Josh
This was my first audiobook (at least completed one) and I enjoyed it. I've always though Obama was a good orator and that plays well into narration with a clear, study voice and a natural cadence that is easy to listen to. Easy, but also very very long. 29 hours in fact, because he has a lot to say, often isn't concise in saying it, and can be prone to side tangents. I can relate with all that given that I'm much the same, but even with that there were definitely some instances where I was thinking "my man, get to the point".
For the content itself, it's interesting to get a glimpse behind the curtain and see the realities of governing. Seeing how decisions are made, the competing pressure involved, and the day to day responsibilities of the office. It is very much though an interpretation of his presidency by himself. That's not a criticism so much as the nature of an autobiography, but worth keeping in mind. It's not a neutral history, but an explanation and defense of decisions that were made, some of which are much less compelling than others or glossed over almost entirely.
It is also very, let's call it statesmanlike. You don't always get Obama's raw thoughts or personal reactions to events, but rather the measured perspective of a president looking back and explaining how things unfolded. While I can understand why he'd go that route, I did find it a little disappointing. All in all though I'd recommend it to anyone interested in modern American politics. 3.75 tangents out of 5
This was my first audiobook (at least completed one) and I enjoyed it. I've always though Obama was a good orator and that plays well into narration with a clear, study voice and a natural cadence that is easy to listen to. Easy, but also very very long. 29 hours in fact, because he has a lot to say, often isn't concise in saying it, and can be prone to side tangents. I can relate with all that given that I'm much the same, but even with that there were definitely some instances where I was thinking "my man, get to the point".
For the content itself, it's interesting to get a glimpse behind the curtain and see the realities of governing. Seeing how decisions are made, the competing pressure involved, and the day to day responsibilities of the office. It is very much though an interpretation of his presidency by himself. That's not a criticism so much as the nature of an autobiography, but worth keeping in mind. It's not a neutral history, but an explanation and defense of decisions that were made, some of which are much less compelling than others or glossed over almost entirely.
It is also very, let's call it statesmanlike. You don't always get Obama's raw thoughts or personal reactions to events, but rather the measured perspective of a president looking back and explaining how things unfolded. While I can understand why he'd go that route, I did find it a little disappointing. All in all though I'd recommend it to anyone interested in modern American politics. 3.75 tangents out of 5