Obama: From Promise to Power by David Mendell
|
List Price: Our Price: $0.11 You Save: $7.88 (99%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Obama: From Promise to Power
Book Review: Fair and balanced, but positive overall
Summary: 4 Stars
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.
Book Review: A good president but not a saint
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is almost a hagiography of Barack Obama. While the book is well written, you don't really get a glimpse of the President's personality. I did like the book though it bogged down in the final chapters. If you are curious about Obama's rise to power, then I recommend this book. Yes, I voted for him for president and am glad that he won and is trying to clean up the mess that the previous administration made.
Book Review: A Journalist Memoir of Obama's Senatorial Campaign's.
Summary: 3 Stars
David Mendell is a political reporter for the Chicago Tribune, and has been covering Obama since he first ran for the Illinois State Senate. Though this book is a sort of biography on Obama and covers an overview of his early life, what the book really is is the memoir of the author's time covering Obama's campaign for state office in Illinois and then his run for the U.S. Senate.
What we see is the reporter's view of Obama on the campaign trail from when he decided to run for state office, his run for U.S. Senate seat and up to his announcement to run for president of the United States in the 2008 campaign cycle where the book ends. Some people claim the beginning of the book is slow but what I found making want to stop reading was how the author was in awe of his obvious hero Obama. The way he begins to write is as if he is an insider propagandist. But keep reading and we will see the writing evolve. For the author eventually starts to share what he views and the distance starts to grow between the author and the subject as Obama gains power.
As the book progresses Mendell does share his opinion on how thin-skinned Obama is about any criticism of himself and how he tried so hard to let no one knows he smokes. The candidates great lack of stamina in campaigning or performing sustained work. Yet at the same time we read how while working his day job Obama stayed up late at night writing his books. So it is not the hard work but the pressures of being watched at all times that may be the problem. The careful documentation of Obama's campaign's show just how luck was the major factor in him winning office and the willingness he had to realize that in order to move forward he needed professional handlers to win. These we find in David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs.
Obama claimed to be liberal and his voting record when he voted was for the most part very liberal but he was smart enough to know when he campaigned he had to lean toward the center and avoid controversial bills or subjects. There is no question that when Obama is rested and well prepared his charm is evident and he can win over crowds with his demeanor even though his words never cover any specifics. His main speeches of unity and non-partisanship is what the American people and people of the world want as can be read from the reactions of the crowds those speeches garnered. This man still has time to live up to people's expectations as reinforced by his stump speeches.
I am glad I continued to read Mendell's memoir for it gives more insight into the man from a Journalistic insider from Chicago. The author states Obama is imperious, mercurial, self-righteous and an extraordinarily ambitious, competitive man. But I ask you what person who seeks the highest office is not ambitious and competitive.
Book Review: Eternally We Sing Thy Praises
Summary: 1 Stars
I wanted to know more about our new president and I read good things about this book. It started off well, but dragged on slowly. There's a big problem with writing history as it happens; we have no perspective on the present, no measure of what's important and what's not.
The author suffers greatly from this difficulty, as when he describes Obama's visit to Africa in excruciating, step-by-step detail. In case you are wondering what Obama's group found there, it is this: Africa is an extremely messed up place. Probably you knew that already.
A previous reviewer found this book too critical of Obama? If so, please avoid that scandalous follow up, "Santa Claus: Does He Exist?" In fact Mendell raves on interminably about Obama's brains, good looks, strong family life and political genius. More satisfying revelations must wait for another biographer, and perhaps the advantage of distance.