The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (Vintage) | 
 enlarge | Author: Barack Obama
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book
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Rating:  626 reviews
Sales Rank: 10
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Edition: Reprint
Pages: 464
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.3
ISBN: 0307455874
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.04960730092
EAN: 9780307455871
ASIN: 0307455874
Publication Date: July 15, 2008
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Amazon.com Review
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
The Audacity of Hope is Barack Obama's call for a new kind of politics—a politics that builds upon those shared understandings that pull us together as Americans. Lucid in his vision of America's place in the world, refreshingly candid about his family life and his time in the Senate, Obama here sets out his political convictions and inspires us to trust in the dogged optimism that has long defined us and that is our best hope going forward.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 621 more reviews...
 Finally, an enlightened leader October 21, 2006
E. Wingard
95 out of 119 found this review helpful
For any American citizen who is currently in resignation or despair over the abundant examples of unethical, immoral and abusive leaders who breed cynicism and apathy, The Audacity of Hope is a breath of much needed oxygen. Senator Obama may be considered "soft" by the media who enjoy taking down anyone who exhibits complexity of mind, paradoxical thinking and humanistic values, yet his writing inspires one to stop wallowing in helplessness and take an active role in our imperfect democracy. When Obama first spoke at the Democratic convention, Ann Deavere Smith wrote an op ed piece the next day saying that politics would never be the same because finally a leader spoke with a "unifying fusion" beyond partisanship, stereotypes and blame mongering. The senator's writing demonstrates that reflective, thoughtful consideration of apparent opposites is a leadership attribute needed urgently -- Obama speaks of the need to redefine power from its corrupt, controlling misuse as currently witnessed daily to an inclusive power that practices empathy, tolerance, and a reclaiming of core democratic values. Obama leaves the reader with a call to face our critical global issues by polishing the lens of our own perceptions rather than projecting and perpetuating fear and hatred. Whether he will be able to pass great legislation or run for president, this book provides inspiration to any leader who wants to demonstrate a capacity to connect with the hearts, minds and souls of generations seeking to be inspired and uplifted. He embodies the true sense of enlightened -"awake" not perfect--able to use his intelligence for the greater good while demonstrating the humility of one who knows his own shadows. A highly recommended read for all would be leaders.
This is a very honest book written by a political star October 24, 2006
Robert G Yokoyama (Mililani, Hawaii)
62 out of 77 found this review helpful
The life of a politician is very stressful according to Barack Obama, and I truly believe him. He is hopeful that America can be a place where all Americans can prosper, no matter what their dreams are. He is a father who loves to spend time with his wife and two daughters. His long legislative sessions sometimes force him to postpone vacations or miss a school function. Obama has been mistaken for a valet by white people outside of a restaurant. He has also been followed by security guards just because the color of his skin. Yet, he remains a politician who believes that all citizens can live in harmony regardless of their ethnic background. Barack's belief in partial birth abortion has drawn criticism and questions about his Christian faith from his former opponent in the Senate race Alan Keyes, nurses and newspaper writers. Barack grew up exposed to all different religions. By reading the Bible and the Koran as a child, he is a man with a respect for all religions. Obama supports many good ideas in my opinion. He supports affirmative action, a movement that gives all people from different minorities and individuals with disabilities equal opportunity in admissions to colleges and access to jobs in the work force. Obama believes that the United States government and political regardless of party, should strive to meet the needs of all citizens. Barack supports giving welfare benefits to legal immigrants and putting child locks on guns. Barack strongly believes that people who serve in public office should strive to perform their jobs with integrity. Obama believes that public servants should listen to the needs of the people they serve, and they be held accountable for personal involvement in scandals and mis use of tax payer money. Obama has made his share of mistakes along the way. He accidently pressed the wrong button and voted against a bill that protected children against sexual predators. He missed voting on an important bill about gun control, because he was on vacation. The Audacity of Hope is a honest inside look about how difficult the job of a politician really is. This book also gives the reader a clear picture of Barack's position on issues like values, family, politics and race. This book portrays Barack Obama as a very knowledgeable and compassionate person. He will make a fine President, because he listens to the needs of everyone.
