Just wanna clarify that my rating does not have anything to do with my opinions on Obama as a politician.

Today I learned that the politicians of America love nothing more than to willingly stick their feet into other people’s toilets and then complain that their shoes stink.
I picked up this book hoping to learn more about Obama’s political philosophy and how it has adapted and changed since he was in office, but instead I got a linear blow-by-blow of his first term as president; a good-natured, but overly diplomatic leader (to the glee of the republicans). It really exposed how much American politics is akin to a popularity contest between a bunch of celebrities, and unfortunately exposed Obama, as he appears to the general public, as a fabricated persona of hope, that cannot always reflect the realities of leading one of the largest nations in the world. I do like Obama, as a person. He seems exceptionally grounded, intelligent, and genuinely has done his best to improve the country in a manner that puts its people at the forefront. That didn’t stop the repeated sentiment of ‘America, richest country in the world = America, best country in the world’ that was present throughout the book, but I guess that comes along with the good Christian value of patriotism.
I finished my reading with the frustrated feeling of trying to get the scope of a room by looking through a keyhole; even if that keyhole has been installed by a man you have a great deal of respect for. There simply is no scope for a look into American politics from one man’s perspective (though, that isn’t really Obama’s fault).
My favourite part of the book was when Obama (and I guess his editors) was writing about LGBTQ+ rights and (accidentally, I’m sure) refers to us as ‘the gays’. I’m not mad, it genuinely made me laugh!