Barack Obama has changed politics. Regardless of your social, economic, or political beliefs, he has altered the way many think of a presidential candidate. In "The Audacity of Hope" Barack catalogs his rise to become the presumptive nominee of the Democrat Party. He explains each step by organizing categories such as, our constitution, faith, opportunity, politics, and family. He presents and explains his beliefs on many important issues that face modern voters. He recalls his failures, elucidates the present, and sets his future goals. "The Audacity of Hope" is all that it claims to be (do not expect a numbered game plan to solve war and global poverty). The nostalgia and love of his family members alongside politics is interesting to read of and I recommend this book to both Democrats and Republicans. It will help you become more knowledgeable of Barack's plans or prepare you to defend your own. Plus, his writing is as moving as his speeches can be!
Thanks for reading,
C.K.

The Audacity of Hope is as good a title as any for this book by a young, rookie Senator. And the hope at the heart of his writing and thoughts is well placed, for in this, Barack Obama's Second book, despair lurks in the margins.

He as much as admits to this at several places in the book. He sees the country so completely divided on certain issues that finding a solution to the myriad social and economic problems connected to those issues seems almost like a dream.

Indeed, there is one constant subtext throughout the book: Barack's restlessness at the slow pace of governmental change. The rules and the glacial pace of Senate procedures simultaneously fascinate and frustrate him. He is in awe of just how good the framers of the constitution set up this great political experiment. However, the machine of the Senate, and the current business of politics, seem to him an almost torturous affair. Early in the book, Barack explains that what is debated day in and day out in the Senate is not (contrary to what most laymen perceive,) what the NEW laws should be. Instead, most of the time is spent trying to figure out what the EXISTING laws actually mean. (This experience in the Senate seems to have opened his eyes to just how important the appointment of Judges are.)

He bristles at the tediousness of some of this, and he openly wonders at just how quickly he may find himself caught up in the machinery that has consumed so many before him. For instance he starts one chapter talking about just how nice it is to fly on private jets. He is very descriptive of the pleasures of this elite way of travel. But he is also aware of just how much it separates him from the everyday American's experience.

More apparent though is Barack's ambitious nature seem too large for a long term career in the Senate,

He wants a larger stage on which to operate and to articulate his thoughts, and this book seems to be a prelude to that.

The Audacity of Hope is split up into large chapters encompassing big topics, (Race, Faith, etc.,) and within those headings, Obama struggles with the conflicting and seemingly contradictory stances on many sides of the issues. If you follow politics in the news, many of Obama's analogies and examples will be familiar to you, but if you largely stay away from politics, this volume will give you a pretty good idea of what he honestly thinks regarding these issues.

The answer is simple: Like many in America, he struggles.

One of the most telling sequences of the book is when he talks about how the countdown for an approaching Roll Call vote. He laments that when complicated issues, involving many complex factors, come down to the final vote, you almost always are wishing for more time.

The book is political, and more specifically campaign-oriented in nature, so it can often get a bit wonkish and, well, boring, but Barack has a way of bringing it back to simplicity with a humorous aside.

In light of his more recent popularity, (one hundred thousand people seeing him in Berlin,) it is interesting to read his account of traveling around Illinois alone as a virtually unknown candidate and sometimes speaking to 4 or 5 people. My favorite anecdote involves his invitation to a Union gathering during a primary for one office he was seeking. While he sat onstage waiting to speak, the man introducing him basically announced that the Union would be endorsing somebody else, but adds that "Mr. Obama is here to give us his thoughts."

Once finished with the book, you can understand a little more about Barack Obama's political thinking. And a little about the gamble he seems to be taking in the upcoming election for President of the United States. Obama, if I read correctly, is gambling that MOST people in the United States feel as he does. That most people struggle with these issues in the same ways and would like to see an end to partisan politics.

Well, the book seems to have way too much audacity, and not much hope.

Senator Obama makes a compelling case for positive change. He builds his reasoned case from history, bringing in his personal experience and beliefs. I recommend especially the CD version of this book as you can hear the Senator's voice, so it is much like an extended, compelling speech. He covers several critical topics, providing recommended policy changes for each. To anyone interested in the potential that an Obama administration would have for America, please listen to or read what the Senator has to say.

So smart and so charming and now he's been to Europe. Looking forward to his next thriller

This book to me was a great primer for people who aspire to be voted into an office. Some very interesting insights.

Barack Obama is an outstanding communicator. As a Republican who has never voted for a Democrat, my views have been changed by this author. Most people know Obama is a superb public speaker, but I wonder how many know that he is an equally talented writer. In his own words The Audacity of Hope tells us what he believes and where he stands on political issues. He speaks about his behind the scenes experiences and observations as a newly elected Senator from Illinois. He tells us about how he felt when he lost an election and what he learned. He tells us about the Republican strategy of running a talented and articulate black Harvard educated Republican, Alan Keys, against him and how his "alpha male" came out when Keys got under his skin. He speaks about advice he sought and received from senior members of his party. He explains how politics really work. Barack shows us a human side and how being a politician has affected his relationship with his family. He tells us about his religious belief. As a constitution expert, he provides a historical perspective for his views. Senator Obama develops a colorful book on a level that explains who he is and what he believes and why. He introduces us to his family and counterparts while finding a way to weave in interesting historical background. I loved this book and would recommend it to people who really are interested in getting to know Barack Obama the man, the Senator, the husband, the father, the son, the grandson, and likely the future President of the United States.

