Real Romney

The miracle baby of the former Governor of Michigan, Mitt Romney catapulted to national prominence a decade ago, first as head of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics Organizing Committee, and then as the Republican Governor of the solidly-blue Massachusetts. In this engrossing and eye-opening biography, seasoned Boston Globe investigative reporters Michael Kranish and Scott Helman - journalists who have covered the candidate for a decade-go beyond the all-American looks and dazzling smile, stump speeches and glossy campaign brochures to reveal the core of the highly successful figure that is so well recognized yet so little known. Based on the "Globe" journalists' years of reporting and hundreds of interviews and filled with eight pages of photos, "The Real Romney" is a fresh, probing, and fair portrait of this multifaceted man - CEO, politician, dedicated family man, devout Mormon-who made his name and huge fortune as a private equity dealmaker. Kranish and Helman trace Romney's roots from his privileged upbringing and his close, yet complicated relationship with his father. They explore the role of religion in his life, including his missionary service in France and the fatal car crash that profoundly impacted his path. They reveal his close relationships with his children and his wife, who suffers from multiple sclerosis. They analyze Romney's controversial tenure at Bain Capital, one of the world's leading private investment firms. And they provide a thorough examination of his race against Senator Ted Kennedy, his role in the 2002 Olympics, his Massachusetts governorship, and why his 2008 run for president failed. "The Real Romney" delves deep into the world of a complex individual now at his most critical juncture, revealing a driven man and the sacrifices and extraordinary lengths he will go to in the name of success, in politics and business. Hard-hitting and illuminating, it offers a solid understanding of the kind of campaign Romney will run in 2012-and the kind of leader he may be if wins.