Reviews tagging 'Antisemitism'

A Promised Land by Barack Obama

7 reviews

fkshg8465's review against another edition

emotional informative medium-paced

3.0

This was everything I remember about his administration. I was hoping to learn something new - something that hasn’t been reported or some reflection that would’ve indicated I’d misunderstood something or could give me greater insight. I guess fake news didn’t exist in his time. Lol.

I wish he’d addressed border control, specifically about how children had been separated from parents and supposedly held in cages. I remember seeing the News York Times article and being shocked. I realize it came out after this book, but the events happened during his presidency. Maybe Biden will write about it when it’s his turn…

Three stars because it was basically a well written brag book that his daughters can read and feel good about.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Homophobia, Racism, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

mlphipps1991's review against another edition

informative reflective tense slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Abortion

zara89's review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring mysterious slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Cultural appropriation, and War

Minor: Genocide and Antisemitism

eldritch_flower's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

 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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Content Warnings

Moderate: Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, War, and Classism

asturias's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Cancer, Slavery, Torture, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, and Classism

kyras's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective slow-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Antisemitism and Islamophobia

Minor: Homophobia

pagesfromhome's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.25

Barack Obama was the first president I volunteered for as well as the first one I voted for. So naturally, I'm a little biased to liking him and it would come as no surprise that I loved the first part of his memoirs. 

Obama is known for being a little long-winded and that is certainly the case here. He often dives into the political process in ways that can feel a little too heavy in juxtaposition to the moments where he waxes poetic about the love he holds for his family. I'll admit that by far my favorite parts of the book were those moments where he was either speaking about his wife and daughters or the moments where he let his honesty really shine. At multiple points of the book, Obama is clearly saying things that he didn't feel appropriate sharing as President so I really enjoyed that blunt honesty. Unfortunately, having those moments of complete honesty then made those moments of not-so-honest stores felt more cagey. 

Ultimately, this book was a 4.25 star for me. Obama is an incredible writer and I am very much looking forward to the next part of this series. I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in hearing about the goings-on of the modern political process, but as always, be aware that every political memoir is a piece of propaganda even though Obama is exceptionally self-aware of his own flaws throughout the book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, and Violence

Minor: Death, Genocide, Homophobia, Police brutality, Antisemitism, and Islamophobia