“Dreams From My Father” is a moving story about the early years of President Obama. It focuses on the race and its heritage. It is the journey of a young man who seeks to discover himself in his roots. Along the way there are friends and challenges to stimulate him. “Dreams From My Father” is an elegant and compelling read.
Composed in 1996, Barak Obama reveals his roots, his discoveries and the impressions he left on him. The book begins with Obama as a boy living in Hawaii with his mother and his parents. He has no memories of his father, only stories told by his mother and his grandparents. Obama comes from a mixed heritage: a white mother and a black father living in Kenya. His mother is open-minded, idealistic, naive in one way, world-savvy in another. His grandparents love him unconditionally. As a child, his mother marries a man from Indonesia and they go to live there. Obama speaks fondly of his stepfather and learns several life lessons from him, but unfortunately his mother’s relationship with his stepfather doesn’t last. His mother sends him back to Hawaii to live with his grandparents so he can attend a prestigious Hawaiian school. Soon his mother and his sister return to Hawaii, but he stays with his grandparents, which gives him a sense of consistency. He learns of his grandfather’s strengths and weaknesses, but never really comes to see him as the father figure he’s looking for.
Obama has a meeting with his father when he is ten years old in Hawaii. Obama is a little amazed, a little overwhelmed. His father’s visit is not long and leaves Obama with more questions than answers.
The book then goes on to cover Obama’s life in Chicago as a community organizer. It’s challenging work that’s rarely rewarding, but Obama gives it his all. Then a relative from Kenya calls to tell him that his father has died, but Obama isn’t quite sure how to feel about that or how to react. Several weeks later, his Kenyan half-sister Auma contacts him. Auma takes a look at her father’s life in Kenya. Obama is intrigued by Auma’s life and wants to know more about her father. Before leaving the community organization to go to Harvard Law School, he arranges to visit Auma in Kenya.
In Kenya, Obama discovers a family he didn’t even know about. His father had at least four wives, and Obama has plenty of brothers and sisters who live in his father’s shadow. Obama and Auma visit one of his grandfather’s wives, “Granny”. She tells him stories about Obama’s father and grandfather. It’s a fascinating story of two people and helps define the aspects of Obama’s self and his heritage that he was seeking.
“Dreams From My Father” is a fascinating read. Sometimes detailed, Obama’s personal stories are moving and easily connect with readers. The book defines the “brave” behind a man – and a president.
Review of the book “My Father’s Dreams”
Written by: Barak Obama
3Rivers Press
ISBN: 978-1-4000-8277-3
442 pages
$14.95
4.5 stars