One of the many refreshing things about Barack Obama is his self-deprecating sense of humour. Responding to the unrealistic expectations for his presidency, Obama said 'I've been sent by my father from the planet Krypton to save the Earth.' Unfortunately, the irony of this self-comparison to Superman was probably lost on many of his dedicated followers, who clearly believe that – once in office – he can exercise a few super powers and rid the world of all its thronging ills, economic and otherwise. But as Dreams from My Father proves, Obama is no fool, and knows the cold realities that face him, even though this intelligently written book is filled with optimism and hope. Which is understandable enough; after all, what else could Obama offer?

The politicians who can actually write may be counted on one hand, but on the evidence here, Barack is among their number (he reminds us that William Faulkner said the past is never dead and buried – it isn’t even past; can you imagine Barack's predecessor in the Oval Office quoting Faulkner – unless the allusion was written for him by one of his speechwriters?). In fact the book -- Obama’s remarkable life story – was, of course, written before his destiny was irrevocably changed by his success in the US presidential election, and it is a striking account of a young man coming to terms with the problem of his identity and issues of belonging in a racially divided country (a racial division that Obama – by the very example of his success – may do a considerable amount towards healing). The son of a black African father and a white American mother, Obama details the dramatic journey that constituted his parents’ life before his own trip to Kenya to confront the sobering realties of his father’s life. It is a book about coming to terms with the past – and comparisons with writers such as Proust in such areas are not as ridiculous as they would be if almost any other politician were involved.

Dreams from My Father gives real hope that ‘dumbing down’ – in order to appeal to the lowest common denominator – will not be the hallmark of the Obama presidency. --Barry Forshaw

He hardly mentions the uk..., 08 Jan 2009
Well, many others have contributed here and the universal opinion seems to be appreciative, views that say he has written, all by himself, an excellent book, showing Barack Obama happily well presented, attractive and so the outlook encouraging in 2009. I just slightly beg to differ. In our Book Club each of us struggled rather to get through it all, some not succeeding - it is quite dense with narrative, with alien allusions to a work culture and preoccupations that are not familiar to us. We have been reading together for eight years and are not often beaten. I would like to have seen photos in this memoir and so I searched online- I found several clear and informative images - put up by Barack Obama himself, that would have greatly added to the book. These pictures of of him with his Mother and Grandparents, his Father - just the once - and as a young student. They really help to add flesh to the story.

You could see this book as a homage to his maternal Grandparents and they certainly did help the young man to grow into the person we see now. They gave him a strong sense of self worth and confidence, the aim surely of loving grandparents all over who are able to take part in the upbringing of their children's children. How lucky he was in them.

The lack of any kind of lightening humour makes the book harder work. Such seriousness in a 33 year old. Many of his personal feelings have to be missing which stands at odds with the apparent openness of the content. Of course he is also being a gentleman in not alluding to his own affairs of the heart.

As a reader in the UK I felt piqued that he made so little reference to our country. One line about a walk along The Thames, another cross paragraph about an English sportsman who spoke unguardedly on racial issues to him during an air journey to South Africa. There are several judge-mental references to our country's past heavy handed Colonialism and the dire effects that he felt were left behind for countries he got to know. This could give a worrying impression.

Dreams of My Father is an important book and was written when Barack (Barry) Obama was an citizen without fore knowledge of his future. The many cast members of his story show his involvement with the everyday, a great asset. Unlike others before who have the idea implanted in their hearts from earlier on that they could become President - through family connections or political history, we have here the life so far of a young man who takes everything in his life very seriously indeed. Including himself.

A sympathetic man with hope in his heart but heavy baggage too. It is great to be allowed to know so much about him at least. Yes read this book but it is serious and detailed with a difficult agenda.

disappointed, 02 Jan 2009
Sorry, I started this book with enthusiasm and interest. I didn't finish it I'm afraid that although the style is charismatic we might become as disappointed with his leadership as his authorship.

Not what i expected..., 11 Dec 2008
Like many other people, I wanted to find out more about the man who is to be the next American President. The man of the moment who everyone is talking about! I followed the election process with interest, and wanted to find out more about Obama's history and early life.

Part of what i liked about Obama was that he wasn't focused on the colour of his skin, and that he was a President for everyone, not just for black people. This book is pretty much the opposite. It is so race heavy it gets boring after a while. I know it was written very early on in his career, but even some of the language and references are quite heavy going with black nationalism and Malcolm X quotes often popping up. You'd think he had a terrible upbringing when in fact it was quite privileged, and he was surrounded by people that loved and cared for him. We're told that you shouldn't stereotype and tar everyone with the same brush, but this is what Obama seems to spend half the book doing.

This book wasn't what I'd expected and I think that's why i was a bit put-off. It's not a biography and you will be disappointed if you buy this book expecting one.





He is brilliant, 26 Nov 2008
I am always interested in people's life story, especially that of famous people. He is the proud of black people. I am still reading this book, haven't finished it yet, but really enjoying it. I can learn a lot from it.

Honesty, clarity...in short a template for politicians to follow., 23 Nov 2008
One can only admire both the man and the book - mainly for its 100 per cent honesty and sheer breadth of subject matter. This, truly, is the 21st century approach to political memoir writing. The cross party/racial appeal of Obama is because he can transcend the barriers that we put upon ourselves - barriers that he himself hurdled throughout his political and social life. The gift that Obama has - and one that comes through in his writing - is his ability to connect with the reader, regardless of their ethnic background. This really is a very good read and should be required reading for any student of political history. If you liked this book - and value books that have a core of honesty at their heart - I recommend One Love Two Colours: The unlikely marriage of a Punk Rocker & his African Queen, by Margaret Oshindele-Smith - another book that shows how the individual can overcome prejuduce and intolerance.

He hardly mentions the uk..., 08 Jan 2009
Well, many others have contributed here and the universal opinion seems to be appreciative, views that say he has written, all by himself, an excellent book, showing Barack Obama happily well presented, attractive and so the outlook encouraging in 2009. I just slightly beg to differ. In our Book Club each of us struggled rather to get through it all, some not succeeding - it is quite dense with narrative, with alien allusions to a work culture and preoccupations that are not familiar to us. We have been reading together for eight years and are not often beaten. I would like to have seen photos in this memoir and so I searched online- I found several clear and informative images - put up by Barack Obama himself, that would have greatly added to the book. These pictures of of him with his Mother and Grandparents, his Father - just the once - and as a young student. They really help to add flesh to the story.

You could see this book as a homage to his maternal Grandparents and they certainly did help the young man to grow into the person we see now. They gave him a strong sense of self worth and confidence, the aim surely of loving grandparents all over who are able to take part in the upbringing of their children's children. How lucky he was in them.

The lack of any kind of lightening humour makes the book harder work. Such seriousness in a 33 year old. Many of his personal feelings have to be missing which stands at odds with the apparent openness of the content. Of course he is also being a gentleman in not alluding to his own affairs of the heart.

As a reader in the UK I felt piqued that he made so little reference to our country. One line about a walk along The Thames, another cross paragraph about an English sportsman who spoke unguardedly on racial issues to him during an air journey to South Africa. There are several judge-mental references to our country's past heavy handed Colonialism and the dire effects that he felt were left behind for countries he got to know. This could give a worrying impression.

Dreams of My Father is an important book and was written when Barack (Barry) Obama was an citizen without fore knowledge of his future. The many cast members of his story show his involvement with the everyday, a great asset. Unlike others before who have the idea implanted in their hearts from earlier on that they could become President - through family connections or political history, we have here the life so far of a young man who takes everything in his life very seriously indeed. Including himself.

A sympathetic man with hope in his heart but heavy baggage too. It is great to be allowed to know so much about him at least. Yes read this book but it is serious and detailed with a difficult agenda.

disappointed, 02 Jan 2009
Sorry, I started this book with enthusiasm and interest. I didn't finish it I'm afraid that although the style is charismatic we might become as disappointed with his leadership as his authorship.

Not what i expected..., 11 Dec 2008
Like many other people, I wanted to find out more about the man who is to be the next American President. The man of the moment who everyone is talking about! I followed the election process with interest, and wanted to find out more about Obama's history and early life.

Part of what i liked about Obama was that he wasn't focused on the colour of his skin, and that he was a President for everyone, not just for black people. This book is pretty much the opposite. It is so race heavy it gets boring after a while. I know it was written very early on in his career, but even some of the language and references are quite heavy going with black nationalism and Malcolm X quotes often popping up. You'd think he had a terrible upbringing when in fact it was quite privileged, and he was surrounded by people that loved and cared for him. We're told that you shouldn't stereotype and tar everyone with the same brush, but this is what Obama seems to spend half the book doing.

This book wasn't what I'd expected and I think that's why i was a bit put-off. It's not a biography and you will be disappointed if you buy this book expecting one.





