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The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream | 
 enlarge | Creator: Barack Obama
Publisher: Random House Audio
Category: Book
Buy New: $43.98
New (3) Used (6) from $19.99
Rating:  687 reviews
Sales Rank: 141303
Format: Abridged, Audiobook
Media: Audio CD
Edition: Abridged
Number Of Items: 5
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.1 x 5.5 x 1
ISBN: 0739334085
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.04960730092
EAN: 9780739334089
ASIN: 0739334085
Publication Date: October 17, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com Review
Barack Obama's first book, Dreams from My Father, was a compelling and moving memoir focusing on personal issues of race, identity, and community. With his second book The Audacity of Hope, Obama engages themes raised in his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, shares personal views on faith and values and offers a vision of the future that involves repairing a "political process that is broken" and restoring a government that has fallen out of touch with the people. We had the opportunity to ask Senator Obama a few questions about writing, reading, and politics--see his responses below. --Daphne Durham
20 Second Interview: A Few Words with Barack Obama
 Q: How did writing a book that you knew would be read so closely by so many compare to writing your first book, when few people knew who you were?
A: In many ways, Dreams from My Father was harder to write. At that point, I wasn't even sure that I could write a book. And writing the first book really was a process of self-discovery, since it touched on my family and my childhood in a much more intimate way. On the other hand, writing The Audacity of Hope paralleled the work that I do every day--trying to give shape to all the issues that we face as a country, and providing my own personal stamp on them.
Q: What is your writing process like? You have such a busy schedule, how did you find time to write?
A: I'm a night owl, so I usually wrote at night after my Senate day was over, and after my family was asleep--from 9:30 p.m. or so until 1 a.m. I would work off an outline--certain themes or stories that I wanted to tell--and get them down in longhand on a yellow pad. Then I'd edit while typing in what I'd written.
Q: If readers are to come away from The Audacity of Hope with one action item (a New Year's Resolution for 2007, perhaps?), what should it be?
A: Get involved in an issue that you're passionate about. It almost doesnt matter what it is--improving the school system, developing strategies to wean ourselves off foreign oil, expanding health care for kids. We give too much of our power away, to the professional politicians, to the lobbyists, to cynicism. And our democracy suffers as a result.
Q: You're known for being able to work with people across ideological lines. Is that possible in today's polarized Washington?
A: It is possible. There are a lot of well-meaning people in both political parties. Unfortunately, the political culture tends to emphasize conflict, the media emphasizes conflict, and the structure of our campaigns rewards the negative. I write about these obstacles in chapter 4 of my book, "Politics." When you focus on solving problems instead of scoring political points, and emphasize common sense over ideology, you'd be surprised what can be accomplished. It also helps if you're willing to give other people credit--something politicians have a hard time doing sometimes.
Q: How do you make people passionate about moderate and complex ideas?
A: I think the country recognizes that the challenges we face aren't amenable to sound-bite solutions. People are looking for serious solutions to complex problems. I don't think we need more moderation per se--I think we should be bolder in promoting universal health care, or dealing with global warming. We just need to understand that actually solving these problems won't be easy, and that whatever solutions we come up with will require consensus among groups with divergent interests. That means everybody has to listen, and everybody has to give a little. That's not easy to do.
Q: What has surprised you most about the way Washington works?
A: How little serious debate and deliberation takes place on the floor of the House or the Senate.
Q: You talk about how we have a personal responsibility to educate our children. What small thing can the average parent (or person) do to help improve the educational system in America? What small thing can make a big impact?
A: Nothing has a bigger impact than reading to children early in life. Obviously we all have a personal obligation to turn off the TV and read to our own children; but beyond that, participating in a literacy program, working with parents who themselves may have difficulty reading, helping their children with their literacy skills, can make a huge difference in a child's life.
Q: Do you ever find time to read? What kinds of books do you try to make time for? What is on your nightstand now?
A: Unfortunately, I had very little time to read while I was writing. I'm trying to make up for lost time now. My tastes are pretty eclectic. I just finished Marilynne Robinsons Gilead, a wonderful book. The language just shimmers. I've started Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which is a great study of Lincoln as a political strategist. I read just about anything by Toni Morrison, E.L. Doctorow, or Philip Roth. And I've got a soft spot for John le Carre.