Although very well written, the book reads like a self congratulatory thesis. I wanted to learn more about Obama before voting in November, as the press hypes everything and we live now in the age of 'gotcha politics'. I am also reading McCain's book 'Faith of my Fathers.' Hopefully both these efforts will allow me to have a more balanced view of both candidates and most importantly - what they believe will be their uppermost challenges in the coming 4 years.

Although very well written, the book reads like a self congratulatory thesis. I wanted to learn more about Obama before voting in November, as the press hypes everything and we live now in the age of 'gotcha politics'. I am also reading McCain's book 'Faith of my Fathers.' Hopefully both these efforts will allow me to have a more balanced view of both candidates and most importantly - what they believe will be their uppermost challenges in the coming 4 years.

I am not into politics but since there is too much at stake to today I decided that should read as much as I could about the candidates running for the higher office of this country. I found the ideas and overall content of this book very refreshing but the chapter that had the most impact on me is the one about family. It is a good book to read and to get Barack's side of his story and not to just take what the media and the Youtube presents to us.

There's been a lot of talk about how people don't know Obama, and how they don't feel entirely comfortable with him as a candidate. Whether this is due to his unique background (living in Indonesia), his race, or the recent attention directed at his pastor, The Audacity of Hope is worth reading for the way it helps the reader know more about Barack Obama.

He comes across as an eloquent, thoughtful, self deprecating, and, at times, even hesitant man. He recognizes his shortcomings as both a father and a politician, and when it comes to taking a stand on issues, he weighs them carefully (like a true law student, for those who have been there). I find these qualities to be positive for a potential presidential candidate. Of course, one will come away from reading this book knowing more about Obama's opinions on religion, the Iraq war, education, family values, and economic policies. But if the real worry about Obama is his quality as a human being, then this book should give anyone insight into that issue.

I first feel the need to note that many of the negative reviews of this book are from people that have not actually read the book and never had any intention of voting for Barack Obama. Hence the reason for disliking the book and the ideology presented in the book. In the early pages of the book, it is explained to be a vision more than a "cure all" or the answer to every problem which plagues America. Not only is this an improvement on the status quo, but it amounts to change from the failed current status quo.

Many other reviewers, who have actually read the book, have done a fantastic job of recounting the highlights and facts presented in this book. I will note that Obama's statements on compromise, value, and family were true highlights. It is also often forgotten that Democrats are Christians too.

Reading this book, it saddens me to think of the direction in which the country is headed. Accepting cheap soundbites from cable news networks as the whole story or chain emails as fact, I think we have lost a sense of what it means to be an American. Conservatives may offer solutions, but have forgotten the art of compromise in the sake of progress. Republican and Democrats are both capable of good ideas. Politics is a divisive team sport, more so than ever. For this reason, I can respect John McCain for his willingness to disagree with his party on occassion. I hope he continues to work this way in the senate for this forseeable future.

I believe Americans can have better. Thomas Jefferson believed the government should be completely replaced every few years to avoid factionalism and the non-action that plagues the government. I would like to see Obama begin the replacing. While I may not agree with all of his ideas, I agree with him on more platforms than most.

If you want to know Barack Obama's views on the issues just read this book. From politics to family this book tells all. His honesty and desire for you to know the real Barack Obama comes through loud and clear in this book. I laughed at times, I smiled to myself, and all the while I was so impressed by his candor and willingness to share the real him with his readers. Fantastic book and I highly recommmend it to all.

Well, the election season has started far too early this year, as everyone is excited to see George Bush leave and Dick Cheney, his VP, is not running for President. So everyone thinks they have a shot, including Barack Obama, who wrote this very interesting book discussing his views on politics and some of the issues.

I must admit that I am biased because Obama was a professor at the University of Chicago, but I did not take any of his classes. But he really is a very sharp guy. He is new enough to politics that he still has a fresh voice, and good ideas and everyone would benefit from reading his book.

I listened to the audio version, so I did not get the full scoop, but what I heard was very good. For example, he talked a lot about the National Debt, which currently stands at around $9 trillion. This is a lot of debt and someone will have to pay for it at some point (or at the very least pay for the interest payments), yet this is never in the news. Republicans and Democrats alike are all about spending (albeit on different things) and not about fiscal control.

Obama's book, is much like his political career, all style no substance. Look, I voted for Kerry in 2004-would vote for him again in 2008-but Obama just turns me off. I bought this book, thinking that it would change my opinion, but he seems much more like a "life-coach" and less like a Presidential candidate.

He says the energy solutions are corn Ethanol and more E85 pumps. He implies government workers are better then nongovernment workers, people in labor unions better then those who aren't. Advocates a higher minimum wage, has ideas about outsourcing which seem like Thomas Friedman's. That getting more people to graduate from college is going to solve economic problems.

He says math and science college degrees are so great, but I have math and statistics degrees and know that to be laughable. Most of the college curriculum doesn't apply to what most graduates are doing in the real world, because computers automate technical processes like correlations or finding fair value of securities, except for exotic, cutting-edge processes being done by guru level people. Why does having a college education add value? Is it the diploma, the networking, the education, or that the two groups are demographically different? Maybe college graduates are more conventional then other people. People always talk about average income differentials between college grads and others, but the average income of people that read the Wall Street Journal is something like 200000, while the average income of people that don't is something like 40000. Does this mean that if a typical person started reading the WSJ there income would increase 5x?

