This is an excellent book for those who either weren't paying attention or for those who simply wanted to believe in the cool, smooth, "Hope-N-Change" schtick that was put out by Barack Obama's handlers in the 2008 election cycle. Some who voted for him in 2008, because of the way Obama is now handling the events of the day, may be wanting to take a closer look at who Barack Obama is, since before he was elected to the highest office in the land, he was the least-vetted candidate by the media in modern American history--or maybe ever. For those people, this book is a good introduction to Barack Hussein Obama (is it OK these days to use his middle name?--I can never remember). Klein has heavily sourced and referenced what he has to say in here. The reader will meet the people with whom Mr. Obama has surrounded himself since his college days. And it was Barack Obama himself, after all, who said, "Judge me by the people I surround myself with."

For those who have been paying attention, who watch something other than NBC or read sources besides Time mag or Newsweek or the New York Times, this book still makes an excellent resource. Klein has packed an enormous amount of material into the book and includes excellent notes and index. I wish he also had included a bibliography.

For those readers who still wish only to believe in Obama's awesome awesomeness, then I would say don't waste your time or money on this book--it's not for you.

Like any other book about current affairs or politics, this one needs to be read with a critical eye; I'm sure that Aaron Klein has his own bias and agenda. However, Klein's book is certainly a useful corrective to the fawning, lazy, uncritical coverage that has been masquerading as "journalism" since Barack Obama showed up on the American political stage. ( )