THE ESSENTIAL BARACK OBAMA

Abridged versions of Barack Obama's two audiobooks are bundled in this package. As a black man raised by his white mother and grandparents, Obama decided to journey to Kenya to learn more about his African father after receiving news of his death. DREAMS FROM MY FATHER is not about his father’s life, but about Obama’s, and he brings that home with an intimate tone rather than that of his public speeches. Throughout the book, written in 1995, before his election to the Illinois Senate, Obama looks at race from the point of view of someone who has seen and been part of a variety of cultures, and he explains how his perspective shaped his views. In THE AUDACITY OF HOPE, Obama smoothly blends personal memoir with clear, bold statements on his political views. His delivery is exceptionally polished, and a strong sense of his character comes through. J.A.S./G.T.B. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2008]