There has been tremendous change in the economy, few people's life, job, energy bill or food bill is the same as it was in January 2001. Some people think the country is changing too fast, others changing too slow.

The real question isn't what most people want and need, as almost everyone wants a growing economy, clean environment, etc., and with constant polling you can find and promise that. For every person who promises and delivers, others promise and fail. That leadership is reactive because what people view as the most important problems facing the country change over time. Anyone can read polls and state goals.

But how do you achieve those goals, like improving economic competitiveness, an effective energy policy, or achieving victory in Iraq or Afghanistan?

Obama belives people who sit behind computer screens at work are less worthy then others. It's unfortunate he doesn't have more compelling ideas about things that are more important.

'The Audacity of Hope' is one of the most thought-provoking books centered on world and domestic politics recently written. Barack Obama offers his paragon of politics for the 21st century built upon a foundation of old guiding principles that stretch back to our Nation's forefathers to recent political figures and events that have shaped our political discourse over the last several years.

Though stretched in some areas, Barack pulls off an eloquently written prose of ideas that offer perspectives that are more practical than fresh (a dissertation so to speak). From family, values, faith, race, world politics, opportunity, and the constitution, he remains consistent in his love for country; however, skeptical of its future course. Specifically, on family his opinions on the erosion of the traditional family cannot be argued. Two-parent working households that compete with time spent with children is not opinion - it is fact. To further complicate matters, he points out - painfully - the erosion of the black family with startling statistics that pose no easy answer. Barack's approach however is a good starting point. From review of welfare laws that have separated families to engaging children as role model adults in order to compete against a pop culture filled with distractions (perceived and real).

His economic views are his strong point. Obama is able to pin-point in simple terms how globalization of manufacturing jobs, the emergence of low-paying service sector jobs, the complications and trade-offs of NAFTA and CAFTA have depressed our Nation's earning power, stagnated wages, and provided Americans with a lower standard of living despite our dominance as a economic superpower - the results now being felt primarily because of our cavalier approach to deal with crumbling infrastructure, job re-training, funding disparities in secondary education, and lack of affordable college-level education. Though Obama points out the difficulty in bold, fresh terms, his solution is based on the foundation of the past - Clinton's loose-ends with regards to NAFTA, the fallacy of 'No Child Left Behind' for Bush, and the missing link between teacher merit pay and performance. The solutions have been offered before. What Obama advocates is an executed, sequence-based series of action steps - a step-result-step-result format (a practical, perfect world format).

Adding to the texture and the value of this book is how Obama is able to talk about the role of faith without sounding preachy. He navigates his way through the role of faith in our politics, recognizing the difference in our religious views, but upholding the common ground found in most organized religion - value of life, respect for fellow men and women, and execution of the Golden Rule - common characteristics that stretch across the religious spectrum. His view is that faith within politics should be embraced from a world-view with the nuances of the differences down-played to prevent the widening of the gap that unites us all as Americans (or Americans to be) - a difficult view that he effectively framed.

On Race, Obama cannot win with everyone, but can relate to almost all of us. Being bi-racial, Obama tip-toes on this issue so not to alienate or shun his black roots, while opening-up enough allowing him to embrace his white roots. He discusses Race with the authority of someone given a "pass" to speak from both sides while leveraging his world experience to offer insight on the Latino and Asian American experience. It comes up short rather than flat primarily because a topic so complicated deserves its own work in and of itself - from Barack (maybe?). The decay of the black family, the resentment (real or perceived) of whites, the earning power (or lack thereof) for Latinos (and blacks), and the emergence (and impressive escalation) of Asians cannot be condensed within a short chapter. He points out the crumbling infrastructure and support system of the black family; however, his solutions break from past civil rights leaders and aims toward social responsibility, inclusion, and a "make it happen" approach to life - again, a hard explanation to condense. Latinos and blacks have common ground, but Obama doesn't really go into the details of the breaking (tipping) point that keeps these two races apart (only pointing out the obvious blue collar-low paying job battle - however, it's a lot more complicated). Instead he simplifies this discussion to the common threads we all share, the progress made, and the challenges ahead.

Finally, on world politics, Obama demonstrates the skill of knowledge, mastery of geography and government, and a "big picture" view of resolving our world standing. To this day (and as evident within this work), Barack is comfortable that he both voted against and spoke out against the war and therefore is able to write with conviction on the faulty reasoning that led the U.S. to war. At the same time, he realizes the outcome and conclusion of our presence in Iraq and increasing our world standing will be anything but easy.

Engaging, straight-forward, and beautifully written, 'The Audacity of Hope' is a book to be shared and reviewed with the passage of time. Consistent in his view to this day - Barack Obama is able to acknowledge the past and offer insight on how to shape our future based on the framework of what we have and share as Americans and world citizens.

'The Audacity of Hope' is one of the most thought-provoking books centered on world and domestic politics written. Barack Obama offers his paragon of politics for the 21st century built upon a foundation of old guiding principles that stretch back to our Nation's forefathers to recent political figures and events that have shaped our political discourse over the last several years.

