Two Must-Read Articles About Barak Obama's Autobiography, "Dreams From My Father"
In The Invisible Man, David Samuels compares Obama the political candidate with the Obama who wrote "Dreams From My Father." The article is a bit long for an internet piece, but is extremely thought-provoking and well-written.
In Who Wrote Dreams From My Father, Jack Cashill brings his considerable analytical skills as a writer and student of fiction and prose, to the question of whether someone else besides Obama may have written Obama's autobiography? Quite persuasive indeed.
Certainly, if Obama is not the actual author of his own autobiography, it would explain the perplexity of Samuels when he attempts to reconcile Obama the "author" with Obama the "candidate." Perhaps the two are different people.
Steve Sailer of iSteve blog was probably the first writer to bring the public's attention to the fascinating narrative of Obama's first book--which has been much of the basis for Obama's reputation as an intellectual of the first rank. Over the past year, Sailer has relentlessly pointed to aspects of Obama's published narrative that clashes with Obama's candidacy and in-person persona.
The contradictions are suggestive of there being less in the person than meets the eye. Obama has been the lucky beneficiary of a considerable amount of helpful assistance by powerful and well-connected individuals over the past 10 years. Almost as if he had been re-born under a lucky star and granted a number of wishes by a powerful djinn. A natural question to ask: when do the wishes begin to run out?
In Who Wrote Dreams From My Father, Jack Cashill brings his considerable analytical skills as a writer and student of fiction and prose, to the question of whether someone else besides Obama may have written Obama's autobiography? Quite persuasive indeed.
Certainly, if Obama is not the actual author of his own autobiography, it would explain the perplexity of Samuels when he attempts to reconcile Obama the "author" with Obama the "candidate." Perhaps the two are different people.
Steve Sailer of iSteve blog was probably the first writer to bring the public's attention to the fascinating narrative of Obama's first book--which has been much of the basis for Obama's reputation as an intellectual of the first rank. Over the past year, Sailer has relentlessly pointed to aspects of Obama's published narrative that clashes with Obama's candidacy and in-person persona.
The contradictions are suggestive of there being less in the person than meets the eye. Obama has been the lucky beneficiary of a considerable amount of helpful assistance by powerful and well-connected individuals over the past 10 years. Almost as if he had been re-born under a lucky star and granted a number of wishes by a powerful djinn. A natural question to ask: when do the wishes begin to run out?
Labels: Obama
posted by al fin at 9:46 pm
2 Comments:
Of course he utilized a ghostwriter. This is nothing new, and not shocking. Virtually every public figures' books are ghostwritten. John McCain's ghostwriter is Mark Salter. They're politicians, not authors. Can you imagine slogging through a book written by someone who primarily writes legalese-filled legislation? The average reader would fall asleep on page three.
Oliver, if you had read the linked article, you would understand that the question goes much deeper than conventional ghostwriting. It goes to the very heart of who "Obama" is.
Obama himself says that he is a "blank slate" upon which his followers write their deepest wishes and aspirations. In other words, a malleable symbol, self-customised for each adherent and disciple.
Financial markets have already begun to respond to the likelihood of an Obama presidency. But if Obama's actual behaviour as president is more ratinal than his past behaviour, his candidacy, his speeches, and his books, all the fuss may be over nothing at all.
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“During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act” _George Orwell
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