A Promised Land by Barack Obama

My Rating of “A Promised Land” by Barack Obama: 9 / 10

A promised land is a book I’ve been looking forward to reading. I heard about its pending release a few years ago and as per usual Obama took his time to finish and publish. Perhaps the timing was on purpose given the election period? Either way it was a nice review of his career as a fundraiser, politician and president – especially given the current state of affairs.

Listening to the audiobook was a treat. It was read by Obama himself and elevates the enjoyment of the book. It is a long read however all the stories are interesting. Obama as we all know is quite the story teller and writer. Learning about the games played in Congress, the interactions in the White House or the quiet time late at night when Obama did his thinking were all fascinating.

We all know the story, the incidents and the successes he has experienced. What we don’t know is the back story. This book certainly hits the mark in this area and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Moreover I cannot wait to read the second book which will be released in due course. It will pick up from the first term and cover the second term.

Three key takeaways from the book:

1. Yes Obama was a President through some tough times. He is still a man, a father and husband. Throughout the book it was nice to hear some of the normal people problems that he had to deal with. It makes him a little more real and human.
2. Like most long and boring meetings (think G8/G20) it was an opportunity for Obama to catch-up on paperwork.
3. Obama’s presidency sparked something deeper and uglier than the usual politics in Washington. He dives into this topic on the public’s reaction and in particular the change in how politics is done in Congress..