Though stretched in some areas, Barack pulls off an eloquently written prose of ideas that offer perspectives that are more practical than fresh (a dissertation so to speak). From family, values, faith, race, world politics, opportunity, and the constitution, he remains consistent in his love for country; however, skeptical of its future course. Specifically, on family his opinions on the erosion of the traditional family cannot be argued. Two-parent working households that compete with time spent with children is not opinion - it is fact. To further complicate matters, he points out - painfully - the erosion of the black family with startling statistics that pose no easy answer. Barack's approach however is a good starting point. From review of welfare laws that have separated families to engaging children as role model adults in order to compete against a pop culture filled with distractions (perceived and real).

His economic views are his strong point. Obama is able to pin-point in simple terms how globalization of manufacturing jobs, the emergence of low-paying service sector jobs, the complications and trade-offs of NAFTA and CAFTA have depressed our Nation's earning power, stagnated wages, and provided Americans with a lower standard of living despite our dominance as a economic superpower - the results now being felt primarily because of our cavalier approach to deal with crumbling infrastructure, job re-training, funding disparities in secondary education, and lack of affordable college-level education. Though Obama points out the difficulty in bold, fresh terms, his solution is based on the foundation of the past - Clinton's loose-ends with regards to NAFTA, the fallacy of 'No Child Left Behind' for Bush, and the missing link between teacher merit pay and performance. The solutions have been offered before. What Obama advocates is an executed, sequence-based series of action steps - a step-result-step-result format (a practical, perfect world format).

Adding to the texture and the value of this book is how Obama is able to talk about the role of faith without sounding preachy. He navigates his way through the role of faith in our politics, recognizing the difference in our religious views, but upholding the common ground found in most organized religion - value of life, respect for fellow men and women, and execution of the Golden Rule - common characteristics that stretch across the religious spectrum. His view is that faith within politics should be embraced from a world-view with the nuances of the differences down-played to prevent the widening of the gap that unites us all as Americans (or Americans to be) - a difficult view that he effectively framed.

On Race, Obama cannot win with everyone, but can relate to almost all of us. Being bi-racial, Obama tip-toes on this issue so not to alienate or shun his black roots, while opening-up enough allowing him to embrace his white roots. He discusses Race with the authority of someone given a "pass" to speak from both sides while leveraging his world experience to offer insight on the Latino and Asian American experience. It comes up short rather than flat primarily because a topic so complicated deserves its own work in and of itself - from Barack (maybe?). The decay of the black family, the resentment (real or perceived) of whites, the earning power (or lack thereof) for Latinos (and blacks), and the emergence (and impressive escalation) of Asians cannot be condensed within a short chapter. He points out the crumbling infrastructure and support system of the black family; however, his solutions break from past civil rights leaders and aims toward social responsibility, inclusion, and a "make it happen" approach to life - again, a hard explanation to condense. Latinos and blacks have common ground, but Obama doesn't really go into the details of the breaking (tipping) point that keeps these two races apart (only pointing out the obvious blue collar-low paying job battle - however, it's a lot more complicated). Instead he simplifies this discussion to the common threads we all share, the progress made, and the challenges ahead.

Finally, on world politics, Obama demonstrates the skill of knowledge, mastery of geography and government, and a "big picture" view of resolving our world standing. To this day (and as evident within this work), Barack is comfortable that he both voted and spoke out against the war and therefore is able to write with conviction on the faulty reasoning that led the U.S. to war. At the same time, he realizes the outcome and conclusion of our presence in Iraq and increasing our world standing will be anything but easy.

Engaging, straight-forward, and beautifully written, 'The Audacity of Hope' is a book to be shared and reviewed with the passage of time. Consistent in his view to this day - Barack Obama is able to acknowledge the past and offer insight on how to shape our future based on the framework of what we have and share as Americans and world citizens.

WOW Obama is such a wonderful man, he is gonna change everything around, change it around for good! We finally have our savior on a black horse to save us from corruption and opression.

YES, tax those rich people, tax them GOOD, make them pay their fair share!
Sure I pay little and suck money from the government like a parasite, but rich folks OWE me. You got money dont ya rich folks? Give me something! Give me something! You can afford it.

We DESERVE free healthcare and vastly increased welfare. What do I give you? you ask? HOW DARE YOU! You OWE me all this and much more!

So please please please vote Obama in November, cuz if you dont, that aint right.

'The Audacity of Hope' is one of the most thought-provoking books centered on world and domestic politics written. Barack Obama offers his paragon of politics for the 21st century built upon a foundation of old guiding principles that stretch back to our Nation's forefathers to recent political figures and events that have shaped our political discourse over the last several years.

Though stretched in some areas, Barack pulls off an eloquently written prose of ideas that offer perspectives that are more practical than fresh (a dissertation so to speak). From family, values, faith, race, world politics, opportunity, and the constitution, he remains consistent in his love for country; however, skeptical of its future course. Specifically, on family his opinions on the erosion of the traditional family cannot be argued. Two-parent working households that compete with time spent with children is not opinion - it is fact. To further complicate matters, he points out - painfully - the erosion of the black family with startling statistics that pose no easy answer. Barack's approach however is a good starting point. From review of welfare laws that have separated families to engaging children as role model adults in order to compete against a pop culture filled with distractions (perceived and real).

