Dreams from My Father

There has been another gap between my last post and this one, due to my busy schedule. Summer begins soon, however, and I surely cannot wait. Summer = Break from teaching and late evenings!

I was able to still complete Barack Obama's memoir Dreams from My Father. Let me explain why I began reading this book. I did not vote in the California primaries. Earlier this year I doubted I would even vote in the presidential election. Feeling completely disillusioned and like all politicians are the same whether Democrat or Republican, I thought, "What's the point? Nothing is going to change."

When the Jeremiah Wright story broke, I was immediately curious. Who is this Wright guy and who exactly is Barack Obama? I then saw Obama's magnificent speech "A More Perfect Union" and I was simply fascinated. The following weekend I purchased Dreams from My Father.

This memoir is quite lengthy, but worth the read. It reveals the story of a seeker. You will follow Obama through his childhood, youth, and college years. A good portion of the narrative is then taken up with his work as a community organizer and his trip to Africa to discover his father and his African relatives.

I was most struck by the honesty and emotional and intellectual curiosity that rings through the pages. It was interesting to have this book with me at a place where I often have lunch. People had questions and comments. "What do you think of him?" "What does he say in the book?" "I like him." "Can I borrow that when you're done?" In fact, one of the waitresses is taking my copy home with her. She plans to begin reading it tonight.