Dreams From My Father

Here is the list of the chapters of 'Dreams From My Father' indicating which ones are compulsory reading.

Chapter
Compulsory (or not?)
Main topics

ORIGINS

1
Compulsory to page 11
News of the death of Barack´s father
Childhood stories about Barack´s father
About Barack´s white American grandparents (Gramps and Toots)
How his parents met and the historical/political/cultural background

2
-
Growing up in Indonésia with Lobo, Barack´s step-father
Lobo´s lifestory, or tragic fate!

3
-
Attending school in Hawaii as a boy
Estrangement from white grandparents
Visit from Barack´s father
Betrayal of Coretta, the other black child at school

4
Compulsory
Attending high school in Hawaii as a teenager – thoughts of own identity and how to fit in

5
Compulsory
Going to college in LA – awareness of different political stances towards racial difference
Barack´s first public political speech

6
-
Studying/working in New York


CHICAGO

7
-
Applying for a job as a community organiser.
Meeting Marty, the Jewish community activist.

8
-
First projects and disappointments as a community organiser

9
Compulsory
A description of Altgeld –a poor, black housing estate in Chigaco
Getting to know the estate and the community leaders there

10
Compulsory
Ruby´s blue contact lenses – symbolic of black low self-esteem?
Going to see a film (– black pride?)

11
Compulsory
Visit from Auma (Barack´s half-sister)
The true (tragic) story of what happened to “The Old Man” (Barack´s father.)

12
Compulsory
Altgeld and the abestos campaign
About the women community leaders

13
Compulsory
Youth counselling
The problem of disaffected youths
Roy (Barack´s younger half-brother)

14
Compulsory
Finding a faith?
The Church and the “audacity of hope” sermon


KENYA

15
-
Arrival

16
Compulsory
What is family?

17
-
Going on Safari
About colonialism

18
-
Train journey and visit to Kisumu (Home Squared)

19
Compulsory
Granny´s story of the African ancestors, Barack´s grandfather and the Old Man
(Intimations of the oral tradition?)

Epilogue
Compulsory
A happy ending!
Roy´s transformation (and conversion to Islam)