Nothing in the memoir can compare to the chaos and carnage of the lame-duck-disaster of today
The 44th President, Barak Obama’s memoir, “A Promised Land” comes out today, November 17th. And what better time than now as 45 (aka Trump) is nearing the end of his term, than to reflect on the better days, when the nation had an intelligent, articulate, drama-free leader in the White House. Includes and updated preface – looking forward to the future, when President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in.
This will mark Obama’s third autobiography. His first book, “Dreams from My Father” published back in 1995 and The Audacity of Hope in 2006. In Promised Land, he focuses on his children, political life starting out in Chicago, his rise to the nation’s top elected office and events leading up to the killing of Osama bin Laden. Readers will get an insider account of Obama’s thinking during this political journey, as well as a look inside his personal life.
Obama made reports that he planned, at least initially to write a 500 page memoir within a years time, he instead wrote a whopping 700 pages. It will now be the first of an anticipated two set volume, as the book ends with bin Laden in May of 2011.
My memoir, A Promised Land, is out today. I hope you’ll read it. My goal was to give you some insight into the events and people that shaped me during the early years of my presidency. Most of all, I hope it inspires you to see yourself playing a role in shaping a better world. pic.twitter.com/hdZysCpCN9
To read more information Barak Obama’s book, please see publisher details below. His book is available for purchase as of November 17, 2020. Click here and help independent bookstores, also available on Amazon and Walmart.
A Promised Land
A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making–from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy
In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency–a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil.
Click here to See “Shade“ in Paperback and Hardcover versions and help Independent Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon.
Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation’s highest office.
Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S. partisan politics and international diplomacy. Obama brings readers inside the Oval Office and the White House Situation Room, and to Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, and points beyond. We are privy to his thoughts as he assembles his cabinet, wrestles with a global financial crisis, takes the measure of Vladimir Putin, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to secure passage of the Affordable Care Act, clashes with generals about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, tackles Wall Street reform, responds to the devastating Deepwater Horizon blowout, and authorizes Operation Neptune’s Spear, which leads to the death of Osama bin Laden.
A Promised Land is extraordinarily intimate and introspective–the story of one man’s bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage. Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of “hope and change,” and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making. He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible.
This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama’s conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day. Click here and help independent bookstores, also available on Amazon and Walmart.
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A potent commentary on the Presidency — and our country
After a CNN documentary aired last Friday – centered on the official White House photographer during the Obama Presidency, Pete Souza; a funny thing happened on the bestseller charts.
Pete Souza’s #1 NYT bestselling coffee table book of photographs shot during his time in the White House, “Obama: An Intimate Portrait”, re-entered the charts at #3 and was followed by, not one but 2 other books at #1 and #22 respectively: the Hardcover (#1) and Paperback (#22) editions of “Shade”.
“Shade“, unlike “Obama: An Intimate Portrait” is a chronicle, not merely of the Obama years of yore, but a diary of sorts detailing the unfolding disgrace of the Trump years we’ve all endured since.
Having spent so many intimate moments with the Obamas, indeed years of close interaction and friendship, he is in a unique position to contrast the differences, not only of the personalities but also of the actions and acts of these two historical figures, and the vast differences between the two.
The virtually immediate and resounding success of the more recent, and more outspoken, tomes is a testament to how many of us share his frustration and outrage at what was, hopefully only temporarily, lost when Obama handed over the “keys” to the White House to its current resident. For a short time longer, perhaps?
Click here to See “Shade“ in Paperback and Hardcover versions and help Independent Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon.
From Pete Souza, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Obama: An Intimate Portrait.
As Chief Official White House Photographer, Pete Souza spent more time alongside President Barack Obama than almost anyone else. His years photographing the President gave him an intimate behind-the-scenes view of the unique gravity of the Office of the Presidency — and the tremendous responsibility that comes with it.
