Books News

The making of a President

By Jessica Schneider Jun 4, 2009, 10:04 GMT

Before the White House and Air Force One, before the TV ads and the enormous rallies, there was the real Barack Obama: a man wrestling with the momentous decision to run for the presidency, feeling torn about leaving behind a young family, and figuring out how to win the biggest prize in politics.This book is the previously untold and epic story of how a political newcomer with no money and ...more

“Renegade: The Making of a President” is all about Mr. Obama. Authored by Richard Wolffe, the NYT notes that the book:

“…was based on the author’s day-to-day coverage of the 21-month-long campaign and a series of interviews with Mr. Obama, who, shortly after his March 2008 speech about race in Philadelphia, suggested to Mr. Wolffe that he write a Theodore White-type book. The resulting volume showcases the author’s access to the candidate, as well as friends, aides and campaign strategists, and while it contains no major revelations, it does give readers a few glimpses of raw emotion “from a candidate whose mask almost never slips” and some tidbits of news.”

The reviewer also notes: “Over all, however, this book is less interesting as an account of the campaign — by now the candidates’ squabbles over everything from the Iraq war to the gas tax will feel mind-numbingly familiar to most readers — than as a thoughtful meditation on Mr. Obama’s life and character.”

Published by Crown, a slew of reviews appear on Amazon (well more like blurbs really), so curious readers should visit those.

The NYT article provides some information, and also a chapter excerpt.