For some insight into Obama’s view of the power of words and books, see: “From Books, a New President Found his Voice”:
Mr. Obama’s first book, “Dreams From My Father” … suggests that throughout his life he has turned to books as a way of acquiring insights and information from others—as a means of breaking out of the bubble of self-hood and, more recently, the bubble of power and fame.
Update: Obama’s inaugural has been added to the Times timeline.
