Book Review: "Dreams From My Father" by Barack Obama

"Dreams From My Father" by Barack Obama (Adapted for Young Adults)

The #1 New York Times bestselling memoir talks about President Barack Obama's childhood and the experiences he had growing up without his father present. I was surprised at how much his story reflected the typical story of a biracial child. He goes through similar experiences like his family being called racial slurs for loving a person of a different color. Many of his childhood travel experiences seem like a dream, for a child at a young age who doesn't know much about the world's view of a perfect international custom. He spent time in different countries at various stages of his life but spent most of his time in the US gaining his education to become a lawyer. He was raised by his mother and grandparents. He did not know is African relatives for a very long time until he was in college gaining his degrees. While the young Obama might seem similar to the many people who work in Public administration and legal services, he has a quite unique perspective on the world's issues. He spent his time working with different organizations and legal groups that helped him find his passion for public service. He was dedicated at an early age before deciding to attend Harvard Law School that he would be more than a statistic and be an example for people that can relate to his story.

He talks about working with the mayor of Chicago and wanted to make new policies that would help people gain access to public goods and services. He worked on issues like public housing, union workers, education systems, investment bankers and lobbyist ideas. The young Barack Obama had a big opinion on the people of different colors to work together to make a better America than the one that was given to us by our predecessors. Faith is a underlying theme that is invoked throughout the memoir. As a powerful speaker and preacher, he writes about old customs and how he tried to make his own path. The lessons he learned throughout his life exemplify the American ideals that hard work and determination will get you to your dream position. Lasting change comes from a lifetime of work and believing in yourself to make the magic happen.

Unlike the movie Barry which is a story of his life during his time at Harvard law school. He writes about his professional career and the opportunities he had to travel and learn from life experiences that pushed him to grow closer to his African family. Many Caucasian and African Americans don't research into their family lineage but he found his connections through his African half sister. During his travels to his relatives country in Kenya, he discovered the heart aching reality of many African children. He writes stories of their bare feet and cramped car ride system to get people to their destinations. He finds himself looking for new possibilities that can help him understand the American dream. His dreams of making the world a better place.

Overall, I like the way Mr. Obama writes about his family's life. He has a past that can be very relatable to diverse people around the world. He makes an effort to discover new possibilities and obtain the knowledge of his families past . Mr. Obama has a unique point of view that comes from his family ties and teaches a lesson on how it is very important to communicate with your distant relatives. I found myself reaching out to family members that I haven't talked to in a long time and found out different stories of our family history. Although this book is not a self-help book, it still gives life lessons on what we can do ourselves to become a better family member, friend, professional and role model.

Peace, Love and Happiness,

Diwata