The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (Vintage)The Audacity of Hope is Barack Obamas call for a new kind of politicsa politics that builds upon those shared understandings that pull us together as Americans. Lucid in his vision of Americas place in the world, refreshingly candid about his family life and his time in the Senate, Obama here sets out his political convictions and inspires us to trust in the dogged optimism that has long defined us and that is our best hope going forward.
Amazon.com Review
Barack Obamas first book,
Dreams from My Father, was a compelling and moving memoir focusing on personal issues of race, identity, and community. With his second book
The Audacity of Hope, Obama engages themes raised in his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, shares personal views on faith and values and offers a vision of the future that involves repairing a "political process that is broken" and restoring a government that has fallen out of touch with the people. We had the opportunity to ask Senator Obama a few questions about writing, reading, and politics--see his responses below.
--Daphne Durham
20 Second Interview: A Few Words with Barack Obama
Q: How did writing a book that you knew would be read so closely by so many compare to writing your first book, when few people knew who you were?
A: In many ways,
Dreams from My Father was harder to write. At that point, I wasnt even sure that I could write a book. And writing the first book really was a process of self-discovery, since it touched on my family and my childhood in a much more intimate way. On the other hand, writing
The Audacity of Hope paralleled the work that I do every day--trying to give shape to all the issues that we face as a country, and providing my own personal stamp on them.
Q: What is your writing process like? You have such a busy schedule, how did you find time to write?
A: Im a night owl, so I usually wrote at night after my Senate day was over, and after my family was asleep--from 9:30 p.m. or so until 1 a.m. I would work off an outline--certain themes or stories that I wanted to tell--and get them down in longhand on a yellow pad. Then Id edit while typing in what Id written.
Q: If readers are to come away from
The Audacity of Hope with one action item (a New Years Resolution for 2007, perhaps?), what should it be?
A: Get involved in an issue that youre passionate about. It almost doesnt matter what it is--improving the school system, developing strategies to wean ourselves off foreign oil, expanding health care for kids. We give too much of our power away, to the professional politicians, to the lobbyists, to cynicism. And our democracy suffers as a result.
Q: Youre known for being able to work with people across ideological lines. Is that possible in todays polarized Washington?
A: It is possible. There are a lot of well-meaning people in both political parties. Unfortunately, the political culture tends to emphasize conflict, the media emphasizes conflict, and the structure of our campaigns rewards the negative. I write about these obstacles in chapter 4 of my book, "Politics." When you focus on solving problems instead of scoring political points, and emphasize common sense over ideology, youd be surprised what can be accomplished. It also helps if youre willing to give other people credit--something politicians have a hard time doing sometimes.
I think the country recognizes that the challenges we face arent amenable to sound-bite solutions. People are looking for serious solutions to complex problems. I dont think we need more moderation per se--I think we should be bolder in promoting universal health care, or dealing with global warming. We just need to understand that actually solving these problems wont be easy, and that whatever solutions we come up with will require consensus among groups with divergent interests. That means everybody has to listen, and everybody has to give a little. Thats not easy to do.
How little serious debate and deliberation takes place on the floor of the House or the Senate.
You talk about how we have a personal responsibility to educate our children. What small thing can the average parent (or person) do to help improve the educational system in America? What small thing can make a big impact?
Nothing has a bigger impact than reading to children early in life. Obviously we all have a personal obligation to turn off the TV and read to our own children but beyond that, participating in a literacy program, working with parents who themselves may have difficulty reading, helping their children with their literacy skills, can make a huge difference in a childs life.
Do you ever find time to read? What kinds of books do you try to make time for? What is on your nightstand now?
Unfortunately, I had very little time to read while I was writing. Im trying to make up for lost time now. My tastes are pretty eclectic. I just finished Marilynne Robinsons
, a wonderful book. The language just shimmers. Ive started
by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which is a great study of Lincoln as a political strategist. I read just about anything by Toni Morrison, E.L. Doctorow, or Philip Roth. And Ive got a soft spot for John le Carre.
Im inspired by the people I meet in my travels--hearing their stories, seeing the hardships they overcome, their fundamental optimism and decency. Im inspired by the love people have for their children. And Im inspired by my own children, how full they make my heart. They make me want to work to make the world a little bit better. And they make me want to be a better man.
