September 2009, Tamarind
162 pages (excluding appendices) Paperback
Review Copy
Children's, Non-fiction
Ease of reading: 5
Level of information: 5
Smiles: 4
Yunaleska's recommended rating:♥♥♥♥♥
I jumped at the chance to review this clearly explained story of President Barack Obama's life from childhood to presidency. The main reason being that I had tried to read a similar book meant for adults, but I got lost in all the politics.
Dawne Allette presents the information chronologically, inserting snippets of humour where appropriate. Did you know that President Obama is probably the first president to take a collection of Spiderman comic to the White House? (info taken from page 34). That, in my eyes, makes the President a normal person.
I like how each chapter is headed with a quote, which relates to the chapter's content. Additionally there are small fact file sections throughout the book, providing information about a broad range of subjects. The variety of issues discussed is what makes this small book an outstanding starting point for researching America's current President. There are 16 pages full of colour photos. printed on glossy paper, which make it easier to see how President Obama changed over the years, and gives a visual insight into his family life.
President Obama's background relates a lot to the issues of slavery and segregation of African-American's. Throughout his life, racism and inequality have been the forefront of his campaigns. As someone who finds politics a minefield, I've come away from the book feeling that I know more about America's history, the situation in South Africa with the apatheid movement (something I have never understood), and how equality for all people has progressed in leaps and bounds. I have a lot of respect for the hard work President Obama has put in his life, and I'm interested to see how he spends the rest of his time in office.
Liked this? Soon a book on Michelle Obama by Dawne Allette will be published. I'll try to grab a copy for you.
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