Publisher Comments:

Award-winning journalist Sasha Abramsky interviewed close to one hundred of Obama’s current and former friends, colleagues, classmates, teachers, staff, mentors, basketball buddies, fellow Chicago activists, media consultants, editors, and even his next-door neighbors from Hyde Park. These people each know a part of Obama’s life and career, which the author blends the pieces into a uniquely detailed analysis.

Abramsky explains the origins of Obama’s extraordinary poise, focus, and self-confidence; his powerful storytelling and speaking skills; and his empathetic listening style. He shows why Obama’s experiences as a community organizer are widely misunderstood and more influential than many people realize. And he explores how Obama found a unique way to bridge America’s racial divides.

No previous book has delved so deeply into the events and people that helped make Barack Obama the man he is today.

From the moment he burst onto the national scene, Barack Obama has fascinated people more than any politician in decades. Many biographers have already retold his story, but no previous book truly explains how his mind works, what passions drive him, or what makes him such an effective leader.

This concise profile explores the ideas, inspirations, and experiences that have shaped the president. It quotes a wide network of sources, including many who broke long-standing vows of silence to offer their candid and surprising observations.

Reviews:

"Never has the world needed strong and wise American leadership more than it does now. Abramsky’s eminently readable description of Obama’s personal gifts makes it clear that he is remarkably suited to be the president the moment requires." Former New York Governor Mario M. Cuomo

"This breezy, engaging book does not explicitly attempt biography; instead journalist Abramsky dissects the personality of Barack Obama....[He] draws on an impressive number of interviews with Obama's friends and associates...and includes illuminating anecdotes from every phase of the president's life." Publishers Weekly

Author Bio:

Sasha Abramsky has written for The Atlantic, The Nation, and Rolling Stone. The author of Conned: How Millions Went to Prison, Lost the Vote, and Helped Send George W. Bush to the White House and Hard Time Blues: How Politics Built a Prison Nation, he has also reported on U.S. prisons for Human Rights Watch. He lives in Sacramento, California.