AMERICAN OBSESSION: Race and Conflict in the Age of Obama
Forman's is an explosive, enormously important book. He investigates a proposition that should be on every thoughtful American's mind: that Obama's is an "affirmative action presidency"; that his "race made his election possible." But Forman is one of the very few analysts anywhere with the courage and honesty to address it. Now Americans need the courage and honesty to respond: to read Forman's sophisticated, fair-minded analysis and either accept his thesis or explain why it's wrong. This is one of the small handful of truly important books about the Obama phenomenon. --David Gelernter, Contributing Editor, Weekly Standard, Professor, Yale UniversityA terrific, comprehensive telling of Obama's rise to power. I can't think of anyone who has put all the material available in the public domain together as well as Forman. Of course, it's not just a review. Forman makes a fresh argument about Obama's impact on the racial fabric of our wonderfully decent society. The organization and analysis of both well-known and original data strengthens the book immensely. And the book is a pleasure to read: lucid, fluid - a Strunk and White model, too rare among academics today. --Abigail Thernstrom, Vice-Chair, U.S. Civil Rights Commission and Adjunct Scholar, American Enterprise InstituteSeth Forman has written a timely, well-researched, and important book. It situates America's first black president against the backdrop of the civil rights movement, showing historical connections, drawing relevant parallels, and finally offering a considered critique of Obama's ideology. I highly recommend this book. --Dinesh D'Souza, bestselling author and Kings College presidentA full manuscript opinion piece -- brilliantly prepared by a forthright political scientist. --Irving Louis Horowitz, Hannah Arendt distinguished university professor emeritus of sociology and political science at Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyThis book is premonitory as well as analytical, confirming that in the wake of the intense emotional fervor leading up to, and following after, Barack Obama's election as President, a new phase of the culture wars has now emerged, this time among the political elites themselves. Seth Forman has documented the divisive nature of racial politics played subtly as well as openly. He also demonstrates the consequences for political and non-partisan compromise of ideological bullying by media elites in particular in the Obama era.  --Jonathan Imber, Jean Glasscock Professor of Sociology, Director, Program in American Studies, Wellesley College, Editor-in-Chief, SOCIETY