Questions About Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

by Barack Obama (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (6)

For those of you who have read Dreams from My Father, did you find it enlightening about issues of race? If so, in what ways? What did you think of how the book was written? Style, pace, etc.?

Kumari de Silva As a mixed race person myself I have experienced one of the main issues explored in the book which is: people don't view a dark skinned person as "mix…moreAs a mixed race person myself I have experienced one of the main issues explored in the book which is: people don't view a dark skinned person as "mixed" race. All my life I've heard people say, "I don't see the Japanese in you - " despite being 50% of my genetic make-up. Not just Americans, even Japanese don't view me as Japanese. . .and that is the point to Obama after he leaves Hawai'i. Despite being raised by three white people (his mother and her parents) despite his father being largely absent people view him as a "Black" man, and he must learn how to navigate the reality that comes with that - even though his own father was an African, not an African-American. The take away is, even though his story is entirely unique, any person of mixed race can relate to his experiences. If you are not mixed race, it will give you insight into the construct of races and the history of race relations.(less)

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What aspects of obama 's background becomes clear in the section on "Origins"?

Shreyasee Pal I am still reading the book and have completed reading the "Origins" portion.
I am really amazed to get an idea of the humble background Obama comes f…moreI am still reading the book and have completed reading the "Origins" portion.
I am really amazed to get an idea of the humble background Obama comes from. His inner conflict as a mixed race person is something that a reader will encounter a lot. Being brought up by his white grandparents mostly and also his white mother, its really heartbreaking to feel that till 9 or 10 years of age his black father was just an image in his mind as was woven by his white family. He was mesmerized from the stories of his father but when he met him for the first time he felt his life was better off without him in his life.
The "origins" delves into his childhood of dreams, hopes, confusions, conflicts and curiosities. We come to know of his journey from Hawaii to Indonesia and back to Hawaii and then to Chicago which has been of ups and downs . His conflicts and realizations of being neither a black nor a white and how it affected him in every sphere of his life right from school to college is something that we will encounter throughout.
We come to know that in spite of being a introverted person who chose his friends wisely, he realizes the power of his voice to address the people specially the black community.
All these help us to know what made him very humble,polite ,
philanthropist and lastly, the wonderful orator he is.(less)

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How can I get a copy? Am a citizen of Ghana

Beba Oddly, Amazon no longer offers it. Not today, at least.

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Is this the first book I should read in the books written by Obama?

Colin Ledlie I can't give a definitive answer because this is the first and only book I have read by Barack Obama. It may not be the best book but I think it is a …moreI can't give a definitive answer because this is the first and only book I have read by Barack Obama. It may not be the best book but I think it is a very good place to start given that it was the first book he wrote and was written well before his rise to high political office. It has left me wanting to read more and I think I will next read "A Promised Land" which may repeat some of this story but move things further forward in his life.(less)

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