He is brilliant, 26 Nov 2008
I am always interested in people's life story, especially that of famous people. He is the proud of black people. I am still reading this book, haven't finished it yet, but really enjoying it. I can learn a lot from it.

Honesty, clarity...in short a template for politicians to follow., 23 Nov 2008
One can only admire both the man and the book - mainly for its 100 per cent honesty and sheer breadth of subject matter. This, truly, is the 21st century approach to political memoir writing. The cross party/racial appeal of Obama is because he can transcend the barriers that we put upon ourselves - barriers that he himself hurdled throughout his political and social life. The gift that Obama has - and one that comes through in his writing - is his ability to connect with the reader, regardless of their ethnic background. This really is a very good read and should be required reading for any student of political history. If you liked this book - and value books that have a core of honesty at their heart - I recommend One Love Two Colours: The unlikely marriage of a Punk Rocker & his African Queen, by Margaret Oshindele-Smith - another book that shows how the individual can overcome prejuduce and intolerance.

An introduction to African-American history and oratory, 28 Sep 2008
I picked up a copy of this book to explore a growing interest in American oratory and, in particular, the rise of Barack Obama in the American policital stage and his potential place in history.
My knowledge of the history of the USA, along with many other British students attending school in the 1980's, starts and ends with the American Civil War and the plight of Native Americans. However, I am deeply moved by the speeches of Dr King - this book includes one of his most famous speeches which, rightfully I feel, is familiar to us all and, in particular, what it meant for the thousands of Americans stuggling for the same basic rights as others.
The speeches within this collection are a fascinating insight to the history of Civil Rights in the USA and are themselves a chronicle of the desperately slow-moving and, at times, regressive politics surrounding the recognition of the rights for African Americans.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in modern history, an interest in American politics as well as anyone concerned with the power the majority can have over the majority - relevant to us all.

In The Second Sex, Simone de Beauvoir posed questions many men, and women, had yet to ponder when the book was released in 1953. "One wonders if women still exist, if they will always exist, whether or not it is desirable that they should..." she says in this comprehensive treatise on women. She weaves together history, philosophy, economics, biology and a host of other disciplines to show women's place in the world and to postulate on the power of sexuality. This is a powerful piece of writing in a time before "feminism" was even a phrase, much less a movement. --Christine Buttery

He hardly mentions the uk..., 08 Jan 2009
Well, many others have contributed here and the universal opinion seems to be appreciative, views that say he has written, all by himself, an excellent book, showing Barack Obama happily well presented, attractive and so the outlook encouraging in 2009. I just slightly beg to differ. In our Book Club each of us struggled rather to get through it all, some not succeeding - it is quite dense with narrative, with alien allusions to a work culture and preoccupations that are not familiar to us. We have been reading together for eight years and are not often beaten. I would like to have seen photos in this memoir and so I searched online- I found several clear and informative images - put up by Barack Obama himself, that would have greatly added to the book. These pictures of of him with his Mother and Grandparents, his Father - just the once - and as a young student. They really help to add flesh to the story.

You could see this book as a homage to his maternal Grandparents and they certainly did help the young man to grow into the person we see now. They gave him a strong sense of self worth and confidence, the aim surely of loving grandparents all over who are able to take part in the upbringing of their children's children. How lucky he was in them.

The lack of any kind of lightening humour makes the book harder work. Such seriousness in a 33 year old. Many of his personal feelings have to be missing which stands at odds with the apparent openness of the content. Of course he is also being a gentleman in not alluding to his own affairs of the heart.

As a reader in the UK I felt piqued that he made so little reference to our country. One line about a walk along The Thames, another cross paragraph about an English sportsman who spoke unguardedly on racial issues to him during an air journey to South Africa. There are several judge-mental references to our country's past heavy handed Colonialism and the dire effects that he felt were left behind for countries he got to know. This could give a worrying impression.

Dreams of My Father is an important book and was written when Barack (Barry) Obama was an citizen without fore knowledge of his future. The many cast members of his story show his involvement with the everyday, a great asset. Unlike others before who have the idea implanted in their hearts from earlier on that they could become President - through family connections or political history, we have here the life so far of a young man who takes everything in his life very seriously indeed. Including himself.

A sympathetic man with hope in his heart but heavy baggage too. It is great to be allowed to know so much about him at least. Yes read this book but it is serious and detailed with a difficult agenda.

disappointed, 02 Jan 2009
Sorry, I started this book with enthusiasm and interest. I didn't finish it I'm afraid that although the style is charismatic we might become as disappointed with his leadership as his authorship.

Not what i expected..., 11 Dec 2008
Like many other people, I wanted to find out more about the man who is to be the next American President. The man of the moment who everyone is talking about! I followed the election process with interest, and wanted to find out more about Obama's history and early life.

Part of what i liked about Obama was that he wasn't focused on the colour of his skin, and that he was a President for everyone, not just for black people. This book is pretty much the opposite. It is so race heavy it gets boring after a while. I know it was written very early on in his career, but even some of the language and references are quite heavy going with black nationalism and Malcolm X quotes often popping up. You'd think he had a terrible upbringing when in fact it was quite privileged, and he was surrounded by people that loved and cared for him. We're told that you shouldn't stereotype and tar everyone with the same brush, but this is what Obama seems to spend half the book doing.

This book wasn't what I'd expected and I think that's why i was a bit put-off. It's not a biography and you will be disappointed if you buy this book expecting one.





He is brilliant, 26 Nov 2008
I am always interested in people's life story, especially that of famous people. He is the proud of black people. I am still reading this book, haven't finished it yet, but really enjoying it. I can learn a lot from it.

Honesty, clarity...in short a template for politicians to follow., 23 Nov 2008
One can only admire both the man and the book - mainly for its 100 per cent honesty and sheer breadth of subject matter. This, truly, is the 21st century approach to political memoir writing. The cross party/racial appeal of Obama is because he can transcend the barriers that we put upon ourselves - barriers that he himself hurdled throughout his political and social life. The gift that Obama has - and one that comes through in his writing - is his ability to connect with the reader, regardless of their ethnic background. This really is a very good read and should be required reading for any student of political history. If you liked this book - and value books that have a core of honesty at their heart - I recommend One Love Two Colours: The unlikely marriage of a Punk Rocker & his African Queen, by Margaret Oshindele-Smith - another book that shows how the individual can overcome prejuduce and intolerance.

An introduction to African-American history and oratory, 28 Sep 2008
I picked up a copy of this book to explore a growing interest in American oratory and, in particular, the rise of Barack Obama in the American policital stage and his potential place in history.
My knowledge of the history of the USA, along with many other British students attending school in the 1980's, starts and ends with the American Civil War and the plight of Native Americans. However, I am deeply moved by the speeches of Dr King - this book includes one of his most famous speeches which, rightfully I feel, is familiar to us all and, in particular, what it meant for the thousands of Americans stuggling for the same basic rights as others.
The speeches within this collection are a fascinating insight to the history of Civil Rights in the USA and are themselves a chronicle of the desperately slow-moving and, at times, regressive politics surrounding the recognition of the rights for African Americans.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in modern history, an interest in American politics as well as anyone concerned with the power the majority can have over the majority - relevant to us all.

A hugely impressive book, 09 Apr 2008
Simone de Beauvoir was scandalised and ridiculed particularly by the church when this first came out in 1949 which must have been a disappointment for her. Perhaps a radical book at the time but very relevant to the present and this is worth reading by all women and any man who agrees that women should have a better time whilst on this planet.

The book covers many aspects of being a woman, begining when humans first roamed the earth as nomads and the tyranny of life as a woman giving birth constantly as unlike many animals humans are always fertile. Infant death and infantacide were a means of survival then and the reason why the human population was realatively small for tens of thousands of years. Then tilling the earth when the male began to domineer and own all land, passing it on to their male heirs, leaving woman to be a virtual slave to fathers and husbands, the start of male domination!

I learnt some really interesting things from reading this for example: I didn't know that reproduction was properly underrstood until the mid 19th Century, all sorts of bizare beliefs were practised prior to this revelation, people even believed that sperm contained tiny little people!!! Also discussed is how man and woman are prisoners of instinctive behaviour and really cannot help themselves to a great extent, brilliant for understanding relationships, ie why men walk away after sex in many cases but instinctively a for a woman it is the start of relationship due to the feelings of wanting to nurture a pregnancy. It also explains why in some ways a woman does not always progress due to involuntarily sabotaging their own plans ie preferring part time work or not going for the promotion due to home making instincts. Prostitution, love, ageing are all discussed in depth in this volume. A fascinating read, it sucks you in and you cannot put it down. Only one negative comment and that is that I found it very slightly depressing as there is little hope for women to be truly independant before they get old, ugly and die according to Ms De Beauvoir.

