A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making—from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMINEE • NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times • NPR • The Guardian • Marie Claire In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency—a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil. Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation’s highest office. Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S. partisan politics and international diplomacy. Obama brings readers inside the Oval Office and the White House Situation Room, and to Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, and points beyond. We are privy to his thoughts as he assembles his cabinet, wrestles with a global financial crisis, takes the measure of Vladimir Putin, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to secure passage of the Affordable Care Act, clashes with generals about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, tackles Wall Street reform, responds to the devastating Deepwater Horizon blowout, and authorizes Operation Neptune’s Spear, which leads to the death of Osama bin Laden. A Promised Land is extraordinarily intimate and introspective—the story of one man’s bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage. Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of “hope and change,” and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making. He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible. This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama’s conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day.
A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making—from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMINEE • NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times • NPR • The Guardian • Marie Claire In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency—a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil. Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation’s highest office. Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S. partisan politics and international diplomacy. Obama brings readers inside the Oval Office and the White House Situation Room, and to Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, and points beyond. We are privy to his thoughts as he assembles his cabinet, wrestles with a global financial crisis, takes the measure of Vladimir Putin, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to secure passage of the Affordable Care Act, clashes with generals about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, tackles Wall Street reform, responds to the devastating Deepwater Horizon blowout, and authorizes Operation Neptune’s Spear, which leads to the death of Osama bin Laden. A Promised Land is extraordinarily intimate and introspective—the story of one man’s bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage. Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of “hope and change,” and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making. He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible. This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama’s conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day.
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The Presidential Memoirs
The Presidential Memoirs
2 books in catalog
Memoir and political non-fiction offer readers intimate accounts of personal identity, public service, and constitutional governance. Barack Hussein Obama II, who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017, became the first African American to hold the office after gaining national prominence through his reflective autobiographical writing. Before reaching the White House, his literary reputation was established by his deeply introspective memoir Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, which explores biracial identity, family heritage, and community life.
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1961 to Ann Dunham and Barack Obama Sr., Obama was raised by his mother and maternal grandparents. He earned degrees from Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he graduated magna cum laude and served on the Law Review. In 1985, he moved to Chicago to direct the Developing Communities Project, working as a community organizer on the South Side before practicing civil rights law and lecturing on constitutional law at the University of Chicago. He married Michelle Robinson in 1992, with whom he has two daughters, Malia and Sasha. After serving in the Illinois State Senate from 1997 to 2004, Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois from January 2005 until his election to the presidency in November 2008. He held office as president from 2009 to 2017 and was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
Obama's writing combines personal history, social analysis, and political philosophy. His prose examines the complexities of biracial identity, family dynamics across continents, and community engagement in urban America. Across his autobiographical works, he details his search for personal reconciliation alongside broader discussions of American democratic ideals, civil rights history, and civic responsibility. His memoirs balance personal anecdotes with candid reflections on law, governance, and the challenges of national leadership.
2 books in catalog
Memoir and political non-fiction offer readers intimate accounts of personal identity, public service, and constitutional governance. Barack Hussein Obama II, who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017, became the first African American to hold the office after gaining national prominence through his reflective autobiographical writing. Before reaching the White House, his literary reputation was established by his deeply introspective memoir Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, which explores biracial identity, family heritage, and community life.
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1961 to Ann Dunham and Barack Obama Sr., Obama was raised by his mother and maternal grandparents. He earned degrees from Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he graduated magna cum laude and served on the Law Review. In 1985, he moved to Chicago to direct the Developing Communities Project, working as a community organizer on the South Side before practicing civil rights law and lecturing on constitutional law at the University of Chicago. He married Michelle Robinson in 1992, with whom he has two daughters, Malia and Sasha. After serving in the Illinois State Senate from 1997 to 2004, Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois from January 2005 until his election to the presidency in November 2008. He held office as president from 2009 to 2017 and was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
Obama's writing combines personal history, social analysis, and political philosophy. His prose examines the complexities of biracial identity, family dynamics across continents, and community engagement in urban America. Across his autobiographical works, he details his search for personal reconciliation alongside broader discussions of American democratic ideals, civil rights history, and civic responsibility. His memoirs balance personal anecdotes with candid reflections on law, governance, and the challenges of national leadership.
