, and conflict during the late 1960's and continuing through the 1970's. Coming from a racially mixed background gave Obama a much different perspective from those around him. Continuously in the book, he is forced to deal with the subject of racism but even during these moments he remains cool and level- headed, often searching for a voice of reason to explain why people say and act the way they do when it comes to race.

Obama writes this book with eloquence, respect, and style and his intelligence shows on every page. He displays a maturity beyond his years and shows a remarkable penchant for creative, compelling writing that holds your attention to the end. If there is any criticism worthy of mention, it would have to be some of Obama's personal narratives. Many of them tend to drag on and on, leaving the reader with an abundance of information that isn't necessarily useful. These probably could have been cut down to size without taking away anything from the book. Also, I have heard many people say that Obama's past is too unique for the average black person to relate and hence has limited usefulness. I disagree with this criticism, because it is this uniqueness and all of the rich cultural experiences of Obama's life that form the basis on which he derives his lifetime of wisdom. There is something in his life experience that anyone can relate to, regardless of race and regardless of whether or not their life is a perfect parallel to Obama's.

Thoughtful and reflective, "Dreams From My Father" is a very good book that offers a perceptive, sagacious level of wisdom from a young politician with a long and promising career ahead of him. Like its author's personal upbringing, the book presents a distinctive look into one man's search for his family's beginnings and his quest for knowledge of the human spirit. It's a personal book that is calm, quiet, yet powerful in its own way and I recommend it to all.