Now, as a concerned citizen observing the Trump administration, he is standing up and speaking out. Shade is a portrait in Presidential contrasts, telling the tale of the Obama and Trump administrations through a series of visual juxtapositions. Here, more than one hundred of Souza’s unforgettable images of President Obama deliver new power and meaning when framed by the tweets, news headlines, and quotes that defined the first 500 days of the Trump White House.
What began with Souza’s Instagram posts soon after President Trump’s inauguration in January 2017 has become a potent commentary on the state of the Presidency, and our country. Some call this “throwing shade.” Souza calls it telling the truth.
In Shade, Souza’s photographs are more than a rejoinder to the chaos, abuses of power, and destructive policies that now define our nation’s highest office. They are a reminder of a President we could believe in, and a courageous defense of American values.
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Today, after much speculation in the media as to when this would finally happen, President Obama released an official and detailed statement outlining his support and endorsement of his former VP, Joe Biden.
After gaining the endorsement of his former rival Bernie Sanders, the democratic ticket is gaining clarity with the next big announcement to be the naming of Biden’s VP choice. There has been speculation that it could be, as promised, a woman, with both Kamala Harris and Amy Klobuchar mentioned, as well as Michelle Obama in what would be a bombshell, to say the least. In case a surprise male pick were to emerge, there’s been a somewhat more far-fetched prediction of Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York.
While this was no surprise, the timing of it and how it would be handled was an unknown, until now. Watch the full video above or read below for the full text.
Here is the full text of the video:
Hi everybody. Let me start by saying the obvious – these aren’t normal times. As we all manage our way through a pandemic unlike anything we’ve seen in a century, Michelle and I hope that you and your families are safe and well. If you’ve lost somebody to this virus, or if someone in your life is sick, or if you’re one of the millions suffering economic hardship, please know that you’re in our prayers. Please know that you’re not alone. Because now’s the time for all of us to help where we can and to be there for each other, as neighbors, as coworkers, and as fellow citizens.
In fact, over the past weeks, we’ve seen plenty of examples of the kind of courage, kindness, and selflessness that we’re going to need to get through one of the most difficult times in our history. Michelle and I have been amazed at the incredible bravery of our medical professionals who are putting their lives on the line to save others. The public servants and health officials battling this disease. The workers taking risks every day to keep our economy running. And everyone who’s making their own sacrifice at home with their families, all for the greater good.
But if there’s one thing we’ve learned as a country from moments of great crisis, it’s that the spirit of looking out for one another can’t be restricted to our homes, or our workplaces, or our neighborhoods, or our houses of worship. It also has to be reflected in our national government. The kind of leadership that’s guided by knowledge and experience; honesty and humility; empathy and grace – that kind of leadership doesn’t just belong in our state capitols and mayors offices. It belongs in the White House.
And that’s why I’m so proud to endorse Joe Biden for President of the United States.
Choosing Joe to be my Vice President was one of the best decisions I ever made, and he became a close friend. And I believe Joe has all the qualities we need in a President right now.
He’s someone whose own life has taught him how to persevere; how to bounce back when you’ve been knocked down.
When Joe talks with parents who’ve lost their jobs, we hear the son of a man who once knew the pain of having to tell his children that he’d lost his.
When Joe talks about opportunity for our kids, we hear the young father who took the train home each night so he could tuck his children into bed – and we hear the influence of Jill, a life-long teacher.
When Joe talks to families who’ve lost a hero, we hear another parent of an American veteran; a kindred spirit; somebody whose faith has endured the hardest loss there is.
That’s Joe. Through all his trials, he’s never once forgotten the values or the moral fiber that his parents passed on to him, and that made him who he is. That’s what steels his faith – in God, in America, and in all of us.
That steel made him an incredible partner when I needed one the most.
Joe was there as we rebuilt from the Great Recession and rescued the American auto industry. He was the one asking what every policy would do for the middle class and everyone striving to get into the middle class. That’s why I asked him to implement the Recovery Act, which saved millions of jobs and got people back on their feet – because Joe gets stuff done.
Joe helped me manage H1N1 and prevent the Ebola epidemic from becoming the type of pandemic we’re seeing now. He helped me restore America’s standing and leadership in the world on the other threats of our time, like nuclear proliferation and climate change.
