The Bridge: the life and rise of Barack Obama by David Remnick

Everything you wanted to know about President Obama but were afraid to ask.  I really had to slog through this biography but it was worth it.  I feel I have a better understanding of who President Obama is from reading about where he came from and what he's done to be elected President of the United States.  What are my takeaways from this biography?  Obama is above all a pragmatist.  He almost left politics because of his need to secure his family's financial security.  So he wrote two books, Dreams of My Father and The Audacity of Hope, to make it possible to generate more income, gain more exposure, and stay in politics.  He alienated some folks in the Democratic party on the way to the Presidency because he refused to follow  protocol and "wait his turn."  Early on he attracted the attention of people with lots of money who made it possible for him to build an effective campaign organization.  He's not afraid to surround himself with the best and brightest minds.  I guess history will  judge how effective Obama has been as President.  Remnick's biography makes it clear that whatever his legacy, Obama is following in the tradition of Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt-a complex man who brought a unique set of personal qualities and professional skills to meet the national crisis of his time. 672 pages.