One of the great books of the 20th century, 26 Mar 2008
There is more good sense in this wonderful book than in most of the rest of all the writing by and about women. Marvellous.

encyclopaedic, 28 Mar 2006
The Second Sex is a book of mammoth proportions, displaying the intellectual prowess of de Beauviour in full swing, putting women right up there in the literary firmament. It is almost impossible to overestimate this book, and it is a shame that it never recieved its due praise whence published. However, this unfairness only concretises Beauvior's arguments upon Patriarchal attitudes. TSS is encyclopaedic in scope, and dazzling in its wealth of knowledge. Opening this book is like opening Pandora's box - there is no end to what you may find inside.

Great book, shame about the editing, 04 Feb 2004
This book is both absorbing and informative, giving an excellent account of what it is to be a woman as Other. I would normally give the work five stars, but I am prevented from doing so by the way the text has been translated and edited. Big, important and interesting parts have been lost through poor and reductive editing. Let me give an example: in the chapter “Through the Middle Ages to Eighteenth-century France” the paragraph on page 133 starting with the words “Woman still retained a few privileges in the Middle Ages…” has been heavily reduced, excluding de Beauvoir’s account and use of the Songes du Verger, a vitriolic and misogynous text vilifying women.

As such this edition of the Second Sex is highly educational to all newcomers, but the shoddy editing will disappoint people already acquainted with this work, for it has robbed the book of some of its ideas and bite.

Amazing study of gender difference and similarity, 07 Feb 2003
De Beauvoir takes us on an epic tour from the dawn of the human race to the contemporary world of 1940's commerce and culture, through the internal workings of the body to how others perceive them via the beliefs, thoughts and prejudices of societies throughout the world. Her breadth and depth of research is an attempt to answer one simple question- why are women constantly seen as inferior to men, in effect the "second sex"?
Such a question is almost impossible to answer but at just under seven hundred pages of intelligent writing TSS gets as close to the quick as any women's study or feminist book has got before or after its publication. Questioning every one of the "labels" attached to the human female De Beauvoir pulls apart traditional thinking on issues such as the "innate" maternal instinct, women's intellectual capacity and physical strength and make-up. Every chapter is a definitive case in itself and De Beauvoir's collection of facts, statistics and case studies are unshakable in their accuracy. Her conclusions are well thought through and easy to follow and it is only the sheer amount and wealth of information she gives us that can seem overwhelming at times.
The very fact that a woman has written such a masterpiece is evidence enough that women are as intellectually equal to men but it is sadly revealing of our patriarchal society that gives TSS less reverence than it deserves. Since the 1940's many other theories have developed in the area of gender studies so TSS is no longer the "one text that covers all". Supplementing TSS with more recent works such as those by Germaine Greer, Andrea Dworkin and Kate Millet will give you a more general picture of feminism but it still remains the greatest and most complete work on women's studies and possibly the most important book to come out of the twentieth century.
This is essential reading for any self-respecting individual, male or female, although its size and density means it is probably better to read this segments at a time.

He hardly mentions the uk..., 08 Jan 2009
Well, many others have contributed here and the universal opinion seems to be appreciative, views that say he has written, all by himself, an excellent book, showing Barack Obama happily well presented, attractive and so the outlook encouraging in 2009. I just slightly beg to differ. In our Book Club each of us struggled rather to get through it all, some not succeeding - it is quite dense with narrative, with alien allusions to a work culture and preoccupations that are not familiar to us. We have been reading together for eight years and are not often beaten. I would like to have seen photos in this memoir and so I searched online- I found several clear and informative images - put up by Barack Obama himself, that would have greatly added to the book. These pictures of of him with his Mother and Grandparents, his Father - just the once - and as a young student. They really help to add flesh to the story.

You could see this book as a homage to his maternal Grandparents and they certainly did help the young man to grow into the person we see now. They gave him a strong sense of self worth and confidence, the aim surely of loving grandparents all over who are able to take part in the upbringing of their children's children. How lucky he was in them.

The lack of any kind of lightening humour makes the book harder work. Such seriousness in a 33 year old. Many of his personal feelings have to be missing which stands at odds with the apparent openness of the content. Of course he is also being a gentleman in not alluding to his own affairs of the heart.

As a reader in the UK I felt piqued that he made so little reference to our country. One line about a walk along The Thames, another cross paragraph about an English sportsman who spoke unguardedly on racial issues to him during an air journey to South Africa. There are several judge-mental references to our country's past heavy handed Colonialism and the dire effects that he felt were left behind for countries he got to know. This could give a worrying impression.

Dreams of My Father is an important book and was written when Barack (Barry) Obama was an citizen without fore knowledge of his future. The many cast members of his story show his involvement with the everyday, a great asset. Unlike others before who have the idea implanted in their hearts from earlier on that they could become President - through family connections or political history, we have here the life so far of a young man who takes everything in his life very seriously indeed. Including himself.

A sympathetic man with hope in his heart but heavy baggage too. It is great to be allowed to know so much about him at least. Yes read this book but it is serious and detailed with a difficult agenda.

disappointed, 02 Jan 2009
Sorry, I started this book with enthusiasm and interest. I didn't finish it I'm afraid that although the style is charismatic we might become as disappointed with his leadership as his authorship.

Not what i expected..., 11 Dec 2008
Like many other people, I wanted to find out more about the man who is to be the next American President. The man of the moment who everyone is talking about! I followed the election process with interest, and wanted to find out more about Obama's history and early life.

Part of what i liked about Obama was that he wasn't focused on the colour of his skin, and that he was a President for everyone, not just for black people. This book is pretty much the opposite. It is so race heavy it gets boring after a while. I know it was written very early on in his career, but even some of the language and references are quite heavy going with black nationalism and Malcolm X quotes often popping up. You'd think he had a terrible upbringing when in fact it was quite privileged, and he was surrounded by people that loved and cared for him. We're told that you shouldn't stereotype and tar everyone with the same brush, but this is what Obama seems to spend half the book doing.

This book wasn't what I'd expected and I think that's why i was a bit put-off. It's not a biography and you will be disappointed if you buy this book expecting one.





He is brilliant, 26 Nov 2008
I am always interested in people's life story, especially that of famous people. He is the proud of black people. I am still reading this book, haven't finished it yet, but really enjoying it. I can learn a lot from it.

Honesty, clarity...in short a template for politicians to follow., 23 Nov 2008
One can only admire both the man and the book - mainly for its 100 per cent honesty and sheer breadth of subject matter. This, truly, is the 21st century approach to political memoir writing. The cross party/racial appeal of Obama is because he can transcend the barriers that we put upon ourselves - barriers that he himself hurdled throughout his political and social life. The gift that Obama has - and one that comes through in his writing - is his ability to connect with the reader, regardless of their ethnic background. This really is a very good read and should be required reading for any student of political history. If you liked this book - and value books that have a core of honesty at their heart - I recommend One Love Two Colours: The unlikely marriage of a Punk Rocker & his African Queen, by Margaret Oshindele-Smith - another book that shows how the individual can overcome prejuduce and intolerance.

An introduction to African-American history and oratory, 28 Sep 2008
I picked up a copy of this book to explore a growing interest in American oratory and, in particular, the rise of Barack Obama in the American policital stage and his potential place in history.
My knowledge of the history of the USA, along with many other British students attending school in the 1980's, starts and ends with the American Civil War and the plight of Native Americans. However, I am deeply moved by the speeches of Dr King - this book includes one of his most famous speeches which, rightfully I feel, is familiar to us all and, in particular, what it meant for the thousands of Americans stuggling for the same basic rights as others.
The speeches within this collection are a fascinating insight to the history of Civil Rights in the USA and are themselves a chronicle of the desperately slow-moving and, at times, regressive politics surrounding the recognition of the rights for African Americans.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in modern history, an interest in American politics as well as anyone concerned with the power the majority can have over the majority - relevant to us all.

A hugely impressive book, 09 Apr 2008
Simone de Beauvoir was scandalised and ridiculed particularly by the church when this first came out in 1949 which must have been a disappointment for her. Perhaps a radical book at the time but very relevant to the present and this is worth reading by all women and any man who agrees that women should have a better time whilst on this planet.

The book covers many aspects of being a woman, begining when humans first roamed the earth as nomads and the tyranny of life as a woman giving birth constantly as unlike many animals humans are always fertile. Infant death and infantacide were a means of survival then and the reason why the human population was realatively small for tens of thousands of years. Then tilling the earth when the male began to domineer and own all land, passing it on to their male heirs, leaving woman to be a virtual slave to fathers and husbands, the start of male domination!

I learnt some really interesting things from reading this for example: I didn't know that reproduction was properly underrstood until the mid 19th Century, all sorts of bizare beliefs were practised prior to this revelation, people even believed that sperm contained tiny little people!!! Also discussed is how man and woman are prisoners of instinctive behaviour and really cannot help themselves to a great extent, brilliant for understanding relationships, ie why men walk away after sex in many cases but instinctively a for a woman it is the start of relationship due to the feelings of wanting to nurture a pregnancy. It also explains why in some ways a woman does not always progress due to involuntarily sabotaging their own plans ie preferring part time work or not going for the promotion due to home making instincts. Prostitution, love, ageing are all discussed in depth in this volume. A fascinating read, it sucks you in and you cannot put it down. Only one negative comment and that is that I found it very slightly depressing as there is little hope for women to be truly independant before they get old, ugly and die according to Ms De Beauvoir.

