Obama

Many regard Barack Obama as the most energetic political figure on the American stage since John F. Kennedy. His swift climb from rising hopeful to head of state surprised even skeptics and won him a loyal following. This biography by David Mendell traces that ascent for readers who want to understand the man himself.

Mendell reported on Obama for the Chicago Tribune and had extensive access to him during his progress from Illinois politics toward the White House. Drawing on that vantage point, the book shows how Obama came to dominate the state's political scene and laid the groundwork, step by step, for a historic presidential campaign. It casts him as the figure who could revive a Democratic Party that seemed to be faltering.

The book also looks beyond the campaign trail. It includes interviews with family members and senior advisers, an examination of Obama's voting record, and a new afterword that considers his career after two terms as the nation's first African American president. Together these elements aim to present a full and nuanced portrait.

Readers interested in American politics in general, and in Obama in particular, will find it a useful guide.