A Promised Land: The powerful political memoir from the former US President

'A Promised Land' fulfills the promise of being an inimitable pleasure trip through an uncharted path through an unseen landscape of what we call USA. The fluency and flow of style and viscosity of material, the narrative, is such that one can't afford the luxury of stopping or having a breathing space while going through it; it’s like turning onto a super highway, on which once you are there is nowhere to take a break, no going back, except at predetermined places. Even at the chapter-ends one is tempted to hurry on: the journey or reading is so enchanting and thrilling, unexpectedly, so to say! Barack has an uncanny gift for writing, even for speaking; he is unmatchable, inimitable indeed! The book portrays a human being in White House, with a throbbing heart and common-manly sentiments, even as, he is starkly candid in making remarks or commenting on the attributes of world leaders. The book also reveals, rather explodes the myth, that not all the inhabitants are well-to-do in America, majority of them are hand to mouth like people elsewhere throughout the world. Even Barack's own family was not in any enviable financial condition. That is a revelation indeed; normally we take USA for a land where nothing but prosperity prevails, the fact is somewhat entirely different. There is no surprise that it’s a no.1 Bestseller! 'A Promised Land' fulfills the promise of being an inimitable pleasure trip through an uncharted path through an unseen landscape of what we call USA. The fluency and flow of style and viscosity of material, the narrative, is such that one can't afford the luxury of stopping or having a breathing space while going through it; it’s like turning onto a super highway, on which once you are there is no going back or nowhere to take a break, except at predetermined places. Even at the chapter- ends one is tempted to hurry on: the journey or reading is so enchanting and thrilling, sort of unexpectedly pleasant surprise, so to say! Barrack has an uncanny gift for writing, even for speaking, oratory; he is unmatchable, inimitable indeed in his oratory. The book portrays a human being in White House, with a throbbing heart and common-manly sentiments, even as, he is starkly candid in making remarks or commenting on the attributes of world leaders. The book also reveals in negation, rather explodes the myth, that all the inhabitants are well-to-do in America, majority of them are hand to mouth like people elsewhere throughout the world. Even Barrack's own family was not in any enviable financial condition. That is a revelation indeed; normally we take USA for a land where nothing but prosperity prevails, the fact is somewhat entirely different. There is no surprise that it’s a no.1 Bestseller! The narrative wherever it tends to be drab or dry or boring enmessed in too much realpolitick, Obama is super conscious and inserts some light heartening anecdote involving his family, daughters, his closest colleagues and the reader finds a breathing space. Also, one can’t help beaming and smiling and appreciating the empathy of the author, none other than the President of United States of America! Obama sounds more humane and common-manly when he reminisces his life lived in company of his daughters: truly like an affable father, a family man, and it’s so touching and moving! Moreover, Obama’s conscience is ever alert towards the predicament of the poor, the blacks, the ordinary people and the young warriors who are suffering as well as sacrificing personally as well as irrecoverably or irreversibly in those ghastly wars. The healthcare in USA is unaffordable even for middle class there. Obama did yeoman’s job by enacting Affordable Recovery Act for which he deserves immeasurable praise and kudos from generations to come. If a country can't provide affordable healthcare to all its citizens -both rich and poor - one can't boast of one's superiority in world-power terms! However, one inference that we draw from the entire narrative is that being the President of USA is not a bed of roses to enjoy and relish: the poor fellow is deprived of all the elysian pleasures of life which a commoner enjoys aplenty, in infinite measure: personal freedom, unhindered company of family and children, anonymity which is an invaluable attribute and precious boon, non-scrutability by public and hawkish media and social media, choice of using one's time as per one’s convenience, choice of enjoying oneself with family at a roadside eatery, et al. A state head, a celebrity, a public figure, however, aggrandised one might feel personally, can’t vie with a commoner as regards real pleasures of life and true peace of mind! “My visit to Giza pyramid humbled me by the thought that the world endures even after we are gone!”, this musing by the most powerful president of the human race is worth meditating over and over again, particularly, by those nothing's who deem themselves to be the permanent custodians of the peoples and their palaces and empires! ‘videh’ Arvind Kumar TOP REVIEWS FROM INDIA Arvind Kumar 'videh' 5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase Reviewed in India on 23 November 2020 A Super Expressway! A Supremely Promising Strand !! 'A Promised Land' fulfills the promise of being an inimitable pleasure trip through an uncharted path through an unseen landscape of what we call USA. The fluency and flow of style and viscosity of material, the narrative, is such that one can't afford the luxury of stopping or having a breathing space while going through it; it’s like turning onto a super highway, on which once you are on there is nowhere to take a break, except at predetermined places. Even at the chapter ends one is tempted to hurry on: the journey or reading is so enchanting and thrilling, unexpectedly, so to say! Barack has an uncanny gift for writing, even for speaking; he is unmatchable, inimitable indeed! The book portrays a human being in White House, with a throbbing heart and common-manly sentiments, even as, he is starkly candid in making remarks or commenting on the attributes of world leaders. The book also reveals, rather explodes the myth, that not all the inhabitants are well-to-do in America, majority of them are hand to mouth like people elsewhere throughout the world. Even Barack's own family was not in any enviable financial condition. That is a revelation indeed; normally we take USA for a land where nothing but prosperity prevails, the fact is somewhat entirely different. There is no surprise that it’s a no.1 Bestseller! Arvind Kumar 'videh'

A beautiful and inspiring life story of a president.

The book gives a detailed account of Obama’s rise in politics, his campaign, the Presidency, his policies, his fundamentals, and the intricacies involved in his decision in managing what would probably be the toughest job in the world. With each chapter, the book takes us through his personal upbringing with personal anecdotes of his mother, grandmother, family & friends and how these shaped him to take each of the tough decisions, how those were the driving factors in his life as he went on with his Presidency. These personal anecdotes are beautifully written that it can be empathized and correlated back to each of our daily struggles, our decisions in our day to day paths and how our own upbringing and family shaped us in managing our lives. The book starts with his rise in politics and closes out with what was then a much-needed closure with Osama bin Laden’s death. While the book is a long read and does leave you with frustration at times (with unfinished chapters), the political insight, emotion and literary depth connects with you and keeps you engaged. While for someone like me sitting on the other side of the world in India, the US politics can presumably be as alien as it seems to dissect each issue and search for justifications or potentially uncaptured events, emotionally this book leaves with you a stark impression as an inspirational tale of hope.

A very well written memoir of a great leader. Very well written and easy to read. It gives some important insights of the race problems in USA, the challenges he has faced in getting there, his family and their importance for him, the struggles of ordinary folks , the workings of the American political system and his interactions with the world leaders. His views on Rahul Gandhi are hilarious. A must read. I am waiting for the second part which hopefully will come soon.

Good Book

I got this book for my dad, and he is very happy with it. The book is hard bound and the qualit of the papers is very good. The font size of print is large which is just great for senior people. Very Happy with this purchase.

A Story of 44th president of the US - the first African American - to hold the Nation's highest Office. His rise from an impoverished Family to become the most Powerful Man of the World due to his faith in " The Audacity of Hope " is worth reading - written in a lucid style and words emanating from heart gives you an insight of " Decision Making " at the highest level proving the " Awesome Reach and Limits of Presidential Power"

I hv read it. Simple and natural life. Family importance top priority.

Barack tells a good story well all the time.

It took me over two years to finish reading this book , obviously not in one go but in two times ,I downloaded it straight away when was published and after reading approximately hundred pages I just put it down and not because English wasn't my mother tongue but because I found it a bit boring and not gossip juicy but two or three weeks ago I started reading it again and this time somehow it started growing in me and I started to appreciate Barack writing that is brutally good with a very rich colourful vocabulary and remembering until the last tiny memory of his life as president and before,the thing I liked the most about the book is all the anecdotes he tells about his meetings with another world leaders,so anyway I recommend this book to everyone that have the slightest interest in Barack or politics and of course to everyone that's learning English and want to do improve their overall English reading skills.A last thing I'd like to point out is that for all those Spanish people that buy the book expecting to read about Obama relationship with Spain or our Prime Minister you will be very disappointed because the word Spain is only mentioned once in over 700 pages and was just to list a bunch of countries.

Really liked the writing, let me know when the next one coming

Fijn en mooi boek om te lezen

As a Journalist - FB: Yue Lennon - I've been in Orlando, Florida, whenPresident Barack Obama took over. I must declare myself as the absolute fan of him, for me being the wisest President since J.F. Kennedy. He has earned his peace nobel price after the first hundred days since his inauguration "in advance" for every one hundred day period after. Now starting to read his book, that begins with him sitting in the Air Force One a last time with Michelle and his Family, reviewing his "Job" as the President of the USA, immediately I fall in love with the man behind it. He is as I imagined: humble, clear, positive. Giving you an insight to the challenge of this ONE job, that only can be done with a great First Lady and family in behind. He lifts the curtain to the White House in a manner of privacy, that you get the feeling to look over his shoulder, getting an impression about what it is to be in this most responsible position, staying a father, husband and a human. And he writes in a way, easygoing, that you feel to talk to your neighbor next door. Wow. Good job again, Mr President. How about the next noble price for literature?