One of the great books of the 20th century, 26 Mar 2008
There is more good sense in this wonderful book than in most of the rest of all the writing by and about women. Marvellous.

encyclopaedic, 28 Mar 2006
The Second Sex is a book of mammoth proportions, displaying the intellectual prowess of de Beauviour in full swing, putting women right up there in the literary firmament. It is almost impossible to overestimate this book, and it is a shame that it never recieved its due praise whence published. However, this unfairness only concretises Beauvior's arguments upon Patriarchal attitudes. TSS is encyclopaedic in scope, and dazzling in its wealth of knowledge. Opening this book is like opening Pandora's box - there is no end to what you may find inside.

Great book, shame about the editing, 04 Feb 2004
This book is both absorbing and informative, giving an excellent account of what it is to be a woman as Other. I would normally give the work five stars, but I am prevented from doing so by the way the text has been translated and edited. Big, important and interesting parts have been lost through poor and reductive editing. Let me give an example: in the chapter “Through the Middle Ages to Eighteenth-century France” the paragraph on page 133 starting with the words “Woman still retained a few privileges in the Middle Ages…” has been heavily reduced, excluding de Beauvoir’s account and use of the Songes du Verger, a vitriolic and misogynous text vilifying women.

As such this edition of the Second Sex is highly educational to all newcomers, but the shoddy editing will disappoint people already acquainted with this work, for it has robbed the book of some of its ideas and bite.

Amazing study of gender difference and similarity, 07 Feb 2003
De Beauvoir takes us on an epic tour from the dawn of the human race to the contemporary world of 1940's commerce and culture, through the internal workings of the body to how others perceive them via the beliefs, thoughts and prejudices of societies throughout the world. Her breadth and depth of research is an attempt to answer one simple question- why are women constantly seen as inferior to men, in effect the "second sex"?
Such a question is almost impossible to answer but at just under seven hundred pages of intelligent writing TSS gets as close to the quick as any women's study or feminist book has got before or after its publication. Questioning every one of the "labels" attached to the human female De Beauvoir pulls apart traditional thinking on issues such as the "innate" maternal instinct, women's intellectual capacity and physical strength and make-up. Every chapter is a definitive case in itself and De Beauvoir's collection of facts, statistics and case studies are unshakable in their accuracy. Her conclusions are well thought through and easy to follow and it is only the sheer amount and wealth of information she gives us that can seem overwhelming at times.
The very fact that a woman has written such a masterpiece is evidence enough that women are as intellectually equal to men but it is sadly revealing of our patriarchal society that gives TSS less reverence than it deserves. Since the 1940's many other theories have developed in the area of gender studies so TSS is no longer the "one text that covers all". Supplementing TSS with more recent works such as those by Germaine Greer, Andrea Dworkin and Kate Millet will give you a more general picture of feminism but it still remains the greatest and most complete work on women's studies and possibly the most important book to come out of the twentieth century.
This is essential reading for any self-respecting individual, male or female, although its size and density means it is probably better to read this segments at a time.

This moving story creates an empathy for negro slaves., 01 Sep 1999
This book was moving and a good summer reading book for students like myself in high school.

1sthand account of the evils of this "peculiar institution", 31 Aug 1999
This is a great book, and I feel everyone should read it. Iwasn't forced to read, but I chose to read it on my own in order to better understand the nation's injustices. Douglass' first hand account of slavery is one of the best sources. His writing isn't wordy or difficult to understand, either.

Great man, great book.

Outstanding read, 08 Jun 1999
I Read Douglass for an assignment in my college U.S. History class, and was almost dreading opening this book afraid that Douglass would blame every white person for his torment. Instead I found that Douglass knew the difference between the slave owners and the people who were trying to stop the practice. I finished this book in a matter of days, and respect Douglass as the extreamly brave man that he was. The paper I wrote reflected my outrage that such an occurance could have happened in this beautiful country.

He hardly mentions the uk..., 08 Jan 2009
Well, many others have contributed here and the universal opinion seems to be appreciative, views that say he has written, all by himself, an excellent book, showing Barack Obama happily well presented, attractive and so the outlook encouraging in 2009. I just slightly beg to differ. In our Book Club each of us struggled rather to get through it all, some not succeeding - it is quite dense with narrative, with alien allusions to a work culture and preoccupations that are not familiar to us. We have been reading together for eight years and are not often beaten. I would like to have seen photos in this memoir and so I searched online- I found several clear and informative images - put up by Barack Obama himself, that would have greatly added to the book. These pictures of of him with his Mother and Grandparents, his Father - just the once - and as a young student. They really help to add flesh to the story.

You could see this book as a homage to his maternal Grandparents and they certainly did help the young man to grow into the person we see now. They gave him a strong sense of self worth and confidence, the aim surely of loving grandparents all over who are able to take part in the upbringing of their children's children. How lucky he was in them.

The lack of any kind of lightening humour makes the book harder work. Such seriousness in a 33 year old. Many of his personal feelings have to be missing which stands at odds with the apparent openness of the content. Of course he is also being a gentleman in not alluding to his own affairs of the heart.

As a reader in the UK I felt piqued that he made so little reference to our country. One line about a walk along The Thames, another cross paragraph about an English sportsman who spoke unguardedly on racial issues to him during an air journey to South Africa. There are several judge-mental references to our country's past heavy handed Colonialism and the dire effects that he felt were left behind for countries he got to know. This could give a worrying impression.

Dreams of My Father is an important book and was written when Barack (Barry) Obama was an citizen without fore knowledge of his future. The many cast members of his story show his involvement with the everyday, a great asset. Unlike others before who have the idea implanted in their hearts from earlier on that they could become President - through family connections or political history, we have here the life so far of a young man who takes everything in his life very seriously indeed. Including himself.

A sympathetic man with hope in his heart but heavy baggage too. It is great to be allowed to know so much about him at least. Yes read this book but it is serious and detailed with a difficult agenda.

disappointed, 02 Jan 2009
Sorry, I started this book with enthusiasm and interest. I didn't finish it I'm afraid that although the style is charismatic we might become as disappointed with his leadership as his authorship.

Not what i expected..., 11 Dec 2008
Like many other people, I wanted to find out more about the man who is to be the next American President. The man of the moment who everyone is talking about! I followed the election process with interest, and wanted to find out more about Obama's history and early life.

Part of what i liked about Obama was that he wasn't focused on the colour of his skin, and that he was a President for everyone, not just for black people. This book is pretty much the opposite. It is so race heavy it gets boring after a while. I know it was written very early on in his career, but even some of the language and references are quite heavy going with black nationalism and Malcolm X quotes often popping up. You'd think he had a terrible upbringing when in fact it was quite privileged, and he was surrounded by people that loved and cared for him. We're told that you shouldn't stereotype and tar everyone with the same brush, but this is what Obama seems to spend half the book doing.

This book wasn't what I'd expected and I think that's why i was a bit put-off. It's not a biography and you will be disappointed if you buy this book expecting one.





He is brilliant, 26 Nov 2008
I am always interested in people's life story, especially that of famous people. He is the proud of black people. I am still reading this book, haven't finished it yet, but really enjoying it. I can learn a lot from it.

Honesty, clarity...in short a template for politicians to follow., 23 Nov 2008
One can only admire both the man and the book - mainly for its 100 per cent honesty and sheer breadth of subject matter. This, truly, is the 21st century approach to political memoir writing. The cross party/racial appeal of Obama is because he can transcend the barriers that we put upon ourselves - barriers that he himself hurdled throughout his political and social life. The gift that Obama has - and one that comes through in his writing - is his ability to connect with the reader, regardless of their ethnic background. This really is a very good read and should be required reading for any student of political history. If you liked this book - and value books that have a core of honesty at their heart - I recommend One Love Two Colours: The unlikely marriage of a Punk Rocker & his African Queen, by Margaret Oshindele-Smith - another book that shows how the individual can overcome prejuduce and intolerance.

An introduction to African-American history and oratory, 28 Sep 2008
I picked up a copy of this book to explore a growing interest in American oratory and, in particular, the rise of Barack Obama in the American policital stage and his potential place in history.
My knowledge of the history of the USA, along with many other British students attending school in the 1980's, starts and ends with the American Civil War and the plight of Native Americans. However, I am deeply moved by the speeches of Dr King - this book includes one of his most famous speeches which, rightfully I feel, is familiar to us all and, in particular, what it meant for the thousands of Americans stuggling for the same basic rights as others.
The speeches within this collection are a fascinating insight to the history of Civil Rights in the USA and are themselves a chronicle of the desperately slow-moving and, at times, regressive politics surrounding the recognition of the rights for African Americans.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in modern history, an interest in American politics as well as anyone concerned with the power the majority can have over the majority - relevant to us all.

