Barack Obama's "improbable quest" has become a fact of American life and a benchmark in American history. Striving now toward "a more perfect union," Obama and the nation confront obstacles unforeseen at the outset of the 2008 electoral campaign. John K. Wilson tracks the sweep of this progress from the beginning of Obama's political career through his move into the White House. With his critical journalistic eye and his sympathetic "native son" perspective,...