The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream | 
 enlarge | Author: Barack Obama
Publisher: Crown
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  552 reviews
Sales Rank: 744
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 384
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.6
ISBN: 0307237699
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.04960730092
EAN: 9780307237699
ASIN: 0307237699
Publication Date: October 17, 2006
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Condition: No dust jacket. Good copy with moderate reader wear. May have some blemishes or creases. Orders Shipped in One Business Day! Great Customer Service. Your Satisfaction is Guaranteed!
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Amazon.com
Barack Obama's first book, Dreams from My Father, was a compelling and moving memoir focusing on personal issues of race, identity, and community. With his second book The Audacity of Hope, Obama engages themes raised in his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, shares personal views on faith and values and offers a vision of the future that involves repairing a "political process that is broken" and restoring a government that has fallen out of touch with the people. We had the opportunity to ask Senator Obama a few questions about writing, reading, and politics--see his responses below. --Daphne Durham
20 Second Interview: A Few Words with Barack Obama
 Q: How did writing a book that you knew would be read so closely by so many compare to writing your first book, when few people knew who you were?
A: In many ways, Dreams from My Father was harder to write. At that point, I wasn't even sure that I could write a book. And writing the first book really was a process of self-discovery, since it touched on my family and my childhood in a much more intimate way. On the other hand, writing The Audacity of Hope paralleled the work that I do every day--trying to give shape to all the issues that we face as a country, and providing my own personal stamp on them.
Q: What is your writing process like? You have such a busy schedule, how did you find time to write?
A: I'm a night owl, so I usually wrote at night after my Senate day was over, and after my family was asleep--from 9:30 p.m. or so until 1 a.m. I would work off an outline--certain themes or stories that I wanted to tell--and get them down in longhand on a yellow pad. Then I'd edit while typing in what I'd written.
Q: If readers are to come away from The Audacity of Hope with one action item (a New Year's Resolution for 2007, perhaps?), what should it be?
A: Get involved in an issue that you're passionate about. It almost doesn't matter what it is--improving the school system, developing strategies to wean ourselves off foreign oil, expanding health care for kids. We give too much of our power away, to the professional politicians, to the lobbyists, to cynicism. And our democracy suffers as a result.
Q: You're known for being able to work with people across ideological lines. Is that possible in today's polarized Washington?
A: It is possible. There are a lot of well-meaning people in both political parties. Unfortunately, the political culture tends to emphasize conflict, the media emphasizes conflict, and the structure of our campaigns rewards the negative. I write about these obstacles in chapter 4 of my book, "Politics." When you focus on solving problems instead of scoring political points, and emphasize common sense over ideology, you'd be surprised what can be accomplished. It also helps if you're willing to give other people credit--something politicians have a hard time doing sometimes.
Q: How do you make people passionate about moderate and complex ideas?
A: I think the country recognizes that the challenges we face aren't amenable to sound-bite solutions. People are looking for serious solutions to complex problems. I don't think we need more moderation per se--I think we should be bolder in promoting universal health care, or dealing with global warming. We just need to understand that actually solving these problems won't be easy, and that whatever solutions we come up with will require consensus among groups with divergent interests. That means everybody has to listen, and everybody has to give a little. That's not easy to do.
Q: What has surprised you most about the way Washington works?
A: How little serious debate and deliberation takes place on the floor of the House or the Senate.
Q: You talk about how we have a personal responsibility to educate our children. What small thing can the average parent (or person) do to help improve the educational system in America? What small thing can make a big impact?
A: Nothing has a bigger impact than reading to children early in life. Obviously we all have a personal obligation to turn off the TV and read to our own children; but beyond that, participating in a literacy program, working with parents who themselves may have difficulty reading, helping their children with their literacy skills, can make a huge difference in a child's life.
Q: Do you ever find time to read? What kinds of books do you try to make time for? What is on your nightstand now?
