POLITICS & SOCIAL SCIENCE

Political Biography

Barack Obama For Beginners: An Essential Guide is the most concise and reliable short biography available on the 44th President of the United States — from his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia, education at Columbia and Harvard, work as a community organizer, writer, teacher, lawyer, and politician in Illinois, to his historic campaign for President. Barack Obama For Beginners keeps the focus on the man and his record — accomplishments and missteps, praise and criticism — to allow readers to gain a balanced understanding of President Obama as they follow his rise to the White House. Entertaining illustrations enliven the reading experience and highlight important details.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bob Neer is writing his dissertation to complete his Ph.D. in U.S. history at Columbia University. He received a M. Phil. in U.S. history in 2007, and a J.D. and M.A. in U.S. history in 1991, all from Columbia. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1986. He is a co-founder and co-editor of BlueMassGroup.com, the most widely read independent political blog in New England.nce.

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ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Joe Lee is an illustrator, cartoonist, writer, and clown.  With a degree from Indiana University centering on Medieval History, Joe is also a graduate of Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey’s Clown College.  He worked for some years as a circus clown.  He is the illustrator of a baker’s dozen of For Beginners books, including Barack Obama For Beginners, [Howard] Zinn For Beginners, Shakespeare For Beginners, Postmodernism For Beginners, Deconstruction For Beginners, Eastern Philosophy For Beginners, Dante For Beginners, Dada & Surrealism For Beginners, Jane Austen For Beginners and Climate Change For Beginners among others. Joe lives in Bloomington, Indiana with his wife Mary Bess, son Brandon, cat George, and the terriers (or rather terrors) Max and Jack.