And Then Life Happens: A Memoir

by Auma Obama

Obama, Catherine (aunt)

  Obama, Daniel (cousin)

  Obama, George (brother)

  Obama, Grace Kezia Aoko (mother)

  Berlin visit of

  British stays of

  dancing of

  daughter’s first name and

  daughter’s memory of

  daughter’s physical appearance and

  and daughter’s relationships with opposite sex

  daughter’s relationship with

  daughter’s reunion with

  and granddaughter’s infancy and childhood

  Heidelberg visit of

  husband’s death and

  husband’s education and

  husband’s other wives and

  husband’s relationship with

  illness of

  pregnancies of

  separation of

  son’s wedding and

  Obama, Halima (grandmother)

  Obama, Jael (stepmother)

  Obama, Malia (niece)

  Obama, Marsat “Osumba” (aunt)

  brother’s death and

  brother’s relationship with

  niece’s amnesia and

  Obama, Michelle (sister-in-law)

  Kenyan trips of

  sister-in-law’s Chicago trips and

  wedding of

  Obama, Nyaoke (aunt)

  Obama, Onyango Hussein (grandfather)

  Alego home of

  Luo gender roles and

  son’s education and

  son’s marriages and

  Obama, Samson (brother)

  Obama, Sarah “Mama Sarah” (grandmother)

  granddaughter’s childhood and

  granddaughter’s visits with

  grandson’s fame and

  grandson’s visits with

  media and

  son’s education and

  son’s marriages and

  Obama, Sasha (niece)

  Obama, Sheree (sister-in-law)

  Obama, Yusuf (uncle)

  Obanda (cook)

  Occidental College

  Odengo, Mr.

  Onyango, Zeituni (aunt)

  brother’s death and

  Patrick (friend’s brother)

  Peter (acquaintance)

  Pisa

  Reading, University of

  Reis, Gayle

  Roberts, Helen

  Rotterdam

  Saarbrücken

  Elke’s departure from

  Obama’s father’s trip to

  Obama’s relationships with opposite sex in

  Obama’s stay with family outside of

  Obama’s trip to

  snow in

  Saarland University

  friends made by Obama at

  Obama’s arrival at

  Obama’s attendance at

  Obama’s room at

  Safari Rally

  Schubert, Franz

  Senate, U.S.:

  Obama’s brother’s career in

  Obama’s brother’s inauguration into

  Soetoro, Lolo (stepfather)

  Soetoro-Ng, Maya (sister)

  sister’s New York trips and

  South Africa

  Soviet Union

  Soyinka, Wole

  Sport for Social Change Initiative (SSCI)

  Tanzania

  Thomson, Joseph

  Trixi (friend)

  Trunkelsberg

  Tsitsi (friend)

  Tuscany

  ugali

  Uganda

  Uhuru Park

  United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)

  United States

  Christmas in

  and correspondence between Obama and brother Barack

  Elke’s move to

  Flint’s work in

  Marvin and

  Obama’s brother Abongo’s life in

  Obama’s brother Barack’s Kenyan visits and

  Obama’s brother Barack’s presidential campaign and

  Obama’s brother Barack’s presidential inauguration and

  and Obama’s brother Barack’s visit with grandmother

  Obama’s father’s education in

  Obama’s father’s marriages and

  Obama’s father’s return from

  Obama’s mother’s marriage and

  Upper Hill

  Vicky (friend)

  Wanjohi, Mrs.

  Washington, D.C.

  CARE conference in

  Obama’s brother’s presidential inauguration and

  Obama’s trips to

  Waiyaki, Munyua

  Were, George

  Wexham Park Hospital

  whites

  Obama’s brother’s presidential campaign and

  Obama’s stepmothers and

  relations between blacks and

  Wierlacher, Alois

  Woodley

  World Wide Lit

  Wyatt, Miss

  Zenith Promotions

  Zimbabwe

  Obama’s trips to

  screenwriters workshops in

  My father’s farewell photo just before he left for the United States to study. Seated are my grandfather and mother (who was pregnant with me at the time.) Uncle Were, an aunt, and my father, who is holding Abongo’s hand, are standing.

  Me with my mother and Abongo.

  My father with Abongo and me in our house in Roslyn shortly after we had moved in with him and Ruth. Uncle Were is standing in the background.

  My grandmother Sarah at her homestead next to her water tank.

  Me with grandmother Sarah on her compound.

  My older brother Abongo and I (at around fourteen) at a friend’s house.

  Me in front of the school library at Kenya High School.

  Me at nineteen with grandmother Sarah.

  Me cooking in the communal kitchen of our shared student flat in Heidelberg.

  Me and my mother during her visit to Heidelberg.

  With Barack in his kitchen during our first meeting in Chicago.

  Barack and Michelle with family members—I’m in purple—on their first visit to Kenya and our homestead in Alego.

  A studio shot with Samson, Abongo, Barack, and Ben. My mother and I are seated.

  Barack and family members during the inauguration of the new Obama homestead.

  Barack and Michelle at my mechanics in Kibera, waiting while I get my Volkswagen (in the background) fixed.

  Akinyi, age eight, and I in England.

  About the Author

  AUMA OBAMA was born in Kenya right after the country gained its independence. She grew up first with her mother and paternal grandparents, and later with Barack Obama Sr. and her American stepmother. She now lives and works in Nairobi for CARE International, an organization specializing in worldwide humanitarian work.

  AND THEN LIFE HAPPENS. Copyright © 2012 by Auma Obama. English translation copyright © 2012 by Ross Benjamin. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

  www.stmartins.com

  ISBN 978-1-250-01005-6 (hardcover)

  ISBN 978-1-250-01059-9 (e-book)

  First published in Germany by Lübbe.

  First U.S. Edition: May 2012