Obama's Wars

Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter/New York Times best-selling author Woodward turns his eye to a newly elected President Obama and his high-level advisors as they struggle with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet, as part of his research, Woodward apparently visited Afghanistan only once, which some might argue limits his perspective on the conflict. The end result is a near-verbatim, often tedious account of the many stateside meetings between Obama and his advisors. Woodward's closeness to the events and the numerous unidentified sources result in a work only moderately useful to researchers and scholars. Still, Tony Award-winning actor Boyd Gaines's impressive, steady narration will hold listener interest, and the title is certain to be in demand; recommended. [The S. & S. hc, published in September 2010, was an LJ and New York Times best seller; the S. & S. pb will publish in May 2011.—Ed.]—Dale Farris, Groves, TX