This is the exciting biography of the new President of the United States. In July 2004, Barack Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention transformed him into a political star. Three years later, the young state senator from Illinois started his campaign to become president of the United States. Obama's life story captures the hope that defines the American dream. Born to a Kenyan father and a mother from Kansas who divorced when he was only two, Obama grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia. As an adult, he served his community, first as an organizer working to register new voters and to provide opportunities for the poor, and later as a politician. His 2008 campaign to become president of the United States inspired many to believe in what he called "the audacity of hope." This new biography explores the remarkable life of Barack Obama with full-colour photographs and an index. "Did You Know?" fact boxes throughout highlight interesting facts about Obama's life and career, and a list of Web sites provide readers with further reading.