The purpose of the book is to poetically portray highlights of the past presidential campaign. 'An Obama Odyssey' makes use of the metaphor of a sea voyage to describe events associated with the 2008 presidential campaign. There is no pretense as to whom the author is rooting for. Each chapter is used to represent different phases of the voyage. Additionally, in a like manner, red and blue states are likened to ships in a fleet. Red ships are in the McCain camp and blue ships are in Obama's domain. Similarly there are blue donkeys for Obama and red elephants backing McCain. Ships, donkeys and elephants neither red nor blue represent those undecided. The chapters begin prior to Obama's announcing his intention to seek the presidency and ends during the transition period when he is considering candidates for his cabinet. There are times when the author shares his feelings and the feelings of friends, in and outside the United States, about different stages of the campaign. Photos, spread throughout the book, give the book the aura of a vignette.