A lot has been written about this book since it was published last year. Having been an ardent Hillary supporter, I was curious about her take on the 2016 election and eager to read this. The first thing that struck me was that the book sounded just like her. I know she probably had a good editor, but the writing itself was just what I expected: intelligent, earnest, compassionate, and oftentimes funny. What I didn't expect was how devastating the first few chapters were, as Hillary describes what it was like for her on November 8 and 9. I'm glad I was alone while I read these chapters; they evoked the same crushing shock and depression that I felt on those days, but it was worse because I was feeling her pain and shock as well. Hillary writes about how she navigated the 2016 election campaign, the folks she worked with, and the issues that she cares about. While I'm interested in the issues, the best parts of the book for me were the personal stories. It's clear that she cares deeply about her friends, colleagues, and supporters. She saves her deeper criticism for Trump (no surprise) and others, such as Congressman Ryan Zinke, who had referred to Hillary in 2014 as the "Antichrist." This is an excellent memoir that I would recommend to anyone who follows politics. Now I can't wait to read Barack and Michelle's memoirs!
Hillary Rodham Clinton.
What Happened. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2017. 492 pages. ISBN 9781501175565.
No comments:
Post a Comment