The Audacity of Hope (edit title)

• Rated 4 stars

“...beautifully written, well structured...truly an apt title given to the book, "The Audacity of Hope". A must read for all! :)”

• Rated 3 stars

“Mixed”

• Rated 3 stars

“I started reading this book because I was interested in how he came to be President of the United States. I was a little hard for me to comprehend at first, but I started to understand along the way. It told about his family, religion, and his profession in a sort of humorous way. It was uplifting. If you are into politics, I recommend it.”

• Rated 4 stars

“Barack Obama proves that his recent election to the Senate didn't swell his head or keep him from writing a very honest book. Each chapter of the book deals with a different topic. Obama offers insight, opinions, and logic on issues of the day. His eloquence in his speaking transfers very well to paper-I often found myself nodding in agreement as I read. If you're a fan of our president, or even an avid political guru, this book is for you.”

• Rated 4 stars

“quick read - it gives you hope before the election. However, even a perfect candidate can be an imperfect President.”

• Rated 4 stars

“Gave me real insight on our president elect, really happy that he won the election”

• Rated 4 stars

“Where to begin? It's a great read. A wonderful insight into the Barack's history and life. He's an extremely intelligent man with a very down-to-earth upbringing and philosophy. His opinions are very well-reasoned and based on first-hand experience from quite a broad range of topics.

I learned a lot, there are sections that will be worth revisiting because he's relating so much valuable insight and info on these topics worth study. For an example, he spoke of his experiences with the black community and the benefits and pitfalls of programs like Affirmative Action.

I have historically been against the very idea on principle but his reasons for supporting it and what it's actually like in practice, not based on long-standing stereotypes from my conservative childhood that greatly distort facts and are based largely on feared what-if scenarios. However, he's not even that much of a champion of it because, he reasons, we need more; something that is a benefit to everyone, not just a specific people-group.

I could really go on and on but I'll leave it at that. This is very worthwhile reading for anyone, regardless of whether you fear him, loath him or anything in between. He certainly doesn't fit the "liberal elitist" mold he's painted into. Even if you don't agree with his policies, you will certainly come to a better understanding of why his ideas are important and worthy of substantive debate instead of knee-jerk approval or dismissal. ”