His economic views are his strong point. Obama is able to pin-point in simple terms how globalization of manufacturing jobs, the emergence of low-paying service sector jobs, the complications and trade-offs of NAFTA and CAFTA have depressed our Nation's earning power, stagnated wages, and provided Americans with a lower standard of living despite our dominance as a economic superpower - the results now being felt primarily because of our cavalier approach to deal with crumbling infrastructure, job re-training, funding disparities in secondary education, and lack of affordable college-level education. Though Obama points out the difficulty in bold, fresh terms, his solution is based on the foundation of the past - Clinton's loose-ends with regards to NAFTA, the fallacy of 'No Child Left Behind' for Bush, and the missing link between teacher merit pay and performance. The solutions have been offered before. What Obama advocates is an executed, sequence-based series of action steps - a step-result-step-result format (a practical, perfect world format).

Adding to the texture and the value of this book is how Obama is able to talk about the role of faith without sounding preachy. He navigates his way through the role of faith in our politics, recognizing the difference in our religious views, but upholding the common ground found in most organized religion - value of life, respect for fellow men and women, and execution of the Golden Rule - common characteristics that stretch across the religious spectrum. His view is that faith within politics should be embraced from a world-view with the nuances of the differences down-played to prevent the widening of the gap that unites us all as Americans (or Americans to be) - a difficult view that he effectively framed.

On Race, Obama cannot win with everyone, but can relate to almost all of us. Being bi-racial, Obama tip-toes on this issue so not to alienate or shun his black roots, but open up enough to embrace his white roots. He discusses Race with the authority of someone given a "pass" to speak from both sides while leveraging his world experience to offer insight on the Latino and Asian American experience. It comes up short rather than flat primarily because a topic so complicated deserves its own work in and of itself - from Barack (maybe?). The decay of the black family, the resentment (real or perceived) of whites, the earning power (or lack thereof) for Latinos (and black), and the emergence (and impressive escalation) of Asians cannot be condensed within a short chapter. He points out the crumbling infrastructure and support system of the black family; however, his solutions break from past civil rights leaders and aims toward social responsibility, inclusion, and a "make it happen" approach to life - again, a hard explanation to condense. Latinos and blacks have common ground, but Obama doesn't really go into the details of the breaking (tipping) point that keeps these two races apart (only pointing out the obvious blue collar-low paying job battle - however, it's a lot more complicated). Instead he simplifies this discussion to the common threads we all share, the progress made, and the challenges ahead.

Finally, on world politics, Obama demonstrates the skill of knowledge, mastery of geography and government, and a "big picture" view of resolving our world standing. To this day (and as evident within this work), Barack is comfortable that he both voted and spoke out against the war and therefore is able to write with conviction on the faulty reasoning that led the U.S. to war. At the same time, he realizes the outcome and conclusion of our presence in Iraq and increasing our world standing will be anything but easy.

Engaging, straight-forward, and beautifully written, 'The Audacity of Hope' is a book to be shared and reviewed with the passage of time. Consistent in his view to this day - Barack Obama is able to acknowledge the past and offer insight on how to shape our future based on the framework of what we have and share as Americans and world citizens.

He says energy solutions are corn Ethanol and more E85 pumps. He implies government workers are better then nongovernment workers, people in labor unions better then those who aren't. Advocates a higher minimum wage, has ideas about outsourcing which seem like Thomas Friedman's.

He says math and science college degrees are so great, but I have math and statistics degrees and know that to be laughable. Most of the college curriculum doesn't apply to what most graduates are doing in the real world, because computers automate any technical process like correlations or finding fair value of securities, except for exotic, cutting-edge processes being done by guru level people. Why does having a college education add value? Is it the diploma, the networking, the education, or that the two groups are demographically different?

There has been tremendous change, few people's life, job, energy bill or food bill is the same as it was in January 2001. Some people think the country is changing too fast, others changing too slow.

The real question isn't what most people want and need, as almost everyone wants a growing economy, clean environment, etc., and with constant polling you can find that and then promise it. For every person who promises and delivers, there are other people who promise and fail. That leadership is reactive because what people view as the most important problems facing the country change over time. Any person can read polls and state goals.

But how do you achieve those goals, like improving economic competitiveness, or achieving victory in Iraq or Afghanistan?

Obama belives people who sit behind computer screens at work are less worthy then others. It's unfortunate he doesn't have more compelling ideas about things that are more important.

Impressed with Obama's knowledge and ideas. He covers generations of our history and its impact on our political system and its personal impact on his beliefs. With the hopes of being a more informed voter I felt it important that I read first hand, not from sound bites, who our democrat candidate truly is. I'm glad I purchased this audio book and succeeded in my attempt to become more informed. I would recommend it to those who have similar intentions and a love of history.

I finally got a chance to read Barack Obama's bestseller, and I can say,

I am really impressed. I knew from his speeches that he was quite

knowledgeable about our government and world affairs, but wow! The

chapter on the Constitution should be mandatory reading for anyone going

into law or politics.

I can't say that I agree with everything he says. I do think that what he

says makes a lot of sense.

What was really fascinating to me about this book, was the myths it

exposed, without really trying to, like the one about Obama being new to

politics. Not true. He actually has more campaign and elected experience

than Hillary Clinton.I can believe that after seeing the difference in the

way the two of them ran their campaigns. She underestimated her opponent,

and failed to raise enough funds to sustain her campaign.

