A Promised Land is the first volume of Barack Obama's widely anticipated presidential memoir. In it, he details his political rise, the 2008 campaign for president, and what his administration accomplished in their first 2.5 years in office. Filled with his characteristic intelligence and thoughtfulness, it vividly portrays all that his administration has accomplished and the ways they fell short. It also calls attention to how fragile our democracy is and how easily it can be derailed.
Clocking in at more than 700 pages, this was a real doozy of a tome. And it's only the first volume! But reading it, it didn't feel overly long because of the sheer amount of content covered. It's actually quite concise on each topic and is balanced by the fact that the Obama administration accomplished a lot, even during just the initial 2.5 years of his presidency covered in this book. Obama is a terrific writer, succinctly hitting upon all the highlights and lowlights of his journey so far.
(As an aside, I started out reading the hardcover version of this book, which has beautiful pictures, but it's super heavy. I couldn't get comfortable with it in my hands, so I quickly switched over to the eBook, which I stuck with for the remainder of the book. I've also heard that the audiobook is absolutely stellar, as it's read by Obama himself. Just some quick thoughts, if you're trying to decide which medium to go with.)
Though my favorite parts of the memoir are the ones where Obama shares personal anecdotes about himself and his family (and their dog Bo!), or observations about what it's like to be president, those were just a small part of this book. The major focus is on his policies and accomplishments throughout his political career and during his campaign for president.
Going in, I thought there would be some surprises in here, now that Obama is no longer president and can say what he really feels. But nothing in here surprised me. During his administration, I followed current events pretty closely, so everything he talks about (the financial crisis, bailout of banks and auto industry, healthcare reform, climate treaty, Frank-Dodd, the middle east, Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Arab Springs, repeal of DADT, raid on bin Laden, etc.) are all events I already know pretty thoroughly.
Even though there were no surprises, Obama is still a skilled writer. He's great at explaining and summarizing fairly complex ideas in a few short paragraphs. It's also enlightening to see his take of the events that transpired under him and his process in coming to the decisions that he ultimately made.
During his presidency, Obama elevated discourse and gave us the hope of not just a better America, but a better democracy, one that could be free from injustice, inequality, and partisan deadlock. To read his memoir is like reliving the history of this nation during its heyday, when it felt like we were on a trajectory of limitless possibility and progress.
Still, I wouldn't say this has been an easy read. It was actually hard and frustrating to read about all the obstructions and malice that he, his administration, and his family faced. And considering what happened once he left office (and is still happening), reading it triggered a fair bit of anxiety in me. But it's a vital part of history, and knowing it helps me form a more comprehensive understanding of our nation.
Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!
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