A Promised Land by Barack Obama

Author: Barack Obama 

Title: A Promised Land

Publisher: Viking 

Published: 2020

Pages: 768

Genre: Autobiography 

     In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from a young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency-a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil. Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation's highest office.

     It is not often I reach for books about political leaders, maybe I've become too jaded by the whole principle. For the most part, they never seem to deliver on what they promise. We stagger on and nothing much ever seems to change. A world lost in its own helplessness.  It strikes me now as one of those funny things that I don't ever really remember hearing the name Barack Obama Before he became president. In my world conciseness, he just appeared out of nowhere. In part, I know this is down to not being American. Whilst we would get the odd bit about American politics on the BBC back in the day that was about it. It was more a case of here's their new leader or America has started a war with somewhere no one in the west could find on a map and so. But times have changed and now we have just as much about there's as we do our own. A constant babble of who's doing what and were twenty-four seven. In part, we have become oversaturated by the whole affair. 

     I do still remember hearing these defining voices of hope at his inauguration. People searching for some light in the dark. I suppose we are all told of the American dreams as children. This vehement belief in the ability to better one's self and to take life by the horns and become a somebody. And sure this is possible, but what most people fail to realize is the sheer graft and force of will it takes to get there. And I think for me that is one of the most important messages this book gets across. For Obama become president was never a given. He had to work at it every single day. Unlike others that were born into families of note. Who's lives were pre-written for them at every step. His was a journey starting at the very bottom. One of those shooting for the stars and hoping to just get as far as the moon kinda deals.

     When reading this book I got the chance to better understand all the various ups and downs it took for him to get to where he is. As a non-American, I realized I had not even a basic knowledge of how their system works. And whilst in part it is based on the English system of governing things has changed a great deal since it was first dreamed up. If nothing else the country has become a great deal bigger taking in more states as time has gone on. So it was useful to be able to witness it in a far more first-hand way than I would ever be able to do for myself. And whilst I can't say I now fully understand it, I feel my grasp on this maze is getting a little better. 

     As is the way of things life doesn't always turn out the way we would hope. And even when you become the leader of a country as big as America things don't always go your way. You don't simply get to say now this is the law, after all, this is not a dictatorship. So it comes as some relief not only to be able to see this through the stories he tells but also to see him putting his hands up to his own mistakes. Maybe we have all become too used to leaders never admitting they were wrong instead, blaming anyone else but their selves. Let's be honest being the leader of any country is never going to be an easier job. I just wish we had a few more out there trying to make things better rather than for power or wealth. 

     It is easy to get lost in this book and not want to put it down. Instead of simply narrating facts and cold stories about his time in office. Here we get to sit in like a friend reminiscing about the old days both good and bad. For me, I got to witness not just how eloquent a storyteller he is but also how funny he can be. More than once, I found myself chuckling along to an anecdote or two. I imaging he's the sort of best guest possible for a dinner party. That one person you know you can invite, that is always granted to keep the conversation flowing. 

     And sure its is easy to get wrapped up in it all after recent outings of world leaders who don't entirely seem to be able to string a sentence together or just want the title and panic when real decisions need to be made. Now, do I agree with all the choices he made? That's a no, and honestly, it's fine. I think we as the people should question the choices made on our behalf. Never blindly follow anyone as it more often than not leads to rags and ruin. But I do truly believe he did always try his best and for the most part, left the country in a better place than he found it. And at the end of the day, I wasn't in his seat, I wasn't the one having to make those hard choices. So I guess I'll never truly know. 

     When I finished reading this I sat it aside for a while before writing this review. At well over seven hundred pages not only did it take me a strong minute to get through but there was also a lot to take in. We are after all talking about a large chunk of someone's life condensed. What I was left feeling was that he gave an honest review of his life the best he could be it political or personal. I also appreciate that he can be somewhat of a divisive person for a lot of Americans. But for me whilst the book is long I'm glad I spent time with it. I was given a much better understanding of not only the man but also the American political landscape.