Cape Cod Book Reviews

Cape author ahead of the campaign curve

Brewster's Libby Hughes' new Barack Obama biography
Author has lived in subject's venues - Kenya and Indonesia

Here it comes--the 13th biography in Libby Hughes’ collection of international heroes and heroines for young adults. This one is about the political rock star, Barack Obama, coming into the homestretch of his long campaign for the Democratic coronation as the nominee for U.S. president.

Already, Obama is sparring against Republican John McCain before his delegates have knighted him at the convention and Libby Hughes is ahead of the political curve again.

Anyway, this book, Barack Obama: Voice of Unity, Hope, and Change, is a quick read. You won’t have to wade through a tome to get to the Obama basics: where he comes from; his childhood; his adolescence; his brilliance at Harvard; his struggles as a community organizer in the poorest area of Chicago; his knack for winning over opponents in the Illinois senate and the U.S. Senate. You will discover what makes him tick and what his spiritual and political philosophies are. It’s an incredible story with backdrops from Hawaii, Indonesia, Kenya, Illinois, and D.C.

"Libby Hughes captures his extraordinary appeal to citizens of all ages, especially the young.” - Ted KennedyHughes gives you historic teasers about each of the three continents in colorful descriptions. Having lived in Indonesia and Kenya, Hughes has firsthand knowledge of Obama’s foreign experience and roots. She managed to capture quotes for the front and back covers of the book from Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts; Harvard Law professor, Laurence H. Tribe; and former book editor of The Christian Science Monitor, Roderick Nordell.

Here are the quotes:

“Barack Obama has a unique ability to inspire us, lift our spirits, and bring people of all backgrounds together to do great things for our country. In Barack, I see not just the audacity of hope, but the possibility of hope for the better America we can be. Libby Hughes captures his extraordinary appeal to citizens of all ages, especially the young.”

                                                                                - Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts

“Barack Obama never failed to amaze me when he was my student. His brilliance and his devotion to public service remain sources of inspiration to me. I cannot imagine anyone better suited to be President of the United States.”

- Laurence H. Tribe, Carl M. Loeb University Professor, Harvard Law School 

“This book takes you into the complex ethnic and political life of Barack Obama and should leave the young—or any other—reader full of his ‘audacity of hope.’ ”

                                - Roderick Nordell, former book editor, The Christian Science Monitor

The book cover says it all. Watch for it on Amazon in June.

P.S. Don’t forget Richard Nixon negotiated directly with Mao Tse Tung—a communist.  Former Secretary of State, George Shultz, recently told Charlie Rose in an interview that the way to negotiate with Iran is to have a highly skilled American lawyer QUIETLY talk with one of their Iranian lawyers and hammer out the issues before ever reaching the face to face fanfare. AND away from the media.