Changing Times: The Life of Barack Obama

The 2008 United States presidential primary was the most remarkable contest of its kind in many years. It may also have been a turning point for America. For the first time, an African-American candidate won the presidential nomination of a major party and went on to victory. Barack Obama s election is a measure for how far the U.S. has traveled since the days of slavery, segregation, and the Civil Rights Movement. This book tells the story of Obama s formative years, the family and educational experiences that shaped him, and his private life and public career. It examines the role of religion and culture in molding Obama and his public image, his status in America s class system, and the role of his wife Michelle. Changing Times finds the source of Barack Obama's politics less in ideology than in his personality, which is conciliatory. Obama is a man in search of what Americans hold in common instead of what keeps them apart. He has proven himself comfortable in many roles, including political activism, holding political office, practicing law, and teaching in college.