Q: What inspires you? How do you stay motivated?
A: I'm inspired by the people I meet in my travels--hearing their stories, seeing the hardships they overcome, their fundamental optimism and decency. I'm inspired by the love people have for their children. And I'm inspired by my own children, how full they make my heart. They make me want to work to make the world a little bit better. And they make me want to be a better man.
Product Description
In July 2004, Barack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. Now, in The Audacity of Hope, Senator Obama calls for a different brand of politics–a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the “endless clash of armies” we see in Congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy.” He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment.
At the heart of this audiobook is Senator Obama’s vision of how we can move beyond our divisions to tackle concrete problems. Underlying his stories about family, friends, members of the Senate, and even the president is a vigorous search for connection: the foundation for a radically hopeful political consensus.
A senator and a lawyer, a professor and a father, a Christian and a skeptic, and above all a student of history and human nature, Senator Obama has written a book of transforming power.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 682 more reviews...
 Barack Obama October 20, 2008
25 out of 27 found this review helpful
I read this book out of pure curiosity. It was written in 2006. I am an octogenarian and a registered Independent. What impressed me was that it was written by the author and not a "ghost." He expresses himself very well. The portions dealing with his background while growing up were fascinating. His grasp of what the general public can do to unite this country is quite provocative. I have listened to many politicians who impressed me negatively with subjects of hate and one liners. It is my concept that this man is a healer and a deep thinker. What's more he is able to think on his feet. Most of the politicians I have heard all my life were so dependent upon a tele-prompter that I found them, to say the least, boring. This man excites this old man as never before. I applaud his writings. I recommend this book to any thinking person who wants to know this man a little more personally.
Finally, an enlightened leader October 21, 2006
104 out of 133 found this review helpful
For any American citizen who is currently in resignation or despair over the abundant examples of unethical, immoral and abusive leaders who breed cynicism and apathy, The Audacity of Hope is a breath of much needed oxygen. Senator Obama may be considered "soft" by the media who enjoy taking down anyone who exhibits complexity of mind, paradoxical thinking and humanistic values, yet his writing inspires one to stop wallowing in helplessness and take an active role in our imperfect democracy. When Obama first spoke at the Democratic convention, Ann Deavere Smith wrote an op ed piece the next day saying that politics would never be the same because finally a leader spoke with a "unifying fusion" beyond partisanship, stereotypes and blame mongering. The senator's writing demonstrates that reflective, thoughtful consideration of apparent opposites is a leadership attribute needed urgently -- Obama speaks of the need to redefine power from its corrupt, controlling misuse as currently witnessed daily to an inclusive power that practices empathy, tolerance, and a reclaiming of core democratic values. Obama leaves the reader with a call to face our critical global issues by polishing the lens of our own perceptions rather than projecting and perpetuating fear and hatred. Whether he will be able to pass great legislation or run for president, this book provides inspiration to any leader who wants to demonstrate a capacity to connect with the hearts, minds and souls of generations seeking to be inspired and uplifted. He embodies the true sense of enlightened -"awake" not perfect--able to use his intelligence for the greater good while demonstrating the humility of one who knows his own shadows. A highly recommended read for all would be leaders.
The Insistence on Small Miracles February 15, 2007
19 out of 22 found this review helpful
When is the last time a sitting politician inspired you? Not just impressed you or made you think, but really and truly made you want to get off your butt and do something to make a difference in the world? I remember the last time that happened to me. It was in 2004, when Barack Obama spoke at the Democratic National Convention. For the first time in a long time, maybe the first time ever, I was moved to not only see the possibility of change in the world, but to want to do something to be a part of it. There is no question, the man has a way with words, and he proves it over and over in "The Audacity of Hope."
"No one is exempt from the call to find common ground." This is one of many phrases that stood out to me in the book. Obama has a talent for finding just the right thing to say at just the right moment, and the best part about that is that one genuinely feels that he means what he says. In his case, it is not just empty rhetoric said for the benefit of an electorate or a constituency -- it is how he genuinely feels. And best of all, his worldview is not a pessimistic one. It reflects the hope he finds in everyday events, the inspiration he finds in everyday people, and the love he has for America and those who live in it.
