Beyond the Rhetoric

As I’m sure you already know, today is going to be a very historic day. President-Elect Barack Obama will be sworn in as the new President of the United States. Some people say that he is the first black president, but that’s not entirely true. He is of mixed heritage, but he is indeed the first American President to be a visible minority. Obama-mania has not only swept the nation, but it has also swept the rest of the world. Everywhere you turn, you’ll find memorabilia ranging from Obama mugs and t-shirts to commemorative posters and bobbleheads.

You may think that you already know the story of Barack Hussein Obama, but you’ll want to read some of the books that he has authored if you really want to get to know the man. Here is a sample of what he has written.

The State of Black America

Whether he embraces it or ignores it, the mass media and the general public will probably think of Barack Obama as an African-American. As I mentioned above, he is of mixed heritage, but people have a hard time seeing past Obama’s dark skin. It seems that if you are black at all, you’re black. That’s why the National Urban League turned to then Democratic Senator Barack Obama to pen the foreword to this book.

The State of Black America 2007 takes a look at serious economic and civil rights challenges, reporting on this challenge with “a fresh and in-depth look at the current conditions facing the Black Male.” If you’re interested in race relations and socioeconomic stratification, then this book may be right up your alley.

Dreams from My Father

There are many lessons that we all can learn from Barack Obama, but the new American President is far from an all-knowing and all-seeing being. He needs help and he derives his inspiration from a variety of sources.

In this stunning memoir, Obama recounts his childhood and youth, being raised in Hawaii by his white mother and her parents. His Kenyan father was largely absent, so Barack found himself struggling with racial identity and tensions at school. Dreams from My Father describes his journey to become a community organizer, a civil rights lawyer, and a senator.

The Audacity of Hope

Whereas Obama speaks mostly about his personal life in Dreams from My Father, he tackles more political issues in The Audacity of Hope.

We already know that Barack Obama can be very charismatic in his speeches and his written word is no different. In this book, he discusses his “cautious liberalism”, citing his skepticism of big government, his support for religion (without imposing it), and his recommendations for health care reform. This is the man the United States elected as its President. His mostly centrist views are certainly refreshing.

Change We Can Believe In

Continuing the discussion started with The Audacity of Hope, Barack Obama dives in a little further with Change We Can Believe In. Published just two months before his eventual victory over John McCain, he describes what and how he will change America.

Bringing people together and being honest with the challenges ahead, Barack Obama exudes confidence in his ability to turn the country around. Take a closer look into this vision for America, including how he will try to fix the recession-laden economy, strengthen the middle class, and achieve energy independence.

Barack Obama in His Own Words

Editor Lisa Rogak collected this book of quotes from the Illinois Senator, offering us a closer look at Barack Obama’s politics and where he stands on a number of pressing issues. Obama is quite forthcoming with his views on gay marriage, the War of Terror, abortion, foreign policy, and more.

Barack Obama in His Own Words is the not the first time that Rogak has done this. In the past, she has created similar works highlighting the life and politics of such people as Colin Powell and Howard Dean.

Filed under Arts and Entertainment.