A hugely impressive book, 09 Apr 2008
Simone de Beauvoir was scandalised and ridiculed particularly by the church when this first came out in 1949 which must have been a disappointment for her. Perhaps a radical book at the time but very relevant to the present and this is worth reading by all women and any man who agrees that women should have a better time whilst on this planet.

The book covers many aspects of being a woman, begining when humans first roamed the earth as nomads and the tyranny of life as a woman giving birth constantly as unlike many animals humans are always fertile. Infant death and infantacide were a means of survival then and the reason why the human population was realatively small for tens of thousands of years. Then tilling the earth when the male began to domineer and own all land, passing it on to their male heirs, leaving woman to be a virtual slave to fathers and husbands, the start of male domination!

I learnt some really interesting things from reading this for example: I didn't know that reproduction was properly underrstood until the mid 19th Century, all sorts of bizare beliefs were practised prior to this revelation, people even believed that sperm contained tiny little people!!! Also discussed is how man and woman are prisoners of instinctive behaviour and really cannot help themselves to a great extent, brilliant for understanding relationships, ie why men walk away after sex in many cases but instinctively a for a woman it is the start of relationship due to the feelings of wanting to nurture a pregnancy. It also explains why in some ways a woman does not always progress due to involuntarily sabotaging their own plans ie preferring part time work or not going for the promotion due to home making instincts. Prostitution, love, ageing are all discussed in depth in this volume. A fascinating read, it sucks you in and you cannot put it down. Only one negative comment and that is that I found it very slightly depressing as there is little hope for women to be truly independant before they get old, ugly and die according to Ms De Beauvoir.

One of the great books of the 20th century, 26 Mar 2008
There is more good sense in this wonderful book than in most of the rest of all the writing by and about women. Marvellous.

encyclopaedic, 28 Mar 2006
The Second Sex is a book of mammoth proportions, displaying the intellectual prowess of de Beauviour in full swing, putting women right up there in the literary firmament. It is almost impossible to overestimate this book, and it is a shame that it never recieved its due praise whence published. However, this unfairness only concretises Beauvior's arguments upon Patriarchal attitudes. TSS is encyclopaedic in scope, and dazzling in its wealth of knowledge. Opening this book is like opening Pandora's box - there is no end to what you may find inside.

Great book, shame about the editing, 04 Feb 2004
This book is both absorbing and informative, giving an excellent account of what it is to be a woman as Other. I would normally give the work five stars, but I am prevented from doing so by the way the text has been translated and edited. Big, important and interesting parts have been lost through poor and reductive editing. Let me give an example: in the chapter “Through the Middle Ages to Eighteenth-century France” the paragraph on page 133 starting with the words “Woman still retained a few privileges in the Middle Ages…” has been heavily reduced, excluding de Beauvoir’s account and use of the Songes du Verger, a vitriolic and misogynous text vilifying women.

As such this edition of the Second Sex is highly educational to all newcomers, but the shoddy editing will disappoint people already acquainted with this work, for it has robbed the book of some of its ideas and bite.

Amazing study of gender difference and similarity, 07 Feb 2003
De Beauvoir takes us on an epic tour from the dawn of the human race to the contemporary world of 1940's commerce and culture, through the internal workings of the body to how others perceive them via the beliefs, thoughts and prejudices of societies throughout the world. Her breadth and depth of research is an attempt to answer one simple question- why are women constantly seen as inferior to men, in effect the "second sex"?
Such a question is almost impossible to answer but at just under seven hundred pages of intelligent writing TSS gets as close to the quick as any women's study or feminist book has got before or after its publication. Questioning every one of the "labels" attached to the human female De Beauvoir pulls apart traditional thinking on issues such as the "innate" maternal instinct, women's intellectual capacity and physical strength and make-up. Every chapter is a definitive case in itself and De Beauvoir's collection of facts, statistics and case studies are unshakable in their accuracy. Her conclusions are well thought through and easy to follow and it is only the sheer amount and wealth of information she gives us that can seem overwhelming at times.
The very fact that a woman has written such a masterpiece is evidence enough that women are as intellectually equal to men but it is sadly revealing of our patriarchal society that gives TSS less reverence than it deserves. Since the 1940's many other theories have developed in the area of gender studies so TSS is no longer the "one text that covers all". Supplementing TSS with more recent works such as those by Germaine Greer, Andrea Dworkin and Kate Millet will give you a more general picture of feminism but it still remains the greatest and most complete work on women's studies and possibly the most important book to come out of the twentieth century.
This is essential reading for any self-respecting individual, male or female, although its size and density means it is probably better to read this segments at a time.

This moving story creates an empathy for negro slaves., 01 Sep 1999
This book was moving and a good summer reading book for students like myself in high school.

1sthand account of the evils of this "peculiar institution", 31 Aug 1999
This is a great book, and I feel everyone should read it. Iwasn't forced to read, but I chose to read it on my own in order to better understand the nation's injustices. Douglass' first hand account of slavery is one of the best sources. His writing isn't wordy or difficult to understand, either.

Great man, great book.

Outstanding read, 08 Jun 1999
I Read Douglass for an assignment in my college U.S. History class, and was almost dreading opening this book afraid that Douglass would blame every white person for his torment. Instead I found that Douglass knew the difference between the slave owners and the people who were trying to stop the practice. I finished this book in a matter of days, and respect Douglass as the extreamly brave man that he was. The paper I wrote reflected my outrage that such an occurance could have happened in this beautiful country.

Folk tale review, 15 Dec 2008
Beautiful book, lots of heart warming African folk tales,
pictures inside though not coloured, suitable for three years old and upwards, or younger though you will need to read to them depending on ablilty.

He hardly mentions the uk..., 08 Jan 2009
Well, many others have contributed here and the universal opinion seems to be appreciative, views that say he has written, all by himself, an excellent book, showing Barack Obama happily well presented, attractive and so the outlook encouraging in 2009. I just slightly beg to differ. In our Book Club each of us struggled rather to get through it all, some not succeeding - it is quite dense with narrative, with alien allusions to a work culture and preoccupations that are not familiar to us. We have been reading together for eight years and are not often beaten. I would like to have seen photos in this memoir and so I searched online- I found several clear and informative images - put up by Barack Obama himself, that would have greatly added to the book. These pictures of of him with his Mother and Grandparents, his Father - just the once - and as a young student. They really help to add flesh to the story.

You could see this book as a homage to his maternal Grandparents and they certainly did help the young man to grow into the person we see now. They gave him a strong sense of self worth and confidence, the aim surely of loving grandparents all over who are able to take part in the upbringing of their children's children. How lucky he was in them.

The lack of any kind of lightening humour makes the book harder work. Such seriousness in a 33 year old. Many of his personal feelings have to be missing which stands at odds with the apparent openness of the content. Of course he is also being a gentleman in not alluding to his own affairs of the heart.

As a reader in the UK I felt piqued that he made so little reference to our country. One line about a walk along The Thames, another cross paragraph about an English sportsman who spoke unguardedly on racial issues to him during an air journey to South Africa. There are several judge-mental references to our country's past heavy handed Colonialism and the dire effects that he felt were left behind for countries he got to know. This could give a worrying impression.

Dreams of My Father is an important book and was written when Barack (Barry) Obama was an citizen without fore knowledge of his future. The many cast members of his story show his involvement with the everyday, a great asset. Unlike others before who have the idea implanted in their hearts from earlier on that they could become President - through family connections or political history, we have here the life so far of a young man who takes everything in his life very seriously indeed. Including himself.

A sympathetic man with hope in his heart but heavy baggage too. It is great to be allowed to know so much about him at least. Yes read this book but it is serious and detailed with a difficult agenda.

disappointed, 02 Jan 2009
Sorry, I started this book with enthusiasm and interest. I didn't finish it I'm afraid that although the style is charismatic we might become as disappointed with his leadership as his authorship.

Not what i expected..., 11 Dec 2008
Like many other people, I wanted to find out more about the man who is to be the next American President. The man of the moment who everyone is talking about! I followed the election process with interest, and wanted to find out more about Obama's history and early life.

Part of what i liked about Obama was that he wasn't focused on the colour of his skin, and that he was a President for everyone, not just for black people. This book is pretty much the opposite. It is so race heavy it gets boring after a while. I know it was written very early on in his career, but even some of the language and references are quite heavy going with black nationalism and Malcolm X quotes often popping up. You'd think he had a terrible upbringing when in fact it was quite privileged, and he was surrounded by people that loved and cared for him. We're told that you shouldn't stereotype and tar everyone with the same brush, but this is what Obama seems to spend half the book doing.

This book wasn't what I'd expected and I think that's why i was a bit put-off. It's not a biography and you will be disappointed if you buy this book expecting one.





