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Obama: From Promise to Power | 
 enlarge | Author: David Mendell
Publisher: Amistad
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $7.87
You Save: $7.08 (47%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 40645
Media: Paperback
Edition: Reprint
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 448
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.1 x 1.2
ISBN: 0060858214
Dewey Decimal Number: 328.73092
EAN: 9780060858216
ASIN: 0060858214
Publication Date: April 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
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Product Description
Barack Obama is arguably the most dynamic political figure to grace the American stage since John F. Kennedy. His meteoric rise from promise to power has stunned even the cynics and inspired a legion of devout followers. For anyone who wants to know more about the man who would be president, David Mendell's Obama is essential reading. Mendell, who has covered Obama for the Chicago Tribune since the beginning of Obama's campaign for the Senate, had far-reaching access to the senator, the details of which he shares in this compelling biography. Positioning Obama as the savior of a fumbling Democratic party, Mendell shows how Obama conquered Illinois politics and paved the way brick by brick for a galvanizing, historic presidential run. With exclusive contributions by family members and advisers, and details on Obama's voting record, this is a complete, complex, and revealing portrait, a must read for anyone interested in American politics in general and Senator Barack Obama in particular.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
 Sleasy journalism August 20, 2008
Mendell has earned my disrespect with this book.
He takes jabs, makes interpretations, cloaks his dislike (maybe envy?) of Obama in what I thought was going to be unbiased coverage. He tries to belittle Obama's accomplishments with demeaning phrases throughout the book. You get a description of an event, then the dig - "overabundance of confidence," " unbridled ambition", "conceit."
In my opinion, this was slimy journalism.
Fair and Objective August 10, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I was expecting something of a hagiography when I read the book cover that described Obama as the "savior of the democratic party." Instead, I came away very impressed with how objective Mendell stayed throughout the entire book. It is not a hatchet job either. It is simply an accurate account of a very complicated man, who carries with him both the idealism instilled in him by his mother and the cunning intuition of the most skilled politician.
How does one be objective? August 5, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I read Obama's Audacity of Hope and then Dreams from my Father, and then I picked up this book to see how an outsider would square with Obama's words. I was somewhat OD'd on the whole subject and found Mendell's book boring, more detailed about the reporters and other subsidiary players around Obama so after the first twenty-some pages I just skipped around. I found that the middle was more devoid of pejoratives and therefore more illuminating. It made me wonder if he hadn't been advised to color the early and late parts (because that's what the critics would read?) so as not to appear pro-Obama. His negative castings offended me and made it harder to take him at face value.
In this campaign I've come to the conclusion that it is impossible to be objective. No matter how open we believe ourselves to be, we are colored by our experiences. I hate it when today's commentators bend over backwards to be "balanced" even when there is a preponderance of facts and/or expert analyses that weigh in on one side of the topic. This is not objectivity. The author would have been better served by stating his opinions directly as his personal reflections and feelings rather than using pejorative words in a misguided effort to "balance" his statements.
For an Unfinished Story, Pretty Good June 27, 2008
It is always difficult to write a biography when the subject is 46 years old. It is exponentially more so when two autobiographical works have already been published beforehand.
In Obama: From Promise to Power, David Mendell gives us his vantage point of the presidential candidate and the book derives its strength from Mendell's journalistic coverage since the beginning of Obama's run. Mendell book reads like an extended newspaper profile, covering the major bases without injecting much opinion or going into excessive detail. It is also driven by interviews and quotes of what other people think of Obama, and relatively little from what Obama thought of himself. Through interviews with Obama's sister and grandmother, we learn about his upbringing and the time he spent in Hawaii, from their point of view. Similarly, Obama's time as a community organizer in Chicago is described by Jeremy Kellman, an organizer Obama worked closely with and helped shape some of his ideas. Mendell describes a couple encounters with Obama when he was still an unknown and, one could say, unguarded. These one-on-one conversations between journalist and yet-to-be politician is one thing that gives this book a refreshing perspective. Mendell was one of the first reporters to follow Obama in Chicago, and thus lends the book a revealing perspective on this complex man.
The book has its shortfalls. It may go unsaid, but the book almost begs the reader to read Obama's two autobiographies, Dreams From My Father and The Audacity of Hope. In the first half of the book many quotes from Obama about his early life are directly lifted from Dreams. Also, From Promise to Power is skimpy on Obama's life changing time he spent at Columbia reading and developing his mind. One would like to hear more about it. Also, Obama's time at Harvard Law School is condensed into a short chapter. One would think these formative years helped solidify Obama's thinking about the world. Yet, there are few quotes from Obama himself about them. One must turn to Dreams to learn more. Mendell's book falls somewhat flat in the final third, when Obama rises to national fame. Mendell strains to give his experience following Obama around, while describing the significance of major events such as the 2004 speech at the national convention and Obama's return to Kenya. Much of this is simple narration of events, his experience following Obama with the scores of other reporters and, I think, rings hollow in terms of content compared to earlier chapters. Of course, much of this can be excused since those events are recent and this biography is purposefully unfinished.
Fair Is Fair June 3, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The author does what any self-respecting journalist would do - paint an accurate acount, as well as it can be done this early in the game. This book may seem completely positive on Obama at first, but, pay attention, and you will be rewarded with unbiased reporting. Some statements that appear as digs, are actually nothing more than honest observations. I liken this "biography" to the Boston Globe's biography on John Kerry. It was fairly positive, but exposed what there was to expose, such as certain character flaws (and historical accounts), etc. Nothing too damaging, but puts things in 3D.
It is balanced. And what comes forth is the impression that Obama is nearly as good as he expresses, but is far from not being a politician. The obvious implication being, that Obama is not impervious to his own message of change. Obama has tactics, folks. He isn't a saint. Still, you do get the impression that he's a smart, intuitive, ambitious, and nice guy.
I recommend this, along with "audacity", for an appropriate picture of the man Barack Omama. Just, when you read "audacity", know that you're getting BO's talents on full display, and not an authoritative look at the man. Politicians are politicians - you know, some more gifted than others. It's always a lesser of evils scenario. Always.
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