Barack Obama - Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

While this book is similar to an autobiography, its main focus is the author's journey to discover the mysteries of his father and to find his own place in life. With thoughtful and emotional words, Barack Obama relates to the reader his journey of self discovery.

ORGANIZATION: Barack Obama organized his book in five sections: introduction, Part one: Origins, Part two: Chicago, Part three: Kenya, and the epilogue. The three parts are further divided into nineteen chapters. The bulk of this book-Parts one through three-contain 428 pages. Included in this 2004 edition is a preface and Barack Obama's keynote address to the 2004 Democratic Convention.

STORY: It all starts in New York, where Barack Obama is living when he gets the call that his father died in a car accident. He then takes us back to memories of his childhood, recalling how little he knew of his father, and some of the stories about his father, told to him by his mother and grandparents. We also are shown an interesting look at his grandparents and mother's past. In this look back, we can see the controversy that surrounds the marriage of a white American woman (his mother) to a black African man (his father). It was this controversy, and the other controversies of racism, that defined the author's emotional struggle to identify himself and his place in society.

As he grew older, his ever intensifying questions of race and his own identity remained largely unanswered, and by the time he was in his last two years of high school, he simply "...had learned not to care." He was drinking and doing drugs, and continued to do so until a reprimand from a friend made him think about his ways. He decided to transfer from his college in Los Angeles to one in Manhattan, with a desire to have a purpose in his life.

It was in Manhattan that Barack Obama settled on the idea of being a community organizer. His initial search for a job as one was fruitless, so he settled for work at an office. Eventually though, his desire to be an organizer prompted him to quite his job and keep looking. His determination eventually paid off: a man offered him work in the South side of Chicago. He accepted the offer, and moved to Chicago soon after.

Here is where we get to read a firsthand account of a community organizer, of the ups and downs, the wins and the losses. Barack Obama relates his experiences very well, from conversations on the street to media covered meetings. He also supplies plenty of personal thoughts and feelings on the events that took place. Eventually, he decides to better educate himself professionally and personally. He was accepted to Harvard Law School, and decided, that before he went, he needed to make another trip-to Africa.

In Africa, he meets his large family, and piece by piece, begins to learn more about his family and his father. He finally finds the answers to many of his toughest questions.

Barack Obama's journey of discovery has come to a close: in the epilogue, his last two weeks in Africa are detailed, followed by a short discussion of his views on the practice of Law. In the end, we are presented with one last scene: The wedding day of Barack and Michelle Obama. In attendance are friends from the past and present, along with members of his American and African family.

Barack Obama gives us a deeply thoughtful look at the effects of race and his own personal struggle to find his rightful place. While the wording can sometimes be lengthy, this book is definitely worth reading.