Authors and Historians, Douglas Brinkley and Richard Norton Smith, discuss the impact books, particularly books written by presidential candidates, have on a presidential election.

Discussion Questions

1. What books have the current Democratic and Republican presidential candidates Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) written? How does Mr. Brinkley view the impact of these books on the candidates?
2. Which books do Dr. Brinkley and Mr. Smith mention as affecting past presidential candidates? How did they ultimately shape the candidates' campaigns?
3. What analysis does Mr. Smith provide about the books versus the campaigns of the current presidential candidates?
4. In relation to the book, The Obama Nation, Mr. Smith states Sen. Obama’s campaign “will not allow history to repeat itself.” What does he mean by this statement? Why does he feel the book is a “publishing phenomenon?”