He realized he was in it for the long haul, and prepared

accordingly.

Also, some of the flak about Jeremiah Wright was addressed in the book. I

thought that was intriguing, since the furor came out after the book was

already written. It seems that the whole issue is more complicated than

some people try to make it.

Some final comments about Obama's judgment are in order. First, for some

one who is "new" to politics, he has sure made his elders look pretty

foolish. His speech,given in 2002, was more than an "I get a bad feeling

about this war", kind of speech. He actually reveals in the book what he

said in detail. He showed specifically why the war was a bad idea, and

what would happen to our nation as a result.His accuracy was scary. I

must say that even die-hard

conservatives have given him begrudging praise for it. Contrast Obama's

view on Iraq with John McCain's, who actually had a lot to do with pushing

the country to go to war in the first place. That comparison doesn't bode

well for someone whose running for president, largely on his war

experience. Then there's the issue of Pakistan, where McCain, Hillary

Clinton, and George W. Bush ganged up on Barack, because he said he would

take out Al-Queda if Musharraf was unable or unwilling to hand them over.

Excuse me, but wasn't that the Bush foreign policy to begin with? It's

funny because after the three of them criticized Obama, the U.S. military

takes out an Al-Queda force in Pakistan, of all places, killing the third

ranking officer under Osama Bin-Laden. Guess what three musketeers no

longer mention Pakistan?

This isn't that strange if you read the book, though, because Obama

reveals very clearly why his strategy for Iraq and other rogue nations is

more sound and more compelling than the Bush administration's.

I think Obama is more than some "flash in the pan". I think he is a titan

on the political scene, and his influence is still rising. This book

gives a good glimpse of someone who may well be our next president.

This is a wonderful way to learn more about the man who is the democratic candidate running for the President of the United States. It offers insight as to how Barack views the world, politics, and relationships. It provides the opportunity to understand how Barack approaches issues and obstacles and his general outlook on life. This book is both enlightening and inspiring. I would also recommend reading, Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama, first which gives the background of Barack's upbringing and puts his views and style into the context they originated from. Both books will remove any uncertainty readers may have about the man we see today.

good book, political writings intermixed with personal experiences to convey the ideas in a better way. I'm planning to keep it and re read chapters from time to time.

With all the false rumors floating around the internet, this is a must read for anyone who wants the real story about what Obama thinks and stands for.

I am glad I read this book. I had not decided who to vote for in 2008, and now I am positive that I am not voting for Obama. Other reviews were encouraged or inspired or thought the tone was hopeful. I do not agree. I thought it was a lot of rambling about everything that's wrong with America with the occasional self-congratulatory pot shot at a former running opponent or journalist thrown in. His solutions tend to be written in terms of what repulicans want to do or tried to do and why he disagrees. One positive -- the writing is very candid. I was actually kind of surprised that a presidential hopeful would reveal this much in print. You can at least get a very clear view of who he thought he was when he wrote this book -- which leads me to point out another surprise of mine, why aren't his opponents using more of the stuff in this book against him?

Mr. Obama's second book is truly an exceptional one. He writes with such frankness that it's hard to not see his perspective even if you don't necessarily agree with it. This is a great book if you are curious about the Obama perspective on America and our system.

Unlike his fairly boring first foray into writing (Dreams from my Father) this book is compelling and well written.

This book is a good book and an absolutely enjoyable experience. My issue with this book (why there are 4 instead of 5 stars)is that it doesn't have some of that edge that his other book had. In D.F.M.F. he was able to show us the readers that his life and ascendancy to political prominance was anything but easy. By doing that he gave me personally a feeling that almost anything can be accomplished with enough courage and hard work. This book on the other hand shows how he hasn't forgotten about his constituents but fails to inspire as strongly as his other work. Definately do pick it up, it's still a good read just not great one.

If you want to know more about our next President, this book will give you the insight into his vision for the future, as well as his overview and viewpoints on government. This is a must read for his supporters and foes alike. Anyone that cares about the future of their country should read this book.

Loved the book. Love the man. Love the fact that he's going to be our next President. I'm going to read his other book next!

I often hear folks complain that Obama is all talk and no detail. I had thought that myself and sought some more information. This book provides insight into Obama's thinking on issues from the political process to the economy and from religion to education. It provides the logic behind the ideas he offers from the stump and provides a glimpse into his complex thinking that is tough to get at in today's environment where ideas have to fit into the 12-second sound clips of the evening news. If you are on the fence about Obama or if you just want some more details about this man's thinking, this book is a must read.

We recently did a 4,000+ mile road trip, and this was one of the audiobooks purchased to get us through that trip. My husband was already an Obamaite [what I've come to call those almost-fanatical supporters who believe in Senator Obama resides all hope for the future]. I am definitely less sure of Mr. Obama, wondering about his relative inexperience, and always hearing a little voice in the back of my head saying if it looks too good to be true....you know the rest. Neither one of us had read either of Obama's books.

Mr. Obama's the voice for this audiobook, and it's a pleasant listening experience, unlike some of the other audiobooks we took with us and stopped listening to before the end of the first cd.

It does give you what seems to be a fairly honest look into Mr. Obama's life, letting you know his basic philosphy, beliefs, hopes. Just as you begin to enter the eyes glazed over, too boring, too much grand political view, up pops a personal anecdote that's interesting.

