I am reminded of the story told by the postman (will try to find the link) who told the story that he met zero outside the home of Ayres Snr in Hyde Park, and zero telling him that he was on his way to thank Ayres for something...the postman calculated that zero was in his early twenties at the time.
Obama apparently was at the University until 1992, IIRC.
Charles T Payne, Madelyn’s brother, was Deputy Director of the Library at the University of Chicago from the sixties until he retired in the 90’s. Charles T Payne also lived in Hyde Park.
Good reminder; I think I had a post on the mailman’s story also, but had forgotten. Wonder if Ayers was on the Board?
Also this [official “narrative”?]:
The coverage prompted a call to him from Jane Dystel, a gravelly-voiced literary agent described by Peter Osnos, then the publisher of Times Books, as “a good journeyman with a hard edge.” ... Ms. Dystel suggested Mr. Obama write a book proposal. Then she got him a contract with Poseidon Press, a now-defunct imprint of Simon & Schuster. When he missed his deadline, she got him another contract and a $40,000 advance from Times Books....
Mr. Obama was given an office to write in at the University of Chicago through a surprising connection. Douglas G. Baird, a professor who was head of the law school’s appointments committee, had learned of Mr. Obama from Michael W. McConnell, a conservative constitutional scholar then at Chicago whom President Bush would later make a federal judge.
Professor McConnell encountered Mr. Obama during the editing of an article he wrote for The Harvard Law Review, Professor Baird said recently. “He sent a note saying this person is really brilliant, we should have him on our radar screen,” Professor Baird said. Professor Baird called Mr. Obama at Harvard and asked if he was interested in teaching.
“I don’t remember his exact words, but it was something to the effect that, ‘Well, in fact, I want to write this book.’ What he really wanted was the Virginia Woolf equivalent of a clean, well lighted room.” So Professor Baird got him one, a small office near the law library, along with a law school fellowship that Professor Baird hoped might later lead to his full-time teaching.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2040486/posts?page=8364#8364