"I was not born into money or status. I was born to a teenage mom in Hawaii, and my dad left us when I was two. But my family gave me love, they gave me education, and most of all they gave me hope..."

Punctuated with his own words, this biography traces the people, places and experiences that made Barack Obama the powerful man he is today. His story takes us from Kenya to Hawaii and Indonesia to Chicago, embracing many cultures. It also reaches from the past to the present, with photographs of Obama growing up and a timeline of significant events in black history.

Barack Obama's story of hope and determination culminates with an account of his historic Inauguration Day and his first 100 days in office.