Reviews with content warning for Xenophobia - A Promised Land

Last year I read Becoming by the illustrious Michelle Obama. Reading her account of the events throughout her marriage with Barack and her role as First Lady was inspiring and a necessary voice in the world. And I knew I needed to read Barack Obama's book as well to see the other side of the this complex story.

And to be transparent, I admired both Obamas long before reading their books(and I still do).

I really enjoyed this. I listened to the audiobook, read by Barack. It details his journey into politics, his marriage to Michelle, the birth of his children, and his career in his first four years as president. He is honest and blunt in his telling of events throughout his career. What I really appreciated though what his willingness to talk about what he wanted to do and the reasons why it couldn't happen, or his thoughts on a situation versus how he needed to conduct himself as President of the United States. It made me admire him all the more because I can actually see his thought process and his feelings when he had to do things he didn't agree with because the options were weighed against what he wanted to do.

I'll also be the first to say that he is in no way, shape or form perfect. But he acknowledges his shortcomings, his mistakes, and his struggles.

Overall, the 30 hour audiobook is well worth the listen. And I know I'll be buying physical copies and this book, and Michelle's book.

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nytephoenyx's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.5

While I really enjoyed A Promised Land as a whole, I have to admit it’s best enjoyed one bite at a time. The audiobook is nearly 30 hours – a fairly long read! Because this is a presidential memoir, it’s also filled with political churnings. Regardless of your personal perspective, politics get exhausting after 30 hours. But all that said, I found the behind-the-scenes look fascinating.

There is so much packed into this book. The pacing starts off pretty steadily, with Obama speaking about his early campaigns and setting Michelle. As the book goes on and we get into his presidency, the pace picks up and so does the amount of information. By the end of A Promised Land, one significant event was packed in after another without time to breathe. It was a little anxiety-inducing for me, so I can’t imagine how stressful it was to actually be in charge of or on the receiving end of so many of the things discussed during the second half of the book.

There is a balanced voice to many of the things discussed here, but the further into the presidency we get, the clearer his own personal frustrations are. Since this is a memoir and not purely a piece of historical non-fiction, this is both fine and accepted. However, I do want to mention that the exasperation with Mitch McConnell and Republican senators is clear, and his commentary on Donald Trump is more harsh. This book will not sit well with stalwart Republicans and Trump fans, though for those who are interested in a rounded view of politics, it is still an important read.

Please don’t take this to mean Obama spends the book in bi-partisan bashing. In fact, there is a clear frustration with bi-partisanism and there are several instances where he praises Republican senators or representatives. In fact, it’s an interesting perspective on the shift of priorities in the Republican party during his presidency, which ultimately lead to the party as it is today.

It’s challenging to talk about a political memoir like this without showing my biases. I will be honest and say that I’ve always liked Obama and my reading of the book is a bit biased – I find it easy to sympathize with the frustrations his voices because they are many of the same things I feel myself. While objectively this book is extremely well-written and accessible, enjoyment of it will certainly fall to individual political views. I’m not sure there’s any way around that in a presidential memoir.

A Promised Land is an excellent read if you are interested in the Obama family or administration. It’s also good insight for a well-rounded political view. However, it’s important to be aware of the inherent biases coming from a memoir… and also know it’s a bit thick so take it slow.

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kennethwade's review against another edition

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hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

The first in a two-volume set, A Promised Land recounts Barack Obama’s presidency through the killing of Osama bin Laden. The memoir dips briefly into his youth and early political career, but the major focus is on the presidency. Obama is an excellent writer (a bit wordy at times, but not boring). This memoir emphasizes all the characteristics that made him a good President: he is optimistic, caring, and thoughtful. Although I don’t agree with all of his decisions or opinions, it is very easy to understand his perspective and respect him through this memoir.

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