In "The Audacity of Hope," Obama covers a wide range of subjects, including some most politicians often shy away from. He spends a good deal of time on the subject of racial issues, talks about America's relationship with the wider world, discusses education and morality and family and faith and the divide between the parties and Constitutional law and even some of the inner workings of being a political figure in the 21st Century. But this is not just a book about issues or about politics. Frequently throughout the book, several times in each chapter, Obama explores how his politics relate to his personal life, and vice-versa. Even if one is reading the book just to learn how he feels about abortion or about the war in Iraq, one cannot escape the personality of the man in these pages. The book is about many issues important on the modern political stage, but the book is also imbued with a sense of the man who wrote it, and is often intensely personal.
In the end, Obama didn't write this book to win an election. After reading it, I can truly see that he wrote it because it is a subject he loves, and that love is there the whole way through. He wrote it to convey the hope he has for America and its people, and to suggest -- never demand -- ways to make that hope a reality. His ideas are intelligent and well-stated, and he has clearly put a lot of thought into what he says. I, for one, appreciate a political figure who takes care with his words and who has the courage to be honest about his ideas and his feelings.
"No one is exempt from the call to find common ground." It bears repeating, because it strikes me that this is a message central to this book as a whole. No citizen of the United States, or even of the world, can absolve themselves of the responsibility to work with each other, to be better than we have been. It is a part of what we owe each other, and it is the hope that Barack Obama dares to express that we can be a part of that change.
I have to say, it sure does feel good to be inspired by a politician for once. For this reason alone, I am glad I read "The Audacity of Hope."
A liberal says "ouch" he stepped on my toes. October 23, 2006
54 out of 68 found this review helpful
The Audacity of Hope by Senator Obama is a compelling arguement for reexamining how we view and respond to policy issues and political debate. Challenging us to leave our biases at the door before entering. The Senator does this in a manner similar to that of a pastor on sunday morning rebuking then showing and guilding us to a better way. An intellectual and insightful read with moments of hilarity (his decription of a bloggers response to Alan Keyes had me laughing out loud). I look forward to hearings more from him whether on the campaign trail or in the Senate.
Obama Wraps His Personal Journey Around His Political Beliefs With Refreshing Authenticity October 20, 2006
109 out of 141 found this review helpful
As the acknowledged rising star of the Democratic Party, Barack Obama has done an admirable job in maintaining the precarious balance between being a media lightning rod and a largely unproven senator out to establish his record. While it may speak to the current vacuity in the party's leadership, Hillary Clinton aside, Obama certainly cannot be underestimated for the political acumen he has displayed during key high-attention moments like his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. He wrote an insightful personal memoir over a decade ago before entering politics, "Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance", which I read a couple of years back and thought was quite lucidly written if rather guarded in exploring his racial dichotomy.
What came across in his first book was a unique voice, and even though he sticks primarily to politics this time out, his voice remains consistent, at least on the written page, and that's what makes this such a magnetic read. He has a personable way of tackling topics as diverse as foreign policy, religious faith and the U.S. Constitution without the taint of pandering that media-hungry pundits and other politicians seem to enjoy. There is no denying that Obama is an instinctive consensus builder and that quality may have alienated those who label him a centrist. However, we understand the genesis of this commitment through his journey to reconcile his own racial identity. The irony is that in this book, the senator presents a series of policy statements that hold a clarity in purpose lacking among his Democratic brethren while concurrently replicating the successful Republican approach of linking political beliefs to values. The senator's topics are broad-based as noted by the chapter titles - Politics, Opportunity, Faith, Race - but he doesn't lose himself in polemics within the text.
Take for example, the chapter entitled "The World Beyond Our Borders" where Obama intertwines the political history of Indonesia with his own childhood there. This provides a logical springboard to explaining his increasing awareness of U.S. foreign policy and once elected to the Senate, his first trip to Iraq which leads to a broader discussion of Bush's current Iraqi policies. All his chapters start with a personal journey that brings a grounded authenticity to his own policies rather than what could be perceived as naive rhapsodizing of what our democratic process should ideally be. Just by reminding us of the value and relevance of the Constitution, Obama already has a jump on most of his colleagues in the Senate. Whether he is seriously considered Presidential material in 2008 (or more likely in 2012) or sinks under the weight of the media hype, this is a most worthwhile insight into Obama, a conscience-raising activist who is admittedly undergoing a gestational period as a political leader on a global scale.
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