He is brilliant, 26 Nov 2008
I am always interested in people's life story, especially that of famous people. He is the proud of black people. I am still reading this book, haven't finished it yet, but really enjoying it. I can learn a lot from it.

Honesty, clarity...in short a template for politicians to follow., 23 Nov 2008
One can only admire both the man and the book - mainly for its 100 per cent honesty and sheer breadth of subject matter. This, truly, is the 21st century approach to political memoir writing. The cross party/racial appeal of Obama is because he can transcend the barriers that we put upon ourselves - barriers that he himself hurdled throughout his political and social life. The gift that Obama has - and one that comes through in his writing - is his ability to connect with the reader, regardless of their ethnic background. This really is a very good read and should be required reading for any student of political history. If you liked this book - and value books that have a core of honesty at their heart - I recommend One Love Two Colours: The unlikely marriage of a Punk Rocker & his African Queen, by Margaret Oshindele-Smith - another book that shows how the individual can overcome prejuduce and intolerance.

An introduction to African-American history and oratory, 28 Sep 2008
I picked up a copy of this book to explore a growing interest in American oratory and, in particular, the rise of Barack Obama in the American policital stage and his potential place in history.
My knowledge of the history of the USA, along with many other British students attending school in the 1980's, starts and ends with the American Civil War and the plight of Native Americans. However, I am deeply moved by the speeches of Dr King - this book includes one of his most famous speeches which, rightfully I feel, is familiar to us all and, in particular, what it meant for the thousands of Americans stuggling for the same basic rights as others.
The speeches within this collection are a fascinating insight to the history of Civil Rights in the USA and are themselves a chronicle of the desperately slow-moving and, at times, regressive politics surrounding the recognition of the rights for African Americans.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in modern history, an interest in American politics as well as anyone concerned with the power the majority can have over the majority - relevant to us all.

A hugely impressive book, 09 Apr 2008
Simone de Beauvoir was scandalised and ridiculed particularly by the church when this first came out in 1949 which must have been a disappointment for her. Perhaps a radical book at the time but very relevant to the present and this is worth reading by all women and any man who agrees that women should have a better time whilst on this planet.

The book covers many aspects of being a woman, begining when humans first roamed the earth as nomads and the tyranny of life as a woman giving birth constantly as unlike many animals humans are always fertile. Infant death and infantacide were a means of survival then and the reason why the human population was realatively small for tens of thousands of years. Then tilling the earth when the male began to domineer and own all land, passing it on to their male heirs, leaving woman to be a virtual slave to fathers and husbands, the start of male domination!

I learnt some really interesting things from reading this for example: I didn't know that reproduction was properly underrstood until the mid 19th Century, all sorts of bizare beliefs were practised prior to this revelation, people even believed that sperm contained tiny little people!!! Also discussed is how man and woman are prisoners of instinctive behaviour and really cannot help themselves to a great extent, brilliant for understanding relationships, ie why men walk away after sex in many cases but instinctively a for a woman it is the start of relationship due to the feelings of wanting to nurture a pregnancy. It also explains why in some ways a woman does not always progress due to involuntarily sabotaging their own plans ie preferring part time work or not going for the promotion due to home making instincts. Prostitution, love, ageing are all discussed in depth in this volume. A fascinating read, it sucks you in and you cannot put it down. Only one negative comment and that is that I found it very slightly depressing as there is little hope for women to be truly independant before they get old, ugly and die according to Ms De Beauvoir.

One of the great books of the 20th century, 26 Mar 2008
There is more good sense in this wonderful book than in most of the rest of all the writing by and about women. Marvellous.

encyclopaedic, 28 Mar 2006
The Second Sex is a book of mammoth proportions, displaying the intellectual prowess of de Beauviour in full swing, putting women right up there in the literary firmament. It is almost impossible to overestimate this book, and it is a shame that it never recieved its due praise whence published. However, this unfairness only concretises Beauvior's arguments upon Patriarchal attitudes. TSS is encyclopaedic in scope, and dazzling in its wealth of knowledge. Opening this book is like opening Pandora's box - there is no end to what you may find inside.

Great book, shame about the editing, 04 Feb 2004
This book is both absorbing and informative, giving an excellent account of what it is to be a woman as Other. I would normally give the work five stars, but I am prevented from doing so by the way the text has been translated and edited. Big, important and interesting parts have been lost through poor and reductive editing. Let me give an example: in the chapter “Through the Middle Ages to Eighteenth-century France” the paragraph on page 133 starting with the words “Woman still retained a few privileges in the Middle Ages…” has been heavily reduced, excluding de Beauvoir’s account and use of the Songes du Verger, a vitriolic and misogynous text vilifying women.

As such this edition of the Second Sex is highly educational to all newcomers, but the shoddy editing will disappoint people already acquainted with this work, for it has robbed the book of some of its ideas and bite.

Amazing study of gender difference and similarity, 07 Feb 2003
De Beauvoir takes us on an epic tour from the dawn of the human race to the contemporary world of 1940's commerce and culture, through the internal workings of the body to how others perceive them via the beliefs, thoughts and prejudices of societies throughout the world. Her breadth and depth of research is an attempt to answer one simple question- why are women constantly seen as inferior to men, in effect the "second sex"?
Such a question is almost impossible to answer but at just under seven hundred pages of intelligent writing TSS gets as close to the quick as any women's study or feminist book has got before or after its publication. Questioning every one of the "labels" attached to the human female De Beauvoir pulls apart traditional thinking on issues such as the "innate" maternal instinct, women's intellectual capacity and physical strength and make-up. Every chapter is a definitive case in itself and De Beauvoir's collection of facts, statistics and case studies are unshakable in their accuracy. Her conclusions are well thought through and easy to follow and it is only the sheer amount and wealth of information she gives us that can seem overwhelming at times.
The very fact that a woman has written such a masterpiece is evidence enough that women are as intellectually equal to men but it is sadly revealing of our patriarchal society that gives TSS less reverence than it deserves. Since the 1940's many other theories have developed in the area of gender studies so TSS is no longer the "one text that covers all". Supplementing TSS with more recent works such as those by Germaine Greer, Andrea Dworkin and Kate Millet will give you a more general picture of feminism but it still remains the greatest and most complete work on women's studies and possibly the most important book to come out of the twentieth century.
This is essential reading for any self-respecting individual, male or female, although its size and density means it is probably better to read this segments at a time.

This moving story creates an empathy for negro slaves., 01 Sep 1999
This book was moving and a good summer reading book for students like myself in high school.

1sthand account of the evils of this "peculiar institution", 31 Aug 1999
This is a great book, and I feel everyone should read it. Iwasn't forced to read, but I chose to read it on my own in order to better understand the nation's injustices. Douglass' first hand account of slavery is one of the best sources. His writing isn't wordy or difficult to understand, either.

Great man, great book.

Outstanding read, 08 Jun 1999
I Read Douglass for an assignment in my college U.S. History class, and was almost dreading opening this book afraid that Douglass would blame every white person for his torment. Instead I found that Douglass knew the difference between the slave owners and the people who were trying to stop the practice. I finished this book in a matter of days, and respect Douglass as the extreamly brave man that he was. The paper I wrote reflected my outrage that such an occurance could have happened in this beautiful country.

Folk tale review, 15 Dec 2008
Beautiful book, lots of heart warming African folk tales,
pictures inside though not coloured, suitable for three years old and upwards, or younger though you will need to read to them depending on ablilty.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, 10 Dec 2008
My first Virginia Woolf book ever. I am wondering how come I never read anything by this amazing writer before. Her mode of expression seems to create endless paragraphs that flow onward and upward and eventually get to the point which is that she is free to express her thoughts.

A good read.

Excellent and inspiring., 04 Dec 2004
This book has so much more to offer than simply a treatise on the feminist needs of creative women (although this is a very important topic, and as relevant now as when Woolf wrote her essays); it also offers excellent advice on the art of writing well, and the need for a good writer to resist the urge to use their craft as a stage from which to proclaim their views. I already know this book will have a profound effect on my own writing, and for that alone it thoroughly deserves five stars.

Gets to the point eventually..., 17 May 2004
I found this book slightly tiring and difficult at times, but finishing it can see Woolfs point about women coming up trumps.

No introduction or illustrations.

Concise and Invigorating, 16 Mar 2003
Asked originally to deliver a talk on Women and Fiction in 1928, Virginia Woolf eventually produced this longer essay which expands its subject to cover education, marriage, property and money. She moves backwards through literary history, examining the women who have written, often against great opposition, and the female characters that have been written, mostly by men, and finds a startling anomaly: "Imaginatively she is of the highest importance; practically she is completely insignificant."

