Q: How do you make people passionate about moderate and complex ideas?
A: I think the country recognizes that the challenges we face aren't amenable to sound-bite solutions. People are looking for serious solutions to complex problems. I don't 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 won't 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. That's not easy to do.
Q: What has surprised you most about the way Washington works?
A: How little serious debate and deliberation takes place on the floor of the House or the Senate.
Q: 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?
A: 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 child's life.
Q: Do you ever find time to read? What kinds of books do you try to make time for? What is on your nightstand now?
A: Unfortunately, I had very little time to read while I was writing. I'm trying to make up for lost time now. My tastes are pretty eclectic. I just finished Marilynne Robinson’s
Gilead, a wonderful book. The language just shimmers. I've started
Team of Rivals 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 I've got a soft spot for John le Carre.
Q: What inspires you? How do you stay motivated?
A: I'm inspired by the people I meet in my travels--hearing their stories, seeing the hardships they overcome, their fundamental optimism and decency. I'm inspired by the love people have for their children. And I'm 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.
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This is a thoughtful and inspiring book which is written well without being stuffy, written simply without being dumbed down and even at times achieves eloquence, without being preachy. The chapters on "the Constitution", "Faith" and "the World Beyond Our Borders" show a good grasp of American history, and the chapter on "Politics" is an assault on the do-nothing cynicism which seems to have settled into the hearts of too many Americans, both on the right and on the left. I was particularly taken ...
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Written in a style that is easy to read, I found The Audacity of Hope to be very insightful. The author has a simple, but not simplistic, perspective on the world. Since he is our next president, everyone should read this book.
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This is a must read or at least every household should have one of Barack Obama's book in their library.
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this is wonderful audiobook, Barack has a great voice and delivery that made the overall experience thoroughly enjoyable.
This is an inspiring political biography (with human element to it!!)
Provides an insight into a man and a politician of collaboration - who clearly has made history!
absolutely loved it - i actually heard the first copy from the library but then ended up buying a copy for my collection.
I look forward to his presidency.
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Tried reading the book, but there is nothing new here. Just the same old bromides and banalities without any real analysis or opinions; cookie-cutter platitudes designed to gratify the masses. Am unsure how this new president-elect has stirred up such enthusiasm from reading this book.
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?