The Inauguration of Barack Obama

Customer Reviews

• Relive the goosebumps  Feb 11, 2009 (13 of 15 found this helpful)

  If you want a good reminder of Barack Obama's inauguration, this handsome hardcover is it. It brings back all the goosebump moments. It's the result of the Washington Post's exhaustive coverage of the event, which employed over 100 photographers and reporters.
  
  It makes a nice bookend with the new New York Times book Obama: The Historic Journey as well as, of course, The Audacity of Hope.
  
  Big and beautiful enough to be a coffee table book, The Inauguration of Barack Obama is more than a collection of photos. Also included is a stirring foreword by Washington Post Editor-at-Large Ben Bradlee, who recalls the first inauguration he attended, of John F. Kennedy, and writes: "This shift of power is orderly, but it's always exciting. It's the essence of democracy." Though the coverage of it isn't as thorough as in the Times book, Obama's story is detailed, too, from childhood through young adulthood -- when he, in his own words, burned inwardly with a "knotted, howling assertion of self" -- through his marriage and family life. At the back of the book is the full text of the Inaugural Address.
  
  I like the variety of photos. One spread shows the thousands gathered for the ceremony itself, another simply Obama's hand encircling his wife's waist on the Day of Service. A sober tribute from Obama and Biden at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery is followed by a sweet portrait of Biden holding his young grandson. My favorites are the more candid, silly shots: First lady Michelle Obama getting her gown stepped on by her husband while dancing; daughter Sasha playfully holding her hand in front of her sister Malia's camera, ruining her photo; bundled-up fans at 4 a.m. on the National Mall looking like mummies in their sleeping bags.
  
  The presidential seal on the dust jacket is embossed into the glossy paper. Underneath, the cover of the book looks exactly like the dust jacket, front cover and back.
  
  Here's the chapter list:
  
  Foreword by Ben Bradlee
  1. Road to the Presidency
  2. Inauguration Weekend: Day 1, Destination: Washington, D.C.
  3. Inauguration Weekend: Day 2, Honoring the Dead, Raising a Chorus
  4. Inauguration Weekend: Day 3, Answering a Call to Service
  5. Inauguration Day: All Eyes on the Moment
  6. Text of Inaugural Address
  7. Afterword

• Full & Complete  Feb 28, 2009 (3 of 3 found this helpful)

  If You want to see what all took place on that great historical day.
  Who was there" What clothes they wore" What were the parades like" How big was the crowd " lots of pictures of the first lady and the new president" Millitary and secret service attendance" Pictures of the inauguration ceremony" The party's after the inauguration" The two girls Sasha & Malia Obama.
  It's all here in vibrant and beautiful color , for you to treasure for all time.
  Buy it ; it is full & complete.

• Disappointed in Quality  May 12, 2009 (1 of 1 found this helpful)

  I was anticipating excellent photographs, and they well may be excellent photos; but the reproduction is inferior. I would recommend getting the "Barack Obama: The Official Inaugural Book" to have the quality historical events require!. Barack Obama: The Official Inaugural Book You will find this a superior book.

• Inauguration Memories  Mar 18, 2009 (1 of 1 found this helpful)

  This book is a great overview of the inauguration. There were so many images from tv that there was no way to capture but this book did it all. I was especially pleased to see a good picture of Mrs. Obama's inauguration gown without waiting for the Smithsonian exhibition. Newspapers photos will fade. This book will give you memories to share with grandchildren for quite some time.

• A Pictoral Disappointment  Mar 7, 2009 (2 of 3 found this helpful)

  Despite all the rave reviews of this book I found it to be quite disappointing and not at all what I expected or wanted. It covered alot on the people coming to the inaugural weekend and event but not enough on the president and his family. Lots of photos of flag wavers and crowds just not enough focus on the Obamas per se - the inauguration and all their events. The book is uninspiring and simply boring. Other than that the photos are nice and the book in general (minus the content) is layed out well. In addition my book arrived damaged and crushed with a marred up cover. Total bum deal all around.