Barack Obama's election as the 44th President of the United States was historic for many reasons. Obama inspired hope in millions of American, and many became excited about politics like never before. If you are a fan of Barack Obama and want to commemorate his election, there are many books about him to choose from. Which, you might wonder, is the best Barack Obama book? Here is a breakdown of the books that were released before Barack Obama's inauguration in January 2009.
1. Time's 'President Obama: The Path to the White House'
Time
Time's President Obama: The Road to the White House is my favorite commemorative book about Barack Obama. It combines photographs with essays about Obama that were published in Time over the past several years. The combination provides a striking look at how Obama won the Presidency in 2008. President Obama: The Road to the White House is well organized, beautifully written (by several authors) and a keepsake for any admirer of the 44th President of the United States.
2. 'Yes We Can: Barack Obama's History Making Presidential Campaign' by Tufankjian
powerHouse Books
Yes We Can: Barack Obama's History Making Presidential Campaign is a collection of photographs by Scout Tufankjian, who covered Obama's campaign from the beginning. Each section of Yes We Can begins with a short paragraph from Tufankjian, and the pages are peppered with quotes from Obama. Yes We Can would be a good choice for anyone who does not want a lot of text in their commemorative photography book, and who wants to see the campaign from beginning to end. (Note: The only reason I rank this one higher than the Willis and Merida book is that it covers the entire campaign).
3. 'The American Journey of Barack Obama' by Life Magazine
Little, Brown
The American Journey of Barack Obama is a collection of photographs and essays by a variety of people, compiled by the editors of Life magazine. Unlike other commemorative photo books about Obama, this book focuses less on his run for President in 2008 and more on his family and personal history. I love that The American Journey of Barack Obama contains class photos from elementary school and more wedding photos than other books on Obama. I like seeing those kind of things. If you do too, you'll like this book.
4. 'Obama: The Historic Campaign in Photographs' by Deborah Willis & Kevin Merida
HarperCollins
Obama: The Historic Campaign in Photographs by Deborah Willis and Kevin Merida traces Barack Obama's run for President through the Democratic Primary. The book is limited to the campaign, as opposed to trying to cover Obama's entire life. It does an excellent job of chronicling Obama's celebrity and featuring his supporters; however I wish that the publisher had waited to release this book until after November 2008 so that it could have included scenes from the general election and the victory speech in Grant Park.
5. 'Barack Obama and the Triumph of Hope' by the Editors of 'Rolling Stone'
Rolling Stone
If you are a fan of Rolling Stone's style of writing and photography, then you will want to pick up their commemorative issue: Barack Obama and the Triumph of Hope. Barack Obama and the Triumph of Hope includes 140 pages of interviews, articles, six of Obama's speeches, many photographs and a pull out poster of Obama's Rolling Stone covers.
