Obama's literary success

[Adelante]

Obama’s Story, Written by Obama


-snip

Senator Obama understands as well as any politician the power of a well-told story. He has risen in politics less on his track record than on his telling of his life story — a tale he has packaged into two hugely successful books that have helped make him a mega-best-selling, two-time Grammy-winning millionaire front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination at age 46. According to his publisher, there are more than three million copies of his books in print — and two more books on the way.

The story of Mr. Obama’s life as an author tells as much about him as some of the stories he has recounted in his books. It possesses at times the same charmed quality sometimes ascribed to his political ascent — an impression of ease, if not exactly effortlessness, that obscures a more complex amalgam of drive, ambition, timing and the ability to recognize an opportunity and to do what it takes to seize it.

-snip

The book’s release in October 2006 must have been the envy of anyone who ever published a book or contemplated higher office. In Chicago, people started lining up outside 57th Street Books at 4:15 on the morning of Mr. Obama’s book signing. For his Seattle signing, the Elliott Bay Book Company rented the 2,500-seat hall where the symphony performs, sold out the tickets in 90 minutes and reported a level of turnout that topped all previous records at the store for any author, including Mr. Clinton.

Time magazine published an excerpt of the book and put Mr. Obama on the cover, with a line that said “Why Barack Obama Could Be the Next President.” An adoring photo essay inside shows him doing things like washing the breakfast dishes with his daughter.

“Barack is worth millions now,” Mr. Osnos said. “It’s almost all based on these two books, two books not based on a job of prodigious research or risking one’s life as a reporter in Iraq. He has written about himself. Being able to take your own life story and turn it into this incredibly lucrative franchise, it’s a stunning fact.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/us/politics/18memoirs.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[babylonsister]

1. Rec'd and bookmarked, because this sounds great! nt

[TahitiNut]

2. So, his life is (literally) an "open book"? (Or two?)

I guess that's better than THIS work of fiction ...

[Adelante]

3. Related OP re financial success

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6012669

[loyalsister]

4. That's the key to beating the media

He has successfully used the media. No other candidate can compete with his life narrative or his ability to orate.
He has learned how to take control of news cycles. People want to hear from him.
He is observant. Anyone who has read The Audacity of Hope knows that he does not miss much if anything when it comes to politics. Knowing that "Barack Hussein Obama" in a post 9\11 climate starts out with more than one an immediate disadvantage, he has created a very purposeful candidacy.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Great analysis from you.......

as usual! :)

[FrenchieCat]

6. Great photo with that article!

[Adelante]

7. How did I miss that? It's a beauty.

:dunce:

[K Gardner]

8. There are two more books on the way??!! Seriously? Great article !

[Adelante]

9. I am intrigued

One of them is a children's book.

[FrenchieCat]

10. That will be interesting, and another best seller, I predict.

[K Gardner]

11. I just saw that, you beat me to posting. 3rd yet to be defined.. although the 3rd may have to

wait until his 8-year-term as President is over. Do sitting Presidents write books?

I'd love to see a journal of this campaign, hope he's keeping one. :hi: