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January 2021 Read of the Month Review

 Happy to report that I finished my January 2021 Read of the Month, A Promised Land by President Barack Obama. This autobiography (the first of two volumes according to this work) covers mainly Obama's political career but the major focus is on his early political career as state senator in Illinois and United States Senator. It then shifts and covers his decision to run for the office of President of the United States, his journey to win the Democratic nomination and eventually the office of President of the United States. The remainder of the book runs through his first term in office as President of the United States. The book ends with his description of the events leading up to and the eventual capture of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, spoiler alert our Navy Seals were successful and killed Bin Laden in the May 2011 raid.

Ok a few comments about the book, fair warning I am an Obama fan; not an owning Obama clothing/flag waving fan, but a fan nonetheless.

  • As I mentioned in my introduction of the book I am amazed Obama writes his book longhand before sitting in front of a computer, as a journal writer I can respect that.
  • It is a long book, and some of the foreign policy sections can get long and dry. I had no problem reading through the sections on Obama's early years, his election journeys, and his domestic programs.....I did struggle with some of the foreign policy chapters/journeys. 
  • In true Obama style, he does not take many "shots" at the opposition. Sure he had a few words for some in GOP leadership, but for the most part he is quite respectful. Obama does take a few swipes at President Trump, mainly because of Trump's "birth certificate" claims about Obama, and to be honest who can blame the author for being annoyed by that farce

So overall rating, I will give it a 4/5 with a markdown for the long-winded foreign policy sections, but that is probably more on me not be interested than it is on Obama. I get it, I mean it is a big part of the job as President of the United States. I respect it as extremely important, it is just not something I am as interested in as a reader. I look forward to volume two, which I will guess covers his second election and term as President of the United States. Now to find a fiction title for February. Happy Reading!

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