OBAMA: The Historic Journey, a New Groundbreaking Book Covering Barack Obama's Life from Childhood Through His Inauguration

22 Dec 2008 20:23 Africa/Lagos

OBAMA: The Historic Journey, a New Groundbreaking Book Covering Barack Obama's Life from Childhood Through His Inauguration as the 44th President of the United States, to be Published by Callaway Arts & Entertainment and The New York Times in Collaboration with Riverhead Books on Presidents' Day 2009

Introduction by Pulitzer Prize Winner Bill Keller, Executive Editor of The New York Times, with Principal Text by Jill Abramson, Managing Editor; Commentaries and Essays from Op-Ed Columnists Paul Krugman, Frank Rich, Thomas L. Friedman, Gail Collins, Bob Herbert, Maureen Dowd and David Brooks; Hundreds of Images by Photographers Doug Mills, Damon Winter, Steve Crowley and others

A Special Young Readers Edition of OBAMA: The Historic Journey to be Released Simultaneously by Callaway and The New York Times in Collaboration with Penguin Group (USA)'s Viking Children's Books

NEW YORK, Dec. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- OBAMA: The Historic Journey, a new groundbreaking, beautifully written and illustrated book covering Barack Obama's life, from his childhood through his inauguration as the 44th president of the United States, will be published in hardcover on Presidents' Day, Feb. 16, 2009, by Callaway Arts & Entertainment and The New York Times and distributed by Riverhead Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), it was announced today by Riverhead Books Vice President and Publisher Geoffrey Kloske and Nicholas Callaway, founder and publisher of Callaway Arts & Entertainment. North American rights were acquired from Scott Moyers of The Wylie Agency.


The election of Barack Obama marked an unprecedented step forward in American history, shattering racial barriers and forever altering the political landscape. The New York Times, winner of 96 Pulitzer Prizes, has chronicled the exceptional moments of Mr. Obama's life, from when he was first elected president of the Harvard Law Review in 1990, to his memorable speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention, his campaign for the presidency and his jubilant victory.


This 240-page hardcover book, a collector's item, includes:

-- Introduction by Executive Editor Bill Keller
-- Managing Editor Jill Abramson's insightful essay on Mr. Obama's life,
rise to power, and election
-- Profiles of important figures in Mr. Obama's life, including Michelle
Obama, his daughters, grandmother, mother and father, as well as some
of the campaign's controversial figures, including Rev. Jeremiah
Wright
-- Reporting by prominent Times journalists such as Janny Scott, Jodi
Kantor and Adam Nagourney among others
-- Original commentary by Times columnists Frank Rich, Thomas L.
Friedman, Roger Cohen and Bob Herbert
-- Selected essays by Times columnists Paul Krugman, Maureen Dowd, David
Brooks and Gail Collins
-- Excerpts from Mr. Obama's most important speeches, including the full
text of his Inaugural Address
-- More than 200 full-color photographs by New York Times photographers
-- Maps, charts, and graphics from The Times


This landmark publication is being released on a condensed schedule. On Inauguration Day, photographers and journalists from The Times will be working side by side with the Callaway editorial team, gathering in real time images and words from this historic moment in American history. OBAMA: The Historic Journey, which will go on sale nationally just three weeks after Inauguration Day, will be the most comprehensive and current chronicle of Obama's life in words and pictures. The final chapter will include the full Inaugural Address and a 32-page photo essay by a team of 12 New York Times staff photographers specially assigned to cover the events of the day as they unfold.


"Given The Times's extraordinary coverage, in both words and pictures, of the presidential campaign, and Callaway's superb track record of beautifully designed books, we see this as both a natural fit editorially and a remarkable opportunity to seize a significant moment in history," Scott H. Heekin-Canedy, the president and general manager of The New York Times, said. "All of us here are extremely excited about it."


Geoffrey Kloske, Vice President and Publisher, Riverhead Books, said, "We have the highest regard for Callaway's top-tier team and The New York Times' prize-winning editors, writers and photographers. To be part of such an incredible team and a landmark publishing event is extremely exciting to everyone at Riverhead."


Nicholas Callaway, Founder and Publisher of Callaway Arts & Entertainment, said, "It is an honor to work with the extraordinary editors and photographers of The New York Times on a book that commemorates this singular chapter in American history. We are delighted to have Riverhead and Penguin Group (USA) as our partner in releasing this book on a schedule of unprecedented speed."


The adult trade edition of OBAMA: The Historic Journey will be first published in a large-format (10 x 11 7/8 inches) jacketed hardcover volume. It will include 240 pages, with more than 200 full-color photographs and approximately 35,000 words of text ($40.00 suggested retail price).


The young readers hardcover edition of OBAMA: The Historic Journey will be specifically written and designed to appeal to and inspire the 8-12 age group, with age-appropriate text and a different selection of photographs and illustrations. It will be published in a slightly smaller format (9 x 10 7/8 inches) and include 96 pages, with 200 full-color photographs ($24.95 suggested retail price).


NOTE TO THE PRESS


Callaway Arts & Entertainment is a leading creator and producer of branded entertainment and literary properties across all media, including book publishing, computer animation, and family lifestyle products. Founded by Nicholas Callaway in 1980, the book division has published some of the most highly acclaimed illustrated books of our time, including Madonna's The English Roses, Georgia O'Keeffe's One Hundred Flowers, Irving Penn's Passage, and David Kirk's Miss Spider series.


The New York Times: The New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT) , a leading media company with 2007 revenues of $3.2 billion, includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 16 other daily newspapers, WQXR-FM and more than 50 Web sites, including NYTimes.com, Boston.com and About.com. The Company's core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.


Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the US. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group., one of the world's largest English-language trade book publishers, with established divisions and key market positions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, India, China, South Africa, New Zealand and Ireland. Penguin Group (USA)'s roster of award-winning, internationally bestselling authors includes Patricia Cornwell, Khaled Hosseini, Elizabeth Gilbert, Tom Clancy, Nora Roberts, Sue Grafton, Eckhart Tolle, Junot Diaz, Zadie Smith, Sue Monk Kidd, Kim Edwards, Greg Mortenson, Ken Follett, Jan Karon, Clive Cussler, Daniel Silva, Geraldine Brooks, J. M. Coetzee, Thomas Pynchon, A. Scott Berg, Alan Greenspan, Al Gore, Amy Tan, Anne Lamott, Steve Coll, Kathleen Norris, James McBride, Michael Pollan, Ron Chernow, the Dalai Lama, Toni Morrison, Nick Hornby, Terry McMillan, Tyler Perry, Harlan Coben, Robin Cook, Catherine Coulter, Eric Jerome Dickey, Robert B. Parker, John Sandford, Helen Fielding, W. E. B. Griffin, Spencer Johnson, Arthur Miller, Joyce Carol Oates, Carol Shields, John Steinbeck, Kurt Vonnegut, and Stuart Woods. The Penguin Group is part of Pearson plc, the international media company.


Riverhead Books is a distinguished and critically acclaimed imprint of Penguin Group (USA). It is home to many New York Times-bestselling and award-winning authors, including Khaled Hosseini, Junot Diaz, Kathleen Norris, James McBride, Daniel Pink, Nick Hornby, Sarah Vowell, Shalom Auslander, Dinaw Mengestu and Aleksander Hemon, among others.


Viking Children's Books, established in 1933, is a hardcover division publishing approximately 65 books a year. It is known for its classic backlist which includes Madeline, Make Way for Ducklings, and Pippi Longstocking, bestselling authors Sarah Dessen, Jon Scieszka, and Anna Dewdney, its many award-winners including Simms Taback's Joseph Had a Little Overcoat and Elizabeth Partridge's John Lennon, as well as for publishing such groundbreaking titles as The Outsiders and The Stinky Cheese Man.


Source: Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

CONTACT: Marilyn Ducksworth, +1-212-366-2564, or
marilyn.ducksworth@us.penguingroup.com; or Dave Zimmer, +1-212-366-2687, or
david.zimmer@us.penguingroup.com, both of the Penguin Group (USA); or Jennifer
Caffrey of Callaway Arts & Entertainment, +1-212-798-3175, or
Jennifer_Caffrey@callaway.com


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