American Tapestry

Book excerpt: “Riveting . . . American Tapestry is not only the remarkable story of the First Lady’s family, but also a microcosm of this country’s story as well.” —USA Today In this extraordinary feat of genealogical research—in the tradition of The Hemmingses of Monticello and Slaves in the Family—author Swarns, a respected Washington-based reporter for the New York Times, tells the fascinating and hitherto untold story of Ms. Obama’s black, white, and multiracial ancestors; a history that the First Lady herself did not know. At once epic, provocative, and inspiring, American Tapestry is more than a true family saga; it is an illuminating mirror in which we may all see ourselves. “The First Family becomes ever more fascinating—and ever more representative of the nation as a whole—in Rachel Swarns’s terrific investigation into the roots of Michelle Obama . . . This is a most compelling read and more evidence for our interconnectedness as a people.” —Henry Louis Gates, Jr. “Rachel Swarns has not only excavated, with painstaking care, the family tree that is Michelle Obama’s, but, with great insight and beautiful prose, has revealed the complex, eye-opening, and disconcerting experiences that are America. This is a work of impressive historical imagination and deep cultural significance.” —Steven Hahn, Pulitzer Prize-winning author “Richly detailed . . . A lushly layered portrait of the nation itself.” —The Boston Globe “A fascinating account of the First Lady’s family . . . Few important women come from such raw places. The book makes you remember why the Obamas . . . seemed so new, so implausible . . . Extraordinary.” —The New York Times