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Barack Obama - The Story (2000)

by David Maraniss(Favorite Author)

4.05 of 5 Votes: 2

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English

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review 1: Fascinating so far. The book starts two generations before Obama, who doesn't make an appearance until chapter 7. That chapter raises questions about the composition and living arrangements of Obama's family at the time of his birth and shortly thereafter, clarifying his father's participation in family matters or lack thereof and contradicting Obama's order of events as described in "Dreams from My Father", which after all was based on what Obama heard from his mother.After reading "Dreams from My Father", I wrote that the iconoclasts in the family were Obama's grandparents on both sides just as much or more so than the parents. So far, this book supports that notion. But free-thinking, bohemian grandfather Stan comes across as more of an aimless goof-off here; big talker... more, not so big thinker; perhaps that will change as I read further into the book.Dense and fact-laden, the chapters in Africa so far are difficult for me to read, just not familiar enough with all the names, tend to get somewhat lost trying to retain the flood of information. Had to learn to breeze by most of the facts to get the story.
review 2: I loved this book, especially since I was in Europe at the time I was reading it. I loved learning about Obama's mother the most. One has to admire her oh so much. She looked like a train wreck all the time, but her knowledge passeth all understanding. And bravo that she had sex for the first time with a Kenyan student also enrolled in her Russian language class. Otherwise, McCain might be serving out his second term right now, and have you seen that guy lately? More details on Syria, dude? Enough already. Only Maraniss could have written such a thorough biography about Obama. I loved even learning about what his father was like--most of which Obama probably had only hints of when he was growing up. No biography of any president anywhere can ever be as fresh and as detailed as this biography. Bravo for this tour de force. less

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