As an audiobook, we both give it two thumbs up. It's easy to listen to, keeps your interest throughout and, perhaps more importantly, gives some insight into the man who may be our next president.

This is an important book. It has become my new favorite on America.In Audacity of Hope, Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, Barack writes eloquently on our history, the issues we all face now in this time of crisis, his personal beliefs(He is a Christian.), and his love of family and country. Here is a man with the unique ability to take us beyond the distractions and surface problems of party ideologues. He provides the solution to "this campaign culture that has metastisized throughout the body politic". There are great insights into the personality of Barack Obama as well. I cannot imagine any voter not voting for Barack after reading the man's own views on this great country. Barack Obama is not merely an intelligent man- He is brilliant. His depth of knowledge, experience as a politician and constitutional scholar and ability to problem solve exceed that of the sum of his competetitors exponentially.

book was in excellent condition and was received in short time. the book, itself, was easy, informative, and enjoyable reading.

I liked his candor about his hope. You can do anything you want and we have to keep hope alive!

I tried and I tried and I tried to read this book. Now that he is the presumptive Democratic Party candidate for the U.S. President, I thought it was time I read something about him. This book didn't tell me anything.He is the champion of writing super long run-on sentences. You get done reading one and you have no idea what he just said. Some sentences take up an entire paragraph! He tries to dumb down the use of big words but it is just the sentence structure that made the book totally unreadable for me. He brings up some interesting questions about our culture in general, about the two party political system, about religion, etc. but he makes no attempt at providing any answers. Now obviously this book was written before he got into any Presidential campaign, but if he was asking these questions back then, why did'nt he provide any solutions in his primary platform? One has to wonder if this guy is all talk and no action??? FOr our country's sake, I hope not.

NObama! This man will set race relations back 30-40 years. Let's not turn the United States of America into a Marxist Obamanation.

In "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream," Senator Barack Obama offers a message of hope to the cynics that would claim that our country is hopelessly divided and politics has devolved into a power game of little interest to ordinary Americans. Senator Obama believes there are, in fact, ordinary Americans out there that do care about our country, are engaged in politics, and can manage to find common ground with neighbors and friends whose politics or values they may disagree with. I admit, I do not share Senator Obama's optimism. I am one of those cynics who believes Americans are divided, politics is a game, and it is best to simply avoid people whose politics I don't agree with. While I may not paint my face blue or red on Election Night, I do keep track of the score, and I don't care if my side engages in cheap shots or late hits to win; I just hope they do win, even if I remain skeptical that they can actually make a difference. In his book, Senator Obama tries to convince readers like me that there is, in fact, a "new kind of politics" that we can engage in to build upon the "shared understandings that pull us together as Americans."

While Senator Obama discusses a "new kind of politics," the most interesting part of his book discusses politics, as it exists today, from his perch in the Senate, specifically the pervasive roles of money and the media. As a candidate for Senator, one of Obama's major tasks was fund-raising, making cold-calls to the few Americans who can afford to write a $2,000 check to a politician. As a result, his primary interactions were limited to the top one percent of Americans, placing him "outside the world of immediate hunger, disappointment, fear, irrationality, and frequent hardship of the other 99 percent of the population," or the people he actually entered public life to serve. In addition, Senator Obama laments his inability to directly reach his constituents. If he were to hold 39 town hall meetings a year (as he did his first year in the Senate), Senator Obama would be able to reach maybe 100,000 constituents in a six-year Senate term, whereas a three-minute story on the lowest rated news program in Chicago would reach 200,000 people, making him "entirely dependent on the media" to reach his constituents. Yet, as Senator Obama explains, instead of using its power to present politicians to the people they are supposed to serve, the media instead seems to use its power to disengage Americans from politics altogether. He presents the example of a story with the White House making debt projections. Because the media doesn't have the time or interest to do its own research, it will typically present the opinion of a Republican analyst that the Republican projections are accurate, the countering opinion of a Democratic analyst that the projections are inaccurate, and no independent analyst to tell the true story or provide a conclusion. Instead of being about the debt projections, the story becomes about the same old tired plot of Republicans and Democrats fighting again, boring readers and prompting them to "turn to the sports page, where the story line is less predictable and the box score tells you who won."

As Senator Obama presents it, the idea of a "new kind of politics" discourages this story line, instead focusing on narrowing differences and engaging in true dialogue and conversation with one another in order to find common ground. In an example of what is wrong with politics now, Senator Obama provides an interesting story of a breakfast meeting with President Bush, where he had noted Bush's easy manner - that is, until Bush began his political speech, when "it felt as if somebody in a back room had flipped a speech," and Bush's "easy affability was replaced by an almost messianic certainty," as he spelled out his political agenda in an agitated, rapid tone discouraging any interruption or opposing viewpoint. In demonstrating his contrast to President Bush, Senator Obama structures his political discussions as conversations, where he always presents both sides of each issue - whether the topic be energy, race, or welfare - and inevitably concludes that each side has relevant points. In fact, Senator Obama seems to take pains to present a "Republican" point of view, virtually ignoring issues Democrats may consider important, such as education and health care, which get a total of seven pages between them, and focusing on traditionally Republican areas, such as family, values, and faith. This, Senator Obama states, is the "guidepost for his politics": his mother's simple principle, "How would that make you feel?" While he believes this guidepost serves him well, allowing him to gain insight into the other side's perspective, it is a philosophy he syas everyone would benefit from, to note the suffering of others and put ourselves in their position.

