The Dream Begins: How Hawai'i Shaped Barack Obama

by Jerry Burris and Stu Glauberman

Born and raised in the most multicultural state in the union, Barack Obama bears the indelible stamp of his native Hawai'i. The self-described "skinny kid with the funny name" flourished in the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0982169825
• ISBN13: 9780982169827
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Watermark Publishing
• Length: 152 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.5" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

The Hawaiian Culture in our President's personality

It is easy to see how our President has been influenced by the importance of "Ohana" (the family) so strong in the culture of the islands. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has not experienced the "Aloha" spirit of the islands, and how our President learned to respect the diversity of cultures in the world. The President is the pride of the islands...as written in a Hawaiian song dedicated to his spirit and his great accomplishments.

A Dream to read

This politically unbiased book takes us through the early years of Barack Obama. It also reaches further back to inform us about his parents and grandparents. "The Dream Begins..." is an easy and informative read for both Republicans and Democrats. Stu and Jerry have provided us with a book that doesn't take sides, it tells the story of a man and his families and I appreciate the experience of reading an unbiased book, a book that doesn't berate or denigrate anyone. I found the book fascinating to read and enjoyed every word. The quote of Michelle Obama on the cover of the book "You can't really understand Barack Obama until you understand Hawaii reminded me of the day to day reality I experienced while living in Hawaii. The remembering of the Ohana spirit of Hawaii, loosely translated, the family spirit and the learning to get along. The authors were able to relay that spirit to us the readers, the spirit of Hawaii. That is the spirit I see emanating from Barack Obama as he winds his way through the political process. It seems to me in the year 2008 the world is now an island and we need the Ohana spirit to stretch around the world, our island. The authors, long time writers on the Hawaii scene have furnished us with a very in depth understanding of how Hawaii shaped Barack Obama.

Yes, it's about a lot more than Obama

"Aloo's" review, and the others so far, make me realize what is so fascinating about this book - its very deft description of an amazing multi-cultural place, and how that can have a great (positive) effect on someone growing up there. It's more than a cliche to say that growing up in Hawaii is probably at the core of who Obama is, now that I've been reading the book and read these reviews. I'm from New Mexico, and our multi-cultural society and its effects could be described much the same way, as this book makes me aware. And that "rainbow" effect on someone proposing to lead a multi-cultural country (which, sorry folks, this is!) is critical, in fact perhaps necessary. Obama seems to have internalized an understanding of people at their core, not just dealing adeptly with "constituent groups" or whatever. Congratulations to authors Glauberman and Burris for some very, very thoughtful and sensitive writing about an elusive culture and its positive effect on a young man.

Not from Chicago!?

I've ordered a second copy of this book for East Coast friends who were surprised to learn "Obama's not from Chicago." It would be hard to overstate the impact of a Hawaii-based childhood on any person. The multicultural, multiracial mix in the islands is at once liberating and constraining. It doesn't matter what you are, you'll be fully accepted on one hand and tragically discriminated against on the other. It gives one a walk in others' shoes. Burris and Glauberman are clearly journalists cut from old cloth -- the kind that just give you the facts without hitting you over the head with opinion. Their style is clean and clear. Whether you're an Obama fan or not, knowing the cultural roots that fed him will point to some level of understanding. Besides, Punahou School is a thing unto itself. More diverse and interesting than Lawrenceville, it has turned out quite a few masters (and mistresses) of the universe.

The Unbiased Truth

This book explores the early formative years of Barack Obama in Hawai'i and Indonesia. It presents the pieces of Barack's life that he and his opponents have attributed to shaping his world view, without slanting the data for reaching a partisan conclusion, allowing the reader to reach their own opinions. Stu and Jerry, both long time Hawai'i residents and writers for the Honolulu Advertiser, draw on their decades on knowledge of not just Hawai'i politics, but Oahu politics and pedestrian life to craft a protrait of Barack's Punahou years. Stu and Jerry skillful use all available research to provide a look at Barack's time in Indonesia and give the reader the facts about his schooling while aboard, including his time at a Muslim school registered with the last name of his step father, and consequently his step father's religion. I recommend this book to everyone who is simply looking for the facts on Barack Obama, unshaded by partisan spin or foredrawn conclusions.