Tuesday 10 February 2009

Dreams From My Father by Barak Obama

We don't know yet how things will turn out but when Barak Obama gives up the day job he could certainly make a living writing books.

This memoir is a vivid portrait of growing up in Hawaii and Indonesia followed by his coming of age and the struggle with identity and race in New York and Chicago. Journeying to see his large extended family in Kenya, to discover more about them and the father he only met briefly, he recreates the conversations and stories they tell. He also describes Kenya through his family history which reflect the society and its changes from colonialism to the present day.

This book is both a meditation, a personal history and story of self discovery. The pace slows in the middle section in Chicago but the first (growing up) and third (Africa) sections are page turners.

Verdict - Recommended Read

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