The Audacity of HopeThoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

Barack Obama

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Summary

The Audacity of Hope

By: Barack Obama

Narrarated by: Barack Obama

In July 2004, Barack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. Now, in The Audacity of Hope, Senator Obama calls for a different brand of politics–a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the "endless clash of armies" we see in Congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of "our improbable experiment in democracy." He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment.

At the heart of this audiobook is Senator Obama's vision of how we can move beyond our divisions to tackle concrete problems. Underlying his stories about family, friends, members of the Senate, and even the president is a vigorous search for connection: the foundation for a radically hopeful political consensus.

A senator and a lawyer, a professor and a father, a Christian and a skeptic, and above all a student of history and human nature, Senator Obama has written a book of transforming power.

Sample Audiobook
Audiobook Information
New York Times Best Seller
  • Edition: Abridged
  • Author: Barack Obama (See All Books)
  • Date Released: Sep 17, 2007
  • Publisher: Random House Audio
  • Genre: Politics, Politics & Current Events, Political Biography

Total File Size: 169 MB (5 files) Total Length: 6 Hours, 10 Minutes

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Elizabeth Isadora Gold

eMusic Contributor

09.17.07
Barack Obama, The Audacity of Hope
2007 | Label: Random House Audio

Obama's followup to Dreams from My Father
We all know the story of President Obama's childhood, and his path from Hawaii to the White House. Less plot-driven than Dreams from My Father, Obama breaks Audacity up into subject-specific chapters, including "Race," "Faith" and "Politics." The tone comes off at first as almost overly polite, but there is bite in this book. Reminiscing about the first time he met then-President Bush, Obama calls him a "likable man," and then immediately adds that he seems "like the kind of guy who would make for good company so long as the conversation revolved around sports and the kids." It is exciting that Obama is his own reader for this book; as with Martin Luther King, his voice is part of his story. However, Audacity of Hope is as much a polemic as an expanded collection of speeches — and Obama reveals himself as much a student of Baldwin as King.

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as American as you can get

jlope

so this guy writes a book that outlines a hopeful vision of America. and he is the President of the United States. And it is a good read. I know there are some words with lots of syllables. oh - yeah -and he's black. Get over it, or get the hell out of the way.

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Ideology, not Leadership

spunkasaurus

After a year, the presidency of Barack Hussein Obama can be classified as an unmitigated disaster. Indeed, his policies and (in)actions are scorned by both the left and the right in America, and his approval ratings plummet in all polls. He fooled the voting public in 2008 by running as a centrist, but he is (and was) a rigid socialist idealogue who cannot grasp the reality of American greatness. We are weaker, both literally and figuratively, as a result of this president. We will fix that, though, in 2010 and 2012. Oh, and to those who want reviews and not politics: the book sucks, too.

user avatar

Reviews??

troskosky

I tried to read some reviews on this product (either book or audiobook), but all I find here is political smacktalk between members of this bipartisan country...just tell me what you think of the book, NOT your opinions about who should/should not be president.

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Refreshing Hope!

amadika

This book warms my heart. It's been too long since we've had a president that believes government can do good. That's what our founding fathers dreamed of. We've been in the grip of politicians who are just that, professional politicians...they don't believe in government, do all they can to tear it down, all the while stripping it for personal profit. Obama is a man that has worked side by side with community members in the trenches to improve people's lives and that hope and vision is reflected here in The Audacity of Hope. I so look forward to the energy he brings. Hopefully organizers around the country will take advantage of the momentum. That's what this is ultimately about.

user avatar

Down with Obama

iceman-eMusic

A mesmerizing voice does not have to do anything with how effective he will be as the next President of USA. People has to see through his voice and his words and trully understand his true motives.

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The Audacity of Haters

wisdomprime

For those McCain/Palin lovers out there you either stumbled accidentially on the wrong book (I'm sure there are some Republican books out there somewhere waiting to be burned.... read) or deep down inside you came over to this book, spent precious time out of your life to listen, may have even spent hard earned money to hear the whole book and now hate yourselves when realizing "hummm... Mr. Obama is really trying to make this country better and clean up Republican mess". For the past 8 years you all have bet on the wrong horse and now try to spread your hate to those of us that are ready to embrace a positive future in this counrty. So don't hate. Read the book. Convert. Believe in real change....or stay off comment areas that are meant for people that are interested in good being spread in the world! Maybe this is one of the books that Palin would have wanted to ban? Sounds like she has read to many George Orwell books (1984 anyone?). Buy the book or go away Republicans!

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Ahhhh, errrrr, ummmm

lancelotguy

The man hasn't done a damn thing, but he has written TWO autobiographies! He is NOT the one we have been waiting for. True leadership will derive from the McCain/Palin administration. Vote McCain '08.

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A Great Man

Qajariaq

We as a nation have begun to change and there can be no going back. Those who wish to drag down the progress and remain bitter will not prevail. Barack is a great man with courage. He is a true leader. That's just the way it is.

user avatar

What rot!

frogman6

The title would be more correctly conveyed simply as "Audacity". This man has NO RESUME. The sum total of his political output consists of a series of bumper sticker slogans and the support of infanticide in Illinois. What is the democratic party in the US thinking?

user avatar

McCain '08

math1361

Pablum delivered with a mesmerizing baritone is still pablum.

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