The Audacity of Hope

In general, I dislike politicians. I find them self serving, insincere and shallow. I dont like spending time either listening to them let alone reading what they have written. Their books are mostly ghost written, full of platitudes and explanations about what they did was the right thing for the country and how everyone else misunderstood them.

Barack Obama's book- The Audacity of Hope, is different. The title itself is inspiring and reflects the aspirational quality of the American dream as exemplified by Obama's own life- born in 1961 to a white American woman and a black Kenyan student, he was raised in Hawaii by his mother and her parents, his father having left for further study and a return home to Africa- he worked his way to Columbia and Harvard Law before settling down in Chicago and becoming a Senator from Illinois.

He writes with a sincerity and a candor that is unique- weaves in personal stories with appropriate history to give us a glimpse of his thoughts on as wide ranging topics as the supposed Blue-red states divide to Iraq to faith and spirituality. His key message is that this country is not as divided as Washington politicians make it out to be. The key values of honest hard work, respect for each other, commitment to community, to excellence, to creating a better life for ourselves, to protecting the country- are common across the board. What plays out in the media is more of the extreme positions on "touchy" topics as that is what makes news, that is what catches attention, that is what eventually derails national agenda as the real issues- of poverty, health and education- never quite get discussed. Obama argues articulately for the middle ground- to get the key issues back up for discussion as that is what will make the biggest difference in the long run for competitiveness of the country. On a personal note, he also lays out his views on race, faith and family and shows a certain vulnerability in terms of balancing work and family life- he readily acknowledges the challenges and admits his struggles, something that adds an authenticity to his personality that is a refreshing change from the run of the mill politician.

I have no idea whether he will run in 2008, but reading this book, he seems to have brought a sincerity and authenticity to the political landscape that has at least made me think there is still some hope- and just for that, this book is worth a read.