Barack Obama as writer

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aruna

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It's an enviable success story, and very relevent to us writers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/us/politics/18memoirs.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp
His memoir is, as one publisher put it, “the single most vetted book in American politics right now.” Written at a time when Mr. Obama says he was thinking less about a career in politics than about simply writing a good book, it leaves an impression of candidness and authenticity that gives it much of its power. Reporters have questioned Mr. Obama’s use of fictional techniques like composite characters, but some editors and critics say that is common in memoirs.
 
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pilot27407

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Well, guess that the poor guy needs some money, and this may be one way of paying for his political ads, or maybe for his wife’s platform, which they’re trying so hard to build.
Any how, better him than Clinton, much easier to whip in the finals.
 
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aruna

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Well, guess that the poor guy needs some money, and this may be one way of paying for his political ads, or maybe for his wife’s platform, which they’re trying so hard to build.
Any how, better him than Clinton, much easier to whip in the finals.

Actually, I didn't mean this to be a political discussion, that belongs in another forum. Perhaps we could stay focussed on his writing? Has anyone read either of these books? I think I will; I like the fact that he uses the techniques of fiction to write his memoir, as I am planning a biography myself. I'd like to see how he does it.
 

pilot27407

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Buy it Aruna. I’m sure it’s well written. These days money can buy great ghost writers and editors.
 

aruna

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Buy it Aruna. I’m sure it’s well written. These days money can buy great ghost writers and editors.

Did you read the article? It states quite categorically that Obama wrote the books himself, and that they needed very little editing. I have no reason to doubt that he's a good writer.
 

Soccer Mom

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He's an excellent speaker. I wouldn't be shocked to learn that he can write as well. He's very articulate.
 

ATP

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http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=12782369&page=1

...


Obama entered Harvard Law School in 1988. In February 1990, he was elected the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review. Obama graduated magna cum laude in 1991.



After law school, Obama returned to Chicago to practice as a civil rights lawyer, joining the firm of Miner, Barnhill & Galland. He also taught at the University of Chicago Law School. And he helped organize voter registration drives during Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign.



Obama published an autobiography in 1995 Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. And he won a Grammy for the audio version of the book....

[6 page biography]
 

SarahinOhio

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He is a profoundly gifted writer. I read Dreams From my Father a few months ago, and was as blown away by his eloquence as I was by his bracing, and difficult, search for self-identity.

I particularly enjoyed the section where he traveled to Kenya to trace his paternal roots. I remember thinking, This man needs to write a novel! because of the beauty of his language and the fluid connections he made on the page. That may have to wait, though. ;)

I'd advise anyone to pick it up who wants to read a good memoir. I'll admit to having less interest in The Audacity of Hope, since it seems a more blatantly political, and likely predictable, work. But Dreams From my Father is truly a unique and compelling read from a man who was less mindful of political maneuvering at the time than in exploring our common humanity...warts and all.
 

Southern_girl29

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I'm planning to pick up "Dreams from My Father" soon. It sounds like my kind of read, and since I love listening to him speak, I'm sure I'll like his book as well.
 

kuwisdelu

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He's such an articulate speaker, I'm not surprised he's a good writer, too.

I haven't read his book myself, but my girlfriend has and says it's very good. And she has excellent taste in literature (and politics). I think we should both read it soon ;)
 

Don Allen

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I read it..I liked it... Being from Chicago and knowing first hand about some of the plces he describes I can tell you its accurate. I was most impressed with his hunger for the "Why" people and things turn out the way they do... Forgetting the politics, I got the sense that he has a soul....
 

poetinahat

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I bought it last year and very much enjoyed the first half - I thought it was well-written - both enjoyable and easily comprehensible. I'm still going through it, but I'm a bit scatterbrained with my reading habits; I set the book aside for a while in favor of, um, poetry.

My break from it coincided with my reaching the part where he discusses the ominous challenges looming for the US - employment, education, foreign competition. So, back to Seamus Heaney for me.
 
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