Jumia Books Dreams From My Father

At 21, Barack gets a call from his Aunt Jane in Nairobi informing him that his father is dead. Barack barely knew his father, who met Barack’s mother Ann when he was studying in Hawaii. They had Barack in 1961, but Barack’s father left them two years later to attend Harvard and then he returned to Kenya. Because of this, Barack doesn’t have memories of his father—only fantastical stories of the man’s exploits.

Despite some initial misgivings, Barack’s white grandparents, Toot and Gramps, approved of Ann’s decision to marry Barack’s father and grew to love their Black son-in-law and biracial grandson. Toot and Gramps are fairly progressive about race and they’re generally kind and adventurous people. Barack spent his early years feeling loved—it wasn’t until later that he wondered why his father left him.