Joe has the character and the experience to guide us through one of our darkest times and heal us through a long recovery. And I know he’ll surround himself with good people – experts, scientists, military officials who actually know how to run the government and care about doing a good job running the government, and know how to work with our allies, and who will always put the American people’s interests above their own.
Now Joe will be a better candidate for having run the gauntlet of primaries and caucuses alongside one of the most impressive Democratic fields ever. Each of our candidates were talented and decent, with a track record of accomplishment, smart ideas, and serious visions for the future.
And that’s certainly true of the candidate who made it farther than any other – Bernie Sanders. Bernie’s an American original – a man who has devoted his life to giving voice to working people’s hopes, dreams, and frustrations. He and I haven’t always agreed on everything, but we’ve always shared a conviction that we have to make America a fairer, more just, more equitable society. We both know that nothing is more powerful than millions of voices calling for change. And the ideas he’s championed; the energy and enthusiasm he inspired, especially in young people, will be critical in moving America in a direction of progress and hope.
Because for the second time in twelve years, we’ll have the incredible task of rebuilding our economy. And to meet the moment, the Democratic Party will have to be bold.
You know, I could not be prouder of the incredible progress that we made together during my presidency. But if I were running today, I wouldn’t run the same race or have the same platform as I did in 2008. The world is different; there’s too much unfinished business for us to just look backwards. We have to look to the future. Bernie understands that. And Joe understands that. It’s one of the reasons that Joe already has what is the most progressive platform of any major party nominee in history. Because even before the pandemic turned the world upside down, it was already clear that we needed real structural change.
The vast inequalities created by the new economy are easier to see now, but they existed long before this pandemic hit. Health professionals, teachers, delivery drivers, grocery clerks, cleaners, the people who truly make our economy run – they’ve always been essential. And for years, too many of the people who do the essential work of this country have been underpaid, financially stressed, and given too little support. And that applies to the next generation of Americans – young people graduating into unprecedented unemployment. They’re going to need economic policies that give them faith in the future and give them relief from crushing student loan debt.
So we need to do more than just tinker around the edges with tax credits or underfunded programs. We have to go further to give everybody a great education, a lasting career, and a stable retirement.
We have to protect the gains we made with the Affordable Care Act, but it’s also time to go further. We should make plans affordable for everyone, provide everyone with a public option, expand Medicare, and finish the job so that health care isn’t just a right, but a reality for everybody.
We have to return the U.S. to the Paris Agreement, and lead the world in reducing the pollution that causes climate change. But science tells us we have to go much further – that it’s time for us to accelerate progress on bold new green initiatives that make our economy a clean energy innovator, save us money, and secure our children’s future.
Of course, Democrats may not always agree on every detail of the best way to bring about each and every one of these changes. But we do agree that they’re needed. And that only happens if we win this election.
Because one thing everybody has learned by now is that the Republicans occupying the White House and running the U.S. Senate are not interested in progress. They’re interested in power. They’ve shown themselves willing to kick millions off their health insurance and eliminate preexisting condition protections for millions more, even in the middle of this public health crisis, even as they’re willing to spend a trillion dollars on tax cuts for the wealthy. They’ve given polluters unlimited power to poison our air and our water, and denied the science of climate change just as they denied the science of pandemics. Repeatedly, they’ve disregarded American principles of rule of law, and voting rights, and transparency – basic norms that previous administrations observed regardless of party. Principles that are the bedrock of our democracy.
So our country’s future hangs on this election. And it won’t be easy. The other side has a massive war chest. The other side has a propaganda network with little regard for the truth. On the other hand, pandemics have a way of cutting through a lot of noise and spin to remind us of what is real, and what is important. This crisis has reminded us that government matters. It’s reminded us that good government matters. That facts and science matter. That the rule of law matters. That having leaders who are informed, and honest, and seek to bring people together rather than drive them apart – those kind of leaders matter.
