A Promised Land

Review

This book is so lengthy, that by the time I write this review I barely remember anything in the first half of the book. I never found the book boring with Obama's thoughtful reflection, but very few things stuck out to me and I was able to achieve my fastest audiobook speed ever without feeling like I was missing something important. This book also feels like a political vehicle offering a stirring defense of every single policy of his presidency. There isn't really an acknowledgment of mistakes, but more of complexity and chance. Like with his hopeful coverage of the 2011 protests in Egypt, I was disappointed to learn Egypt has only become more oppressive. However, I appreciated the real insight into the complexity of policies, political negotiations, and diplomacy. I am surprised by how much information he could share and the detailed rationale offered for all his key decisions. As a fan of Obama, I will fondly remember this truly young, hopeful, and intelligent president. Overall, it could be a worthwhile read as a humbling view on the presidency and complexity of politics, but the key takeaways are more historical than anything else. Key Takeaways: - After an impassioned speech about a bill arguing its merits, no one changes their votes. Debate on the Senate floor is a charade. When Biden tried to explain the merits of a bill to Mitch McConnel, "You must be under the mistaken impression that I care" - So much information is allowed to be released by presidents