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The American Journey of Barack Obama | 
| Author: The Editors Of Life Magazine
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Category: Book
List Price: $24.99
Buy New: $16.49
You Save: $8.50 (34%)
Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 249
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 176
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.1
Dimensions (in): 10.9 x 9.1 x 0.7
ISBN: 0316045608
Dewey Decimal Number: 328.73092
EAN: 9780316045605
ASIN: 0316045608
Publication Date: October 7, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
For decades Americans have turned to LIFE to see, understand, and remember the most important events and people of our time. Just as LIFE once opened up the glittering Kennedy White House, LIFE now focuses its lens on Barack Obama. The American Journey of Barack Obama covers the candidate from his childhood and adolescence to his time as editor of The Harvard Law Review and his Chicago activist years, culminating with the excitement and fervor of the historic 2008 Democratic National Convention. The unfolding drama of Obama's life and political career is cinematic in scope, and never has it been presented so compellingly. In addition to a powerful array of photographs that were taken by many of the country's greatest photographers (and some that were snapped, in the quiet moments, by Obama family members themselves), this book also includes a Foreword by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, an incisive narrative biography and original essays by some of our finest writers, including Gay Talese, Charles Johnson, Melissa Fay Greene, Andrei Codrescu, Fay Weldon, Richard Norton Smith, Bob Greene and several others. Many readers will find a new understanding of Obama. All readers will feel that they are bearing witness to a singular, undeniably American story.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
Excellent Purchase - The American Journey of Barack Obama December 17, 2008
P. Yeary (Columbia, SC)
I am extremely pleased with this quality publication. I purchased this publication because I was curious about the African side of President Obama's family tree and this book displays it including pictures. I have a lot of respect for the "Life" Magazine brand so I knew it would be a quality product. This is one of the best investments I ever made and was so impressed I purchased seven for christmas gifts. Bravo to Life magazine!!!!!!
 A gorgeous coffee table book; nothing more, nothing less. December 17, 2008
Kelly Garbato (Kearney, MO USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I've long been a fan of the Time/Life glossy pictorial hardcovers (e.g., the Time Annual Year in Review and Life Album: Pictures of the Year series), so when Life's THE AMERICAN JOURNEY OF BARACK OBAMA became available through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program, I jumped at the chance to review a copy. Though I'm not an Obama voter - I supported Kucinch in the primaries, McKinney/Clemente in the general election - I found myself moved by the historic nature of his campaign (and victory) nonetheless. In particular, the photos and speeches which came out of the 2008 campaign cycle have proven poignant and inspirational; considering previous Life volumes, I hoped that this book might capture some of the more memorable campaign moments.
Since THE AMERICAN JOURNEY OF BARACK OBAMA is largely a work of photojournalism, let's start with the photographs. TAJOBO is a gorgeous, colorful book, filled to the brim with photos: Obama/Dunham and, later, Obama/Robinson family snapshots; photos of Barack Obama during his college years; pictures taken throughout Obama's political career; candid shots of Barack and Michelle with children Sasha and Malia; and, of course, a number of photos from the campaign trail, including a few stills of the Obamas working the daytime talk show circuit. If you followed the 2008 elections, no doubt you'll recognize some of the more iconic photographs, such as the one of Obama, leaning back in an office chair, with a phone nestled snugly between ear and shoulder, feet propped up on a desk - showing two very beaten, worn soles.
Sadly, Life only includes a few photos of Obama's supporters, taken during his speeches and rallies; of the shots they do include, most are of the stadium-sized crowds, rather than of individual supporters. For me, these have been some of the most moving and emotional images from the campaign trail: seeing African American children and adults interact with Obama and react to his speeches. It's a shame that Life didn't feature more of these photographs.
In regards to the biographical text of TAJOBO, the book is primarily divided into five sections: Roots, Boyhood, A Young Man on the Rise, Chicago and Washington. The biographical section is largely laudatory, as you might expect; after all, one purchases Life pictorials for the photos - the hard hitting journalism, not so much.
The final section, Aspects of Obama, features twelve essays from "fine thinkers" (while I probably take in more CSPAN than your average American, none of the names ring a bell), with the goal of examining how Obama is viewed "by the black man and the white, the cultural anthropologist and the historian, the northerner and the southerner, the immigrant and the foreigner, the woman who suffered when Hillary got beat." While this section practically begs for an essay critical of Obama - just one, mind you! - the editors at Life wouldn't hear of it. Likewise, the specter of racism is discussed in depth, as it should be - as I noted above, this was a historic election cycle. However, 2008 was notable not just because it saw the first African American presidential candidate on a major party ticket - but because he was competing against the first viable female candidate in the Democratic primaries. Just as race(ism) was at the forefront in 2008, so too was sex(ism) - but the misogyny directed at Hillary Clinton and her supporters (and later, Sarah Palin and her supporters), is barely given a nod. But again, I expected as much when I requested the book from LT; a masterpiece of political journalism, TAJOBO is not.
To be fair, THE AMERICAN JOURNEY OF BARACK OBAMA doesn't claim to be a comprehensive biography or exhaustive journalistic endeavor. Rather, it's a pretty book, meant to commemorate the first African American President of the United States. (I somewhat doubt that Life would have released THE AMERICAN JOURNEY OF JOHN MCCAIN, had Obama lost the election, you know?) In this, the editors at Life largely succeed; and yet, because Obama's American journey is also a journey shared by the many people of color who supported Obama, campaigned on his behalf, braved harsh weather and crushing throngs in order to hear him speak, and celebrated with him when he won the election, I can't help but feel as though more of the photos in this (photo)essay could have - should have - been dedicated to them: "Yes WE Can."
G R E A T G I F T I D E A ! ! ! December 16, 2008
Marichelle Ramos (San Diego, CA USA)
Definately a historical moment for the american people. A great read and contains amazing photographs of our future president and his journey. Highly recommend this item.
Book review December 15, 2008
D. Parrington (Baltimore, MD)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I loved this book. Everyone I showed it to wanted to get a copy for themselves. I was very pleased with this product and would recommend it to everyone.
Timely December 14, 2008
OOSA Online Book Club (World Wide Web, USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
"The American Journey of Barack Obama" is excellent and relevant! It detailed some of the controversial things in his campaign and destroyed a lot of myths before they got started...like how he entered politics, his role as editor/reviewer of the "Harvard Law Review" and a general tenacity to be the best of multiple worlds without insulting others. "The American Journey of Barack Obama" is highly recommended, definitely deserving of 5 stars and greater because it was published before the election. This book has universal appeal to inform!
Reviewed by: Gail
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