Rising Star

The Making of Barack Obama

By: David Garrow

Narrated by: Charles Constant

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Rising Star is the definitive account of Barack Obama's formative years that made him the man who became the forty-fourth president of the United States—from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Bearing the Cross

Barack Obama's speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention instantly catapulted him into the national spotlight and led to his election four years later as America's first African-American president. In this penetrating biography, David J. Garrow delivers an epic work about the life of Barack Obama, creating a rich tapestry of a life little understood, until now.

Rising Star: The Making of Barack Obama captivatingly describes Barack Obama's tumultuous upbringing as a young black man attending an almost-all-white, elite private school in Honolulu while being raised almost exclusively by his white grandparents. After recounting Obama's college years in California and New York, Garrow charts Obama's time as a Chicago community organizer, working in some of the city's roughest neighborhoods; his years at the top of his Harvard Law School class; and his return to Chicago, where Obama honed his skills as a hard-knuckled politician, first in the state legislature and then as a candidate for the United States Senate.

Detailing a scintillating, behind-the-scenes account of Obama's 2004 speech, a moment that labeled him the Democratic Party's ""rising star,"" Garrow also chronicles Obama's four years in the Senate, weighing his stands on various issues against positions he had taken years earlier, and recounts his thrilling run for the White House in 2008.

In Rising Star, David J. Garrow has created a vivid portrait that reveals not only the people and forces that shaped the future president but also the ways in which he used those influences to serve his larger aspirations. This is a gripping read about a young man born into uncommon family circumstances, whose faith in his own talents came face-to-face with fantastic ambitions and a desire to do good in the world. Most important, Rising Star is an extraordinary work of biography—tremendous in its research and storytelling, and brilliant in its analysis of the all-too-human struggles of one of the most fascinating politicians of our time.

Good. Worth the read on my Presidential biography journey

Obama growing up (school, HS, early college) seemed like the man I’d rather be friends with and could get along with. Post- Senate Obama when his name became more of an image and idea it seems as though he lost himself through that (just my opinion). Too many people pushing, pulling him in different directions that he lost grip on that person who was striving to transcend politics and be a unifier.. ironic he seems to have become the politician he disliked and didn’t at all unify as he was promising to do.
In reference to his life story, wow what a story! Got to love America when a man from his family background and all the hurdles in his way is able to get to the top of the political mountain.
Overall, I wasn’t moved like I thought I would be.
Was a great book and worthy of your time if you are trying to learn about his journey or like me, are in a presidential biography journey.

Best Read I have ever had.

I enjoyed reading the book. It was so long that I went back to read the beginning again. I think the writer was the best I have read. He seemed to have done very good research. The reader was excellent. The part I liked most was the relationship President Obama had with his students. C.S. Brown, Seattle

A Caro-esque biography and similarly fantastic

Very detailed, very well done. Almost too long to recommend to anyone who doesn’t love this stuff, but if you’re a fan of Caro l, try Garrow.

Very detailed look at Obama's formative years.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend the book to any one who wants a fair and exhaustively researched background of Barack Obama's birth, childhood, schooling, social organizing, state political career, and his rise to becoming President. If they wanted an equally thorough account of his time in office, I would tell them to look elsewhere. The last chapter and epilogue seemed like a rush job compared to the first several chapters. I actually wonder if Mr Garrow had gotten bored with his subject, or is he leaving room for an equally massive volume 2?

What other book might you compare Rising Star to and why?

No other books. Other books are biographies or even short summaries. This is an encyclopedia. Everything you would want to know about Mr Obama's formation with too much information that few people will actually care about.

What does Charles Constant bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

A very human voice to a scholarly tome.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No. It did make me laugh, especially towards the end where Obama's failures as President received far more attention than his successes. His worst traits seem almost quaint and even lovable in hind sight. For example the closing epilogue talks about him being hostile to the press and quotes one supposedly savvy political observer who hoped that the next president would be a restrained and unifying person who understood the powers of the presidential office. Now that is funny!

Any additional comments?

I learned a lot that I hadn't previously known. David Garrow is a genius when it comes to research and documentation. His writing is fairly fluid and very professional. Needs WAY more editing. An abridged version would be far more ideal. The opening prologue is especially painful because it is SO LONG and has a lot to do with life in Chicago but very little to do with Obama. If you are really curious about how Obama came to his beliefs and what shapes him as a person, and have the fortitude to soldier through a lot of information that could have been edited out -like numerous poll results, out dated opinions, etc than I think you will enjoy this.

The chronicled detailed events keeps you engaged. Very interesting

Beautifully written. A lot of surprises- I thought I knew all there was to know!