Written before he became president, this is a very personal journey about finding identity and understanding our personal history. An interesting insight in to the man now known as “the leader of the free world”. The fact that Obama reads this himself adds another charm to this story of a journey of discovery.

Audiobook edition on CD.

Read by Barack Obama.

Synopsis

The son of a black African father and a white American mother, Obama was only two years old when his father walked out on the family. Many years later, Obama receives a phone call from Nairobi: his father is dead. This sudden news inspires an emotional odyssey for Obama, determined to learn the truth of his father's life and reconcile his divided inheritance. Written at the age of thirty-three, Dreams from My Father is an unforgettable read. It illuminates not only Obama's journey, but also our universal desire to understand our history, and what makes us the people we are.

Reviews

'It's touching, revealing, brave and generous . . . unprecedentedly well written for any politician.' Evening Standard

'Because he held to the good and transcended the bad, in Obama's genesis millions of us will find hope . . . his search to know and forgive his absent Kenyan father holds lessons for us all. Especially in relative terms, his clear prose is refreshing.' Ross Leckie, The Times

'With its honesty and cool language, and by virtue of having a story worth telling, the book impresses far more than the typical political memoir.' Colin Waters, Sunday Herald

'Obama is a subtle writer, with an extraordinary breadth of vision.' Margaret Elphinstone, Sunday Herald

'Whatever else people expect from a politician, it's not usually a beautifully written personal memoir steeped in honesty. Barack Obama has produced one.' Oona King, The Times

'This may be the best-written memoir ever produced by an American politician.' Joe Klein, Time

About the Author

Barack Obama was born in Honolulu in 1961. In his early twenties he found his vocation working among poor communities on the south side of Chicago. Later he went to law school at Harvard University, where he became the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. In 1995 he published his memoir Dreams from My Father, which became a bestseller soon after it was reissued in 2004. After returning to Chicago, he was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996. Barack Obama delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, and later that year he was elected to the US Senate. His second book, The Audacity of Hope, was published in 2006 and became an immediate bestseller. In November 2008 Senator Obama beat John McCain to become the 44th President of the United States of America. He is married to Michelle, with whom he has two daughters, Sasha and Malia. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation