Dreams from My Father Review

Being a single, white mother of a teenage, Aftrican-American son, I was naturally drawn to Barack Obama's telling of his life.  There were so many aspects of his story with which I was able to identify that it is difficult to justly summarize them here.  Still, hoping that others will take the time to read this book, it is well worth trying.

Soon after graduating from Harvard, Mr. Obama was asked to write the story of his life.  In an ideal family situation, a son or a daughter learns strength of character and compassion from a loving and nurturing father and mother.  How many of us, though, have truly grown up a part of that perfect family?  Believe me, I know that kind of family exists, and I have many friends who grew up in just such a setting.  Some of us, however, are forced to learn strength and compassion from the father or mother that we did not know growing up.  This is Barack Obama's story, as it is my son's story. 

As we read his book, we are allowed to take a step into his life.  We are allowed to run and play with him as a child, to cry and laugh with him, to feel his anger and frustration, his joy and pain, and to love and hurt with him as he grows into manhood.  We come to know him, not as a man running for the office of President of the United States, but as a man of mixed race heritage, growing up in America, learning who he is and learning how to make his own place in the world.  If we were all so honest with ourselves and with others, it is my belief that we could change the world by changing our perceptions of each other, one person at a time.