| Obama: From Promise to Power | 
 enlarge | Author: David Mendell
Publisher: Harper
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99 (€6.31)
Buy New: $4.03 (€3.18)
You Save: $3.96 (€3.13) (50%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (26 reviews)
Sales Rank: 43568
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Edition: Reprint
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2
ISBN: 006173666X
Dewey Decimal Number: 328.73092
EAN: 9780061736667
ASIN: 006173666X
Publication Date: October 1, 2008
Release Date: September 30, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The biography of America's hottest political superstar, Barack Obama?a man poised on the threshold of greatness. Barack Obama's meteoric rise from Hawaii high schooler to exemplary Harvard Law School student to well-groomed politico to history-making presidential candidate is the stuff of legend. Since his headline-grabbing speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2004, Obama has come to represent the promise of unity among groups of all types of Americans?blacks and whites; Democrats, Republicans, and moderates; the young and the old; the upper, middle, and lower classes. Veteran Chicago Tribune journalist David Mendell has covered Obama since the beginning of the candidate's campaign for the Senate. In Obama: From Promise to Power, the author offers a revealing, detailed portrait based on intensive research and exclusive interviews with Obama's closest aides, mentors, political adversaries, and family?most notably his charismatic wife, Michelle. It is an eye-opening look at the evolution of a brilliant politician whose name has become a catchphrase for hope in a politically jaded society.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 21 more reviews...
For someone who is not an American, this is a great book to read. November 26, 2008
I read the first few pages in the bookstore at the airport. I had to read more and ended up buying the book. I read almost the whole book thru out my flight. Very well written.
Fair and balanced, but positive overall October 29, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I just finished reading this book today. Although I've been drinking the Kool-Aid for some time now, it was great to read an objective biography that was fair, candid, and did a good job of recording what happened behind the scenes during Obama's sudden rise to the threshold of the presidency. Even though he tries to be objective and does a good job painting a fairly complete, believable picture of Obama the man as well as the politican, Mendell clearly admires Obama and the overall impression I came away with was very positive.
I'm giving the book four stars because Mendell has what I feel is an annoying tendency to interject himself into the story instead of being a strict chronicler. Also, the book stops right as Obama makes the announcement to run for the presidency. It feels like an unfinished work. I read another reviewer state Mendell is working on a follow-up. I sure hope so, because I'd love to find out the behind-the-scenes events that led to the debates, Iowa, and Super Tuesday.
 Objective, Fair, and Useful September 13, 2008
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R11Q7UEY8OJ1OX Here's a mainstream media account of Obama that happens to be objective and fair. It contains the story of his life, and Mendell refuses to portray him as a savior even though he really likes the guy. It's definitely useful for conservatives as Mendell's liberal bonafides are unimpeachable. A fine read I thought overall.
More Objectivity Than Elsewhere September 10, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I just got done reading this and am in process of reading Obama's autobiography as well as McCain's "Faith of My Fathers". I was pleasantly surprised at the frankness of the journalist (Mendell) and I actually viewed Obama in a much more human light and thought it was refreshing to hear about the good and the bad in one book, instead of only good or only bad (most of the current choices on the bookstands). I think that Mendell's point of view from having been around him from the beginning of his political aspirations in Chicago, it gives a much clearer view than an outsiders into what makes him tick and what motivates him. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!! - I am reading lots of other books before making my voting decision, but it definitely was pulling me towards Obama.
--a former Republican
An excellent report August 31, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This was a good book that suceeds in showing Obama's early political career. The only drawback to it is that the author clearly shows his newspaper roots. Rather than write the book in story form, I got the strong impression that I was reading an incredibly long newspaper article. That style issue aside, I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the man and his history in a clear and straightforward way.
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