Ultimately, this is the core behind Senator Obama's philosophy - that, if we fail to help others, we diminish ourselves. In meeting with his constituents, Obama has found power in the American spirit, of people who have suffered and yet continue to work hard to fulfill their dreams. In his experiences growing up in Indonesia and traveling to his father's native land of Kenya, Senator Obama has seen first-hand the effect of countries where individuals do not control their own fate, but must instead rely on the self-restraint of the military or on corrupt bureaucrats. As a result, he has developed a deep appreciation for the freedom we are afforded as Americans and the hope that, through hard work, we can accomplish our dreams. It is this audacity to hope, he says, that binds us together as one people, as Americans. This shared sense of community is what drives his idea of a "new kind of politics," based on the premise that we have more similarities than differences, and that we can build on "those shared understandings that pull us together as Americans."

However, Obama concedes that, just because he believes there can be a new kind of politics, doesn't mean he knows how to do accomplish it, because he admits, he doesn't. He acknowledges that his book is more of a discussion than a manifesto and that his treatment of the issues is "often partial and incomplete." In fact, his discussion of the actual issues often seems simplistic, contradictory, and sometimes uninformed. Admittedly, I had more hope for Senator Obama as a political candidate before I read this book than I do now, just because he didn't focus on the issues I would have liked to hear about, didn't provide substantive arguments, or didn't present ideas I totally agreed with. Even more than his ideas on specific issues, though, I would have liked to hear how he plans to re-engage the American people: for example, does he have ideas about how to rid government of special interests and get more Americans involved in the process through a public funding system or a national holiday on Election Day? If politics is meant to be a discussion between two empathetic parties, how does he plan to engage ordinary Americans in that discussion? In the end, though, while Obama doesn't go as far as he could in spelling out how he will re-engage Americans in our democracy, he lays the foundation for readers to make some of these conclusions for themselves, particularly in his narrative on race. In describing the problem of poverty among African-Americans, which has become a "permanent fixture in American popular culture," one which we as Americans take for granted, and "not for which we are culpable," Senator Obama inadvertently points to the impact a minority president could have. If the audacity of hope means that we are all bound together as Americans, then the implication of electing a minority President is clear: we are finally allowing new voices into the political discussion. If, in fact, we as a country do elect Senator Obama as president, then maybe, just maybe, I will join him and have the audacity to hope for the future of this country again.

This is a very good and interesting book. I suggest you republican lovers read it because it has a part where he said even President Bush gave him "Praise" on a job well done.......

Obama is no different than anybody else is Washington. He has more corporate backers than McCain.
If you support freedom look up RON PAUL.

i agree with obama communism is the only way to go, the people who are left alive will get used to it.

A direct quote from this book:

"I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."

What, exactly, does he mean by that statement??

I keep this book handy in my bathroom, just in case we run out of TP

If you want;
1. more people from 3rd world countries
2. more taxes to support social medicine
3. more laws to limit your freedom...and
4. a bigger federal government
then read this book and vote for Obama.
Be like all the other sheep and get herded into the voting booth, fresh after a smooth brainwashing by the media.
DON'T FALL FOR IT.
POLITICIANS LIKE THIS AVOID THE REAL ISSUES FACING OUR COUNTRY!

Barack Obama's second book looks at the intricacies of American politics and looks at where it has all gone wrong. The book itself reads like an elongated speech, and in a way it is; Obama's first expressed many of these ideas in his keynote speech-also entitled, `The Audacity of Hope'- during the 2004 democratic convention. The book looks at a wide range of issues, from the constitution to education to the Iraq War. However, the portion of the book that really stuck out to me was his views on Republicans and Democrats and the toll their bickering is taking on the American public. Obama states that politicians and even the public need to look past the tag of Republican or Democrat and look at the best interest of the country. I completely agree with this assessment, because I feel that acts such as filibustering in the senate, is holding the US back from passing legislation, that could potentially benefit the American public. Obama's book has been criticized by someone people, because they believe the literature itself is not that great and that the book reads too much "like outtakes from a stump speech-NY Times". However, I believe that this a book that can be read in short spurts, because each chapter analyzes different issues, pertaining to American politics. This book may not be the best piece of literature, but it is very interesting, a characteristic I believe is more important than the writing techniques. In our growing cosmopolitan society, it is increasingly important for books to be captivating, because people only have time to read books that quickly grab their attention and don't waste time with the fancy language, that the reader then has to wade through in order to actually find the story. That is why The Audacity of Hope is such a great book for this day and age; it can be read for short periods of time and it doesn't waste any time, in getting the reader captivated.

Barck Obama is a self described hopemongerer ( I think we need to add this word to the dictionary if it is not already there given the publicity it has gotten!). In this book he gives practical advice on what an individual can do to make a difference. I found the chapter 4 on politics particularly interesting. He openly talks about campaign financing and how expensive it is in the Illinois media market (and by extension rest of the country) and how it is almost impossible to run a campaign unless you have deep pockets. He talks about the cold calls he had to make to raise funds and the disappointments one goes through in the process. As you read this you realize nothing is easy in this world, even great people like Barack Obama had disappointments, doubts, insecurity..not tha