Unlike many feminist authors, Woolf does not argue for tearing down the achievements of male authors. In fact she argues that both sexes should write androgynously, in order to find the proper reality of things, but at its heart it is a feminist essay. At the time Woolf was writing women had been granted many more freedoms than their mothers, but still had a lot to fight for, and she urges women to do so, albeit for the realm of intellectual freedom and the pleasure of writing for a living. (I have no doubt she would do the same today, despite all our apparent advances.)

She knew she was one of the fortunate (she was left five hundred pounds a year by her aunt, giving her economic independence) and she famously concludes that a women must have a room of her own and money of her own in order to write. But why? It is not so that there are idle hours to be filled by writing - it is because writing well and truthfully can only be properly achieved when a woman is not railing against the bounds of poverty, dependence, social exclusion and disapproval.

The essay is, however, also art. Unlike a dry academic paper it skips lightly and often with humour from subject to observation, and demonstrates with her usual deftness how the real world produces new trains of thought in a person, just as a person's thoughts can mean interpreting the world in a new way. The very construction of the essay is an example of the work she is promoting, to attempt "to live in the presence of reality, an invigorating life." Because of this, and the sheer energy of the writing, it is a work that deserves a reading, no matter what your sex or station or ambition. And if you are a woman intending to write, be it a novel, travelogue or PHD you really ought to give up a couple of hours to read this; you are almost certainly guaranteed a new enthusiasm for your task.

Wonderful essay, demonstrating fantastic cultural insight., 05 Apr 2001
'A Room of One's Own' is an extremely readable essay. It's a delightful read and the classification of it as an 'essay' should not put anyone off as it is as entertaining as any of Woolf's prose. Once I started reading it I could not stop. Woolf flirts with you through her narrative, drawing you in to her thought processes, enticing you to follow her narrator on a journey of the mind as she wanders about 'Oxbridge' and London. Woolf demonstrates great insight, forseeing the future for women and their involvement in the arts with great accuracy. Through her narrative she also introduces a new discourse, one that she encourages other women to take up in order to free themselves from the masculine domination of literature. Inspirational.

He hardly mentions the uk..., 08 Jan 2009
Well, many others have contributed here and the universal opinion seems to be appreciative, views that say he has written, all by himself, an excellent book, showing Barack Obama happily well presented, attractive and so the outlook encouraging in 2009. I just slightly beg to differ. In our Book Club each of us struggled rather to get through it all, some not succeeding - it is quite dense with narrative, with alien allusions to a work culture and preoccupations that are not familiar to us. We have been reading together for eight years and are not often beaten. I would like to have seen photos in this memoir and so I searched online- I found several clear and informative images - put up by Barack Obama himself, that would have greatly added to the book. These pictures of of him with his Mother and Grandparents, his Father - just the once - and as a young student. They really help to add flesh to the story.

You could see this book as a homage to his maternal Grandparents and they certainly did help the young man to grow into the person we see now. They gave him a strong sense of self worth and confidence, the aim surely of loving grandparents all over who are able to take part in the upbringing of their children's children. How lucky he was in them.

The lack of any kind of lightening humour makes the book harder work. Such seriousness in a 33 year old. Many of his personal feelings have to be missing which stands at odds with the apparent openness of the content. Of course he is also being a gentleman in not alluding to his own affairs of the heart.

As a reader in the UK I felt piqued that he made so little reference to our country. One line about a walk along The Thames, another cross paragraph about an English sportsman who spoke unguardedly on racial issues to him during an air journey to South Africa. There are several judge-mental references to our country's past heavy handed Colonialism and the dire effects that he felt were left behind for countries he got to know. This could give a worrying impression.

Dreams of My Father is an important book and was written when Barack (Barry) Obama was an citizen without fore knowledge of his future. The many cast members of his story show his involvement with the everyday, a great asset. Unlike others before who have the idea implanted in their hearts from earlier on that they could become President - through family connections or political history, we have here the life so far of a young man who takes everything in his life very seriously indeed. Including himself.

A sympathetic man with hope in his heart but heavy baggage too. It is great to be allowed to know so much about him at least. Yes read this book but it is serious and detailed with a difficult agenda.

disappointed, 02 Jan 2009
Sorry, I started this book with enthusiasm and interest. I didn't finish it I'm afraid that although the style is charismatic we might become as disappointed with his leadership as his authorship.

Not what i expected..., 11 Dec 2008
Like many other people, I wanted to find out more about the man who is to be the next American President. The man of the moment who everyone is talking about! I followed the election process with interest, and wanted to find out more about Obama's history and early life.

Part of what i liked about Obama was that he wasn't focused on the colour of his skin, and that he was a President for everyone, not just for black people. This book is pretty much the opposite. It is so race heavy it gets boring after a while. I know it was written very early on in his career, but even some of the language and references are quite heavy going with black nationalism and Malcolm X quotes often popping up. You'd think he had a terrible upbringing when in fact it was quite privileged, and he was surrounded by people that loved and cared for him. We're told that you shouldn't stereotype and tar everyone with the same brush, but this is what Obama seems to spend half the book doing.

This book wasn't what I'd expected and I think that's why i was a bit put-off. It's not a biography and you will be disappointed if you buy this book expecting one.





He is brilliant, 26 Nov 2008
I am always interested in people's life story, especially that of famous people. He is the proud of black people. I am still reading this book, haven't finished it yet, but really enjoying it. I can learn a lot from it.

Honesty, clarity...in short a template for politicians to follow., 23 Nov 2008
One can only admire both the man and the book - mainly for its 100 per cent honesty and sheer breadth of subject matter. This, truly, is the 21st century approach to political memoir writing. The cross party/racial appeal of Obama is because he can transcend the barriers that we put upon ourselves - barriers that he himself hurdled throughout his political and social life. The gift that Obama has - and one that comes through in his writing - is his ability to connect with the reader, regardless of their ethnic background. This really is a very good read and should be required reading for any student of political history. If you liked this book - and value books that have a core of honesty at their heart - I recommend One Love Two Colours: The unlikely marriage of a Punk Rocker & his African Queen, by Margaret Oshindele-Smith - another book that shows how the individual can overcome prejuduce and intolerance.

An introduction to African-American history and oratory, 28 Sep 2008
I picked up a copy of this book to explore a growing interest in American oratory and, in particular, the rise of Barack Obama in the American policital stage and his potential place in history.
My knowledge of the history of the USA, along with many other British students attending school in the 1980's, starts and ends with the American Civil War and the plight of Native Americans. However, I am deeply moved by the speeches of Dr King - this book includes one of his most famous speeches which, rightfully I feel, is familiar to us all and, in particular, what it meant for the thousands of Americans stuggling for the same basic rights as others.
The speeches within this collection are a fascinating insight to the history of Civil Rights in the USA and are themselves a chronicle of the desperately slow-moving and, at times, regressive politics surrounding the recognition of the rights for African Americans.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in modern history, an interest in American politics as well as anyone concerned with the power the majority can have over the majority - relevant to us all.

A hugely impressive book, 09 Apr 2008
Simone de Beauvoir was scandalised and ridiculed particularly by the church when this first came out in 1949 which must have been a disappointment for her. Perhaps a radical book at the time but very relevant to the present and this is worth reading by all women and any man who agrees that women should have a better time whilst on this planet.

The book covers many aspects of being a woman, begining when humans first roamed the earth as nomads and the tyranny of life as a woman giving birth constantly as unlike many animals humans are always fertile. Infant death and infantacide were a means of survival then and the reason why the human population was realatively small for tens of thousands of years. Then tilling the earth when the male began to domineer and own all land, passing it on to their male heirs, leaving woman to be a virtual slave to fathers and husbands, the start of male domination!

I learnt some really interesting things from reading this for example: I didn't know that reproduction was properly underrstood until the mid 19th Century, all sorts of bizare beliefs were practised prior to this revelation, people even believed that sperm contained tiny little people!!! Also discussed is how man and woman are prisoners of instinctive behaviour and really cannot help themselves to a great extent, brilliant for understanding relationships, ie why men walk away after sex in many cases but instinctively a for a woman it is the start of relationship due to the feelings of wanting to nurture a pregnancy. It also explains why in some ways a woman does not always progress due to involuntarily sabotaging their own plans ie preferring part time work or not going for the promotion due to home making instincts. Prostitution, love, ageing are all discussed in depth in this volume. A fascinating read, it sucks you in and you cannot put it down. Only one negative comment and that is that I found it very slightly depressing as there is little hope for women to be truly independant before they get old, ugly and die according to Ms De Beauvoir.

One of the great books of the 20th century, 26 Mar 2008
There is more good sense in this wonderful book than in most of the rest of all the writing by and about women. Marvellous.

encyclopaedic, 28 Mar 2006
The Second Sex is a book of mammoth proportions, displaying the intellectual prowess of de Beauviour in full swing, putting women right up there in the literary firmament. It is almost impossible to overestimate this book, and it is a shame that it never recieved its due praise whence published. However, this unfairness only concretises Beauvior's arguments upon Patriarchal attitudes. TSS is encyclopaedic in scope, and dazzling in its wealth of knowledge. Opening this book is like opening Pandora's box - there is no end to what you may find inside.

