Ralph de la Vega came to the United States in 1962. He learned early on that obstacles were a part of life. Obstacles Welcome was written in response to the lessons he learned from the time of youth through his ascendancy to the President and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. The book takes a look at the obstacles that were presented to him and how he addressed each one.

I went into this book with great expectations. I have many friends who came from Cuba around the same time and I know their stories are intense and many things can be learned from them. Mr. de la Vega’s personal stories are gripping. I wish a larger part of the book were dedicated to the personal sides of the events.

However, much of the book is dedicated to the obstacles thrown at him at his job and as I would expect from an executive, he stated the issue, how it was addressed and the resolution. At times he put in how it affected his life, but not nearly enough. Because of this the book was a slow read. When I had 10 minutes in which I wanted to read, I found myself going to other books. Until I finally put myself to the plow to get through it.

I would have enjoyed the book more if it were told in more of a story form. I’ve read so many business books that grip me because of the way the story flows that I felt dry with this one. If you are a “Just the facts, Ma’am” type of person this may be a very enjoyable book for you, but for me, it just didn’t keep my attention.