A: Unfortunately, I had very little time to read while I was writing. I'm trying to make up for lost time now. My tastes are pretty eclectic. I just finished Marilynne Robinson's Gilead, a wonderful book. The language just shimmers. I've started Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which is a great study of Lincoln as a political strategist. I read just about anything by Toni Morrison, E.L. Doctorow, or Philip Roth. And I've got a soft spot for John le Carre.
Q: What inspires you? How do you stay motivated?
A: I'm inspired by the people I meet in my travels--hearing their stories, seeing the hardships they overcome, their fundamental optimism and decency. I'm inspired by the love people have for their children. And I'm inspired by my own children, how full they make my heart. They make me want to work to make the world a little bit better. And they make me want to be a better man.
Product Description
“A government that truly represents these Americans–that truly serves these Americans–will require a different kind of politics. That politics will need to reflect our lives as they are actually lived. It won’t be pre-packaged, ready to pull off the shelf. It will have to be constructed from the best of our traditions and will have to account for the darker aspects of our past. We will need to understand just how we got to this place, this land of warring factions and tribal hatreds. And we’ll need to remind ourselves, despite all our differences, just how much we share: common hopes, common dreams, a bond that will not break.”
–from The Audacity of Hope
In July 2004, Barack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. One phrase in particular anchored itself in listeners’ minds, a reminder that for all the discord and struggle to be found in our history as a nation, we have always been guided by a dogged optimism in the future, or what Senator Obama called “the audacity of hope.”
Now, in The Audacity of Hope, Senator Obama calls for a different brand of politics–a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the “endless clash of armies” we see in congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy.” He explores those forces–from the fear of losing to the perpetual need to raise money to the power of the media–that can stifle even the best-intentioned politician. He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment.
At the heart of this book is Senator Obama’s vision of how we can move beyond our divisions to tackle concrete problems. He examines the growing economic insecurity of American families, the racial and religious tensions within the body politic, and the transnational threats–from terrorism to pandemic–that gather beyond our shores. And he grapples with the role that faith plays in a democracy–where it is vital and where it must never intrude. Underlying his stories about family, friends, members of the Senate, even the president, is a vigorous search for connection: the foundation for a radically hopeful political consensus.
A senator and a lawyer, a professor and a father, a Christian and a skeptic, and above all a student of history and human nature, Senator Obama has written a book of transforming power. Only by returning to the principles that gave birth to our Constitution, he says, can Americans repair a political process that is broken, and restore to working order a government that has fallen dangerously out of touch with millions of ordinary Americans. Those Americans are out there, he writes–“waiting for Republicans and Democrats to catch up with them.”
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| Customer Reviews: Read 547 more reviews...
 Getting to Know Barack August 29, 2008
For anyone who has been following Obama's campaign, reading The Audacity of Hope will dispel once and for all any notion of his insincerity, being "too good to be true", or flip-flopping--all of which have been thrown out at us as discouraging comments. Throughout his book, written before he tossed his hat in the ring, one witnesses his most deeply held values. The wondrous part is that they are perfectly consistent with the values he has been espousing on the campaign trail. This takes one by surprise, given the fact that he is campaigning for a political office. After reading his book, one can readily believe that his having to counter McCain's style of campaigning must be gut-wrenching for Obama. Mud-slinging is totally unlike, and against, the very fabric of his being.
His book--beautifully written by him, not a ghost writer--also demonstrates the depth of his vision and coherence of all he sees. These are rare traits in someone of his age. He takes us on a tour of Congress, of politics, of his mind, and other topics, reflecting all the way on his assessment of what is happening and his response to it. This gives the reader a behind-the-scenes picture of how he would most likely approach the Presidency.
Lastly, his book shows the care and attention he gives to others' ideas--even those of Republicans. He truly respects all persons, valuing them just for being other human beings like himself. Because he listens, hears, and values what others have to say, the gnawing feeling one may have about his lack of experience becomes assuaged. He may not have had the on-the-job training that unquestionably would be useful as President, but he is clearly bright enough to surround himself with those who do have the needed experience. More importantly, he shows no signs of egocentricity, giving him the capacity to take others' advice, filter it through his brilliant and well-ordered mind, and come out with his own, value-based decisions. It makes one think, "I could be proud to have that kind of President."
 obama is a muslim August 29, 2008
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R259X44BA4PE44 obama is a muslim and is pretending to be a Christian to get the votes. muslims lie to get what they want - I saw first hand in the mideast last year. If he were a Christian, he would be against killing unborn babies and would be against deviant sexual BEHAVIOR.
