A Promised Land

Why did I pick this book?
I've recently read a few management books (Disney, Pixar and Steve Jobs) and love the insight it gives on managing a company, and overall challenges in life. What better book to step up a notch than from a President?

The book itself
Is massive. Don't expect to easily take this with you on a summer holiday.. Tho' I did manage to bring it along to the beach for some reading.
Also note that it is just the first part of Obama's presidency, up to the raid of Bin Laden. Another book is to follow on the next part.
In this one Obama takes the reader through his early life, growing up in Hawaii and the influence his mother and grandmother had on his life, through to his studying years, running for Senate and finally the presidency.

What did I think of it
As soon as I read the intro I knew I would be hooked. I was a little worried that it would be a dry book, for which you would need a thorough understanding of the United States political system.
However, as I discovered in the intro already, Obama takes care to carefully explain the background of a certain topic, before diving deep into how he and his team handled it. You can get a really good insight in the intricacies of most (global) topics.

Also, when Obama doesn't have to stick to the facts and run through a specific string of events, when he has the time to write about the scenery of the White House, or other politician's abodes, the writer in him pops up. I was enthralled by his description of the grounds around the House.

My recommendations
If you enjoyed this book, or maybe are on the fence about starting such a lengthy book, I would suggest going with ‘Ride of a Lifetime' by Robert Iger, the CEO of Disney. It's a much shorter book, but the style of writing and topics covered are pretty similar.