Great book, shame about the editing, 04 Feb 2004
This book is both absorbing and informative, giving an excellent account of what it is to be a woman as Other. I would normally give the work five stars, but I am prevented from doing so by the way the text has been translated and edited. Big, important and interesting parts have been lost through poor and reductive editing. Let me give an example: in the chapter “Through the Middle Ages to Eighteenth-century France” the paragraph on page 133 starting with the words “Woman still retained a few privileges in the Middle Ages…” has been heavily reduced, excluding de Beauvoir’s account and use of the Songes du Verger, a vitriolic and misogynous text vilifying women.

As such this edition of the Second Sex is highly educational to all newcomers, but the shoddy editing will disappoint people already acquainted with this work, for it has robbed the book of some of its ideas and bite.

Amazing study of gender difference and similarity, 07 Feb 2003
De Beauvoir takes us on an epic tour from the dawn of the human race to the contemporary world of 1940's commerce and culture, through the internal workings of the body to how others perceive them via the beliefs, thoughts and prejudices of societies throughout the world. Her breadth and depth of research is an attempt to answer one simple question- why are women constantly seen as inferior to men, in effect the "second sex"?
Such a question is almost impossible to answer but at just under seven hundred pages of intelligent writing TSS gets as close to the quick as any women's study or feminist book has got before or after its publication. Questioning every one of the "labels" attached to the human female De Beauvoir pulls apart traditional thinking on issues such as the "innate" maternal instinct, women's intellectual capacity and physical strength and make-up. Every chapter is a definitive case in itself and De Beauvoir's collection of facts, statistics and case studies are unshakable in their accuracy. Her conclusions are well thought through and easy to follow and it is only the sheer amount and wealth of information she gives us that can seem overwhelming at times.
The very fact that a woman has written such a masterpiece is evidence enough that women are as intellectually equal to men but it is sadly revealing of our patriarchal society that gives TSS less reverence than it deserves. Since the 1940's many other theories have developed in the area of gender studies so TSS is no longer the "one text that covers all". Supplementing TSS with more recent works such as those by Germaine Greer, Andrea Dworkin and Kate Millet will give you a more general picture of feminism but it still remains the greatest and most complete work on women's studies and possibly the most important book to come out of the twentieth century.
This is essential reading for any self-respecting individual, male or female, although its size and density means it is probably better to read this segments at a time.

This moving story creates an empathy for negro slaves., 01 Sep 1999
This book was moving and a good summer reading book for students like myself in high school.

1sthand account of the evils of this "peculiar institution", 31 Aug 1999
This is a great book, and I feel everyone should read it. Iwasn't forced to read, but I chose to read it on my own in order to better understand the nation's injustices. Douglass' first hand account of slavery is one of the best sources. His writing isn't wordy or difficult to understand, either.

Great man, great book.

Outstanding read, 08 Jun 1999
I Read Douglass for an assignment in my college U.S. History class, and was almost dreading opening this book afraid that Douglass would blame every white person for his torment. Instead I found that Douglass knew the difference between the slave owners and the people who were trying to stop the practice. I finished this book in a matter of days, and respect Douglass as the extreamly brave man that he was. The paper I wrote reflected my outrage that such an occurance could have happened in this beautiful country.

Folk tale review, 15 Dec 2008
Beautiful book, lots of heart warming African folk tales,
pictures inside though not coloured, suitable for three years old and upwards, or younger though you will need to read to them depending on ablilty.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, 10 Dec 2008
My first Virginia Woolf book ever. I am wondering how come I never read anything by this amazing writer before. Her mode of expression seems to create endless paragraphs that flow onward and upward and eventually get to the point which is that she is free to express her thoughts.

A good read.

Excellent and inspiring., 04 Dec 2004
This book has so much more to offer than simply a treatise on the feminist needs of creative women (although this is a very important topic, and as relevant now as when Woolf wrote her essays); it also offers excellent advice on the art of writing well, and the need for a good writer to resist the urge to use their craft as a stage from which to proclaim their views. I already know this book will have a profound effect on my own writing, and for that alone it thoroughly deserves five stars.

Gets to the point eventually..., 17 May 2004
I found this book slightly tiring and difficult at times, but finishing it can see Woolfs point about women coming up trumps.

No introduction or illustrations.

Concise and Invigorating, 16 Mar 2003
Asked originally to deliver a talk on Women and Fiction in 1928, Virginia Woolf eventually produced this longer essay which expands its subject to cover education, marriage, property and money. She moves backwards through literary history, examining the women who have written, often against great opposition, and the female characters that have been written, mostly by men, and finds a startling anomaly: "Imaginatively she is of the highest importance; practically she is completely insignificant."

Unlike many feminist authors, Woolf does not argue for tearing down the achievements of male authors. In fact she argues that both sexes should write androgynously, in order to find the proper reality of things, but at its heart it is a feminist essay. At the time Woolf was writing women had been granted many more freedoms than their mothers, but still had a lot to fight for, and she urges women to do so, albeit for the realm of intellectual freedom and the pleasure of writing for a living. (I have no doubt she would do the same today, despite all our apparent advances.)

She knew she was one of the fortunate (she was left five hundred pounds a year by her aunt, giving her economic independence) and she famously concludes that a women must have a room of her own and money of her own in order to write. But why? It is not so that there are idle hours to be filled by writing - it is because writing well and truthfully can only be properly achieved when a woman is not railing against the bounds of poverty, dependence, social exclusion and disapproval.

The essay is, however, also art. Unlike a dry academic paper it skips lightly and often with humour from subject to observation, and demonstrates with her usual deftness how the real world produces new trains of thought in a person, just as a person's thoughts can mean interpreting the world in a new way. The very construction of the essay is an example of the work she is promoting, to attempt "to live in the presence of reality, an invigorating life." Because of this, and the sheer energy of the writing, it is a work that deserves a reading, no matter what your sex or station or ambition. And if you are a woman intending to write, be it a novel, travelogue or PHD you really ought to give up a couple of hours to read this; you are almost certainly guaranteed a new enthusiasm for your task.

Wonderful essay, demonstrating fantastic cultural insight., 05 Apr 2001
'A Room of One's Own' is an extremely readable essay. It's a delightful read and the classification of it as an 'essay' should not put anyone off as it is as entertaining as any of Woolf's prose. Once I started reading it I could not stop. Woolf flirts with you through her narrative, drawing you in to her thought processes, enticing you to follow her narrator on a journey of the mind as she wanders about 'Oxbridge' and London. Woolf demonstrates great insight, forseeing the future for women and their involvement in the arts with great accuracy. Through her narrative she also introduces a new discourse, one that she encourages other women to take up in order to free themselves from the masculine domination of literature. Inspirational.

Noble/Humble, 25 Apr 2007
A line towards the end of the book where Malcolm is in his car and another car pulls up besdies him an a white man peers out saying do you mind shaking hands with a white man and his reply is i'll shake hands with any human being.

If this was only the case even in our present time!!!

The world might have over clouded the race issue but it still exists out there. Such a shame.



black or white? read this!, 22 Jan 2007
Nowadays it is as clear as ever that when the White House wants to take a complex issue and paint it 'black and white' [forgive the pun] you can be sure that there is far more to the issue. Rather than a pantomime villain, rotten to the core, as some would like to portray him, Malcolm X comes across, both in the autobiographical text and the foreward by his friend who transcribed his words, as a man of passion and integrity. Although I myself am white, I think 'noble' is probably the best word to describe my impression of Malcolm X. The point is raised that Dr King appealed to the better-off Blacks and that Malcolm X found more of a following among the most impoverished; a proletariat within a protelariat, you might say. It is a great shame that towards the end of his life, Malcolm X finally came to see that the actions of the White Man and not the White Man per se were the problem, and did not live much longer to give the benefit of his new perspective. He was seen as too moderate for the radicals [ie. Nation of Islam] and vice versa. This book also informs us of the mythology of the Nation of Islam, and its leader Elijah Muhammad, with whom Malcolm X fell out of favour. This book is highly recommended, particularly if you would like to hear the other side of the story.

ultra great.., 28 Jul 2006
I wish i could go for more than 5 stars!
This is a book that you really have to start by reading the 'forward' fully... It will give you a taste of the rest of the book and it will guide through the different stages of Malcolm's life which -trust me- are many and very fascinating...
Malcolm has been very honest and made his visions and philosophies so clear for everyone and he easily admits his mistakes but also strongly adheres to his beliefs... This has made the great man he was... or shall I say he 'is'... In short he is a man who acknowledges his weaknesses but also is proud of his strength...
You will love this book... I know I did.

A MUST READ FOR EVERY HUMAN BEING, 08 Mar 2006
What an amazing book, a guaranteed life changer.
Few men are as great as Malcolm X was, a man who r