 Great writing and wonderful entertainment // ciao // gurkha August 27, 2008
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
This book was a wonderful surprise. To tell you the truth, I bought it because my foster grandson Lois goes to the same school as the author's literary agent's children, and I felt that it would be the right thing to support local people.
I am a rather conservative reader in my tastes. I like good writing skills, a reasonable plot, a read which is not relying on too much "experimental" writing (such as misspelled slang that makes you wonder what the author/character meants). I want to enjoy reading a book, and, if possible, not be so discouraged that suicide seems to be a rationale course of action.
This book reached 5 stars at almost every level. First, it is a true page turner, one of those books which you cannot put down until you are done with it - not so much because you want to know what will happen (although there is a bit of that too) - but because it plays with your emotions and enjoyment in such an unusual way. The language is wonderful - precise when discussing a detail oriented individual, passionate for a romantic, always well tuned to the characters and to the events. The vocabulary is full, although not as rich, maybe, as Joseph Conrad. The characters are deeply etched and displayed, yet not revealed to their innermost layers. They are unusual and interesting, yet not so outrageous that you are interested in them because of their anomalous behavior. The story is non-linear and absolutely ignores classical rules of composition, yet it achieves grandeur which reminds you a bit, without all the pathos, of Sempleton-MacFee (although the large number of characters also contributes to that echo). The period seems quite well researched, and the author has mixed in his story true details as well as "fake" notes or "small history" regarding his own made-up additions, sometimes creating funny or ironic moments.
I was impressed by the story and how the writer is able to sell us that story - very few could have pulled it off. I loved the language and its effects. I enjoyed the mix of post modernity and classicism. I loved the book and at the same time enjoyed the fact that it stretched my tastes in literature. I am still trying to describe what makes this such a wonderful novel - it might be the non-linearity of its story, the seeming lack of logic that some of its turns have, and yet the richness of the language and of the events it depicts.
But:
Some loops in the story are superfluous and could have been cut to greater effect and Obama (as well as several minor characters) lack true depth and seem to be paper folks imagined by some spin doctor. Not real people with flaws and anger and errors and upset dreams.
So only 3 stars eventhough this novel is one of the best I have read this year.
ciao // gurkha
Great orator, but an empty suit? August 25, 2008
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
I must add that Mr. Obama is a great speaker but in the end he sounds like a politician dreaming of Utopia with a past touching every walk of life to give him a superior in depth view of ....everything. Although I am no fan of Mr. Obama, I did enjoy reading this book. In the end what did I get out of this book? Alot of babble about his life and experiences and what/why he thinks as he does. I haven't to date heard any definitive statements from Obama on what he stands for other that against the war in Iraq, pro-choice, and in favor of taxes. I'm more interested in a person with great ideas-------BUT moreover ways to get to an endpoint, not muddle around in the hypothetical and no true solutions (just questions about what the problem currently is). Spit it out Mr. Obama......please!! There are many great points about how and why he thinks but in the end, I see an empty suit as many other politicians that speak of change. I recommend the book for an uplifting view of his life without many negative facts or true insights into his inner conflicts. We all need to be more educated about politicians; this book is just FLUFF. Good read to better understand Mr. Obama and see, he stands for everything, but nothing in the end. Don't ask him a yes or no question because we will get another book about his life. Obama Nation is also another interesting book about Mr. Obama. Different but nonetheless interesting. It seems all of America is looking for a modern day Patton dressed as Ghandi to be the next president, Mr. Obama is neither. Read this book and you may agree.....or disagree.
American Patriotism at Its Best August 25, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
A must for anyone's library and a great read. Easy to follow, clear, and a concise and logical plan for rebuilding America into the nation it should be, the nation that was designed by our Constitution, with freedom and justice for all.
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