The Insistence on Small Miracles February 15, 2007
Richard Stoehr (Bremerton, WA USA)
17 out of 19 found this review helpful
When is the last time a sitting politician inspired you? Not just impressed you or made you think, but really and truly made you want to get off your butt and do something to make a difference in the world? I remember the last time that happened to me. It was in 2004, when Barack Obama spoke at the Democratic National Convention. For the first time in a long time, maybe the first time ever, I was moved to not only see the possibility of change in the world, but to want to do something to be a part of it. There is no question, the man has a way with words, and he proves it over and over in "The Audacity of Hope."
"No one is exempt from the call to find common ground." This is one of many phrases that stood out to me in the book. Obama has a talent for finding just the right thing to say at just the right moment, and the best part about that is that one genuinely feels that he means what he says. In his case, it is not just empty rhetoric said for the benefit of an electorate or a constituency -- it is how he genuinely feels. And best of all, his worldview is not a pessimistic one. It reflects the hope he finds in everyday events, the inspiration he finds in everyday people, and the love he has for America and those who live in it.
In "The Audacity of Hope," Obama covers a wide range of subjects, including some most politicians often shy away from. He spends a good deal of time on the subject of racial issues, talks about America's relationship with the wider world, discusses education and morality and family and faith and the divide between the parties and Constitutional law and even some of the inner workings of being a political figure in the 21st Century. But this is not just a book about issues or about politics. Frequently throughout the book, several times in each chapter, Obama explores how his politics relate to his personal life, and vice-versa. Even if one is reading the book just to learn how he feels about abortion or about the war in Iraq, one cannot escape the personality of the man in these pages. The book is about many issues important on the modern political stage, but the book is also imbued with a sense of the man who wrote it, and is often intensely personal.
In the end, Obama didn't write this book to win an election. After reading it, I can truly see that he wrote it because it is a subject he loves, and that love is there the whole way through. He wrote it to convey the hope he has for America and its people, and to suggest -- never demand -- ways to make that hope a reality. His ideas are intelligent and well-stated, and he has clearly put a lot of thought into what he says. I, for one, appreciate a political figure who takes care with his words and who has the courage to be honest about his ideas and his feelings.
"No one is exempt from the call to find common ground." It bears repeating, because it strikes me that this is a message central to this book as a whole. No citizen of the United States, or even of the world, can absolve themselves of the responsibility to work with each other, to be better than we have been. It is a part of what we owe each other, and it is the hope that Barack Obama dares to express that we can be a part of that change.
I have to say, it sure does feel good to be inspired by a politician for once. For this reason alone, I am glad I read "The Audacity of Hope."
A liberal says "ouch" he stepped on my toes. October 23, 2006
C. Nelson (Crown Point, IN USA)
53 out of 66 found this review helpful
The Audacity of Hope by Senator Obama is a compelling arguement for reexamining how we view and respond to policy issues and political debate. Challenging us to leave our biases at the door before entering. The Senator does this in a manner similar to that of a pastor on sunday morning rebuking then showing and guilding us to a better way. An intellectual and insightful read with moments of hilarity (his decription of a bloggers response to Alan Keyes had me laughing out loud). I look forward to hearings more from him whether on the campaign trail or in the Senate.
Surprisingly fascinating reading! February 21, 2007
Beebee (Florida)
22 out of 26 found this review helpful
I decided to Read the Audacity of Hope because I liked what Obama had to say, and wanted to find out more. I didn't, however, expect to like it as thoroughly as I did! Despite a little bit slow beginning, the book drew me in with fascination as Obama used various bits of American history and constitutional law to not only help us understand various issues, but also to educate us about the basics of our society. It was written with just enough technical information to make it thought provoking and not mind numbing.
I was also pleasantly surprised with the way Obama tries to present both sides of the picture. It's still obvious that he leans a bit more liberal, but he's very moderate in many things and seems to try to balance his arguments. It's sad when we're so used to complete and total name bashing that it's shocking when someone behaves responsibly even in book form. I definitely came out of this book more enlightened than I went in.
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