In other words, elections matter. Right now, we need Americans of goodwill to unite in a great awakening against a politics that too often has been characterized by corruption, carelessness, self-dealing, disinformation, ignorance, and just plain meanness. And to change that, we need Americans of all political stripes to get involved in our politics and our public life like never before.
For those of us who believe in building a more just, more generous, more democratic America where everybody has a fair shot at opportunity. For those of us who believe in a government that cares about the many, and not just the few. For those of us who love this country and are willing to do our part to make sure it lives up to its highest ideals – now’s the time to fight for what we believe in.
So join us. Join Joe. Go to JoeBiden.com right now. Make a plan for how you are going to get involved. Keep taking care of yourself, and your families, and each other. Keep believing in the possibilities of a better world. And I will see you on the campaign trail as soon as I can.
Young Environmental Activist Who is less Interested in Hope for the Future, but rather Change in the Present
Her recent speech at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, along with many inspiring voices, was perhaps loudest and most impactful of them all. She is a sixteen-year-old Swedish girl who is rapidly becoming a flash point for those in the movement to raise awareness of the global emergency of global warming and climate change. Her name is Greta Thunberg, and her goal is to evoke immediate change in the way the world is handling the climate crisis.
Born in 2003, Greta Thunberg dropped out of school at the age of fifteen to begin a career in environmental activism. Entirely self-motivated, Thunberg started out by protesting outside of the Swedish parliament building. Since then, she has spoken at Climate Action meetings around the world, criticizing leaders for a lack of effort and campaigning for transformation on behalf of the younger generation.
Greta has gotten the attention of many fellow activists, celebrities, and leaders over the past week, among them are Anne Hathaway, Leonardo DiCaprio, and former President Barak Obama, many of whom have met with her in person and all of whom have expressed their support via social media. This year Time magazine named her a “next generation leader” and many have pointed to her as an inspiring symbol of youth leadership.
Greta Thunberg’s Speech at the U.N. on September 23, 2019
Greta Thunberg’s intention is not to inspire hope, though, and she is not interested in waiting for the “next generation” to solve the environmental issues of today. Her speech from the Climate Action Summit went viral. In it, she cautions leaders not to feel hopeful, and instead urges them to “panic,” react, and change their ways now. She wants people to see the climate crisis for what it is—a crisis.
Urgency in Equal Measure to the Problem at Hand
Her veracious rhetoric is contrary to the diplomatic way that many activists and politicians talk about climate change. Given that we have known about global warming for generations, yet have made very little progress in preventing its effects, the human race may be beyond diplomacy by now. And if we aren’t already, we will be at a tipping point sometime within the young Thunberg’s life.
While many rebellious young people may throw education to the wayside to pursue dreams of becoming celebrities or attaining fortunes, Greta Thunberg simply stumbled into fame, and there is hardly any money attached to the work that she does. Thunberg may be inspiring many of her peers and becoming a face of change, but she is not in it for personal recognition or gratification. The young activist—who is also diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder—simply has an uncontrollable itch to save the world from this impending environmental catastrophe. Uncontrollable, yet absolutely rational.
Haters Hate but the Numbers of Believers is Rising
Despite all of the praise that Greta Thunberg has received, her efforts are not without criticism, particularly from the American far right and even President Trump. Some of her resistors are simply climate change-deniers who do not believe in the scientifically viable phenomena that she is combating. Others, however, scoff Greta for being a no more than a kid filled with teenage pathos that should not be taken seriously. Nevertheless, Thunberg’s speeches are well grounded in scientific evidence and on top of that, her emotions are perhaps reflective of how we should all feel, knowing that consequences for our destruction of the natural world are right around the corner.
In total, although Greta Thunberg is not aiming to evoke hope, but rather direct action when it comes to fighting climate change, we cannot help but applaud her bravery and get a surge of inspiration from her. With any luck, older generations will listen to her as but one among billions of young people who are concerned for the future, and actually do something about the problem. Until then, we salute Greta Thunberg and strive to do whatever we can as individuals to take her message to heart and make her efforts worthwhile.
