The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

Title: The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream 
Author: Barack Obama
Type: Audio Book (abridged)
Narrator: Barack Obama
Genre: Non-Fiction/Politics

Series: No
Copyright: 2007
Publisher: RH Audio
Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary: from Good Reads

The Audacity of Hope is Barack Obama's call for a new kind of politics—a politics that builds upon those shared understandings that pull us together as Americans. Lucid in his vision of America's 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.

Feelings:
I liked the book but I ended up wishing it wasn't abridged. There isn't an unabridged version of this audiobook available. I mostly listened to it while I was driving in the car and it took me a while. I think I might have listened to the third CD three times as a reminder of where I was in the book.

In 2007 when this book was published the national debt was $9 trillion and growing, this is a very small number compared to our debt now $16 trillion. Within the five year period of time the debt grew by $7 trillion. In 2009 when Obama took office the debt was already at $11 trillion dollars so yes the debt did increase under Obama but not as fast as it did in the last 2 years of the Bush presidency. I don't want to appear to be supportive of one side or the other but it does look like something needs to happen to try and cut spending and reduce the debt. Obama put forward ideas for this but it will be hard to implement any spending cuts.

There are many things included in this book that are interesting and useful for those interested in politics. I'm not sure I would go so far as to say that this book offers a solution to our problems but I do think it gives you a little bit of an incite into how Obama began the political journey that lead to his becoming president.

I would recommend this book to those who are interested in seeing the differences in facts and the changing perspectives over time.