I have to say I liked this book more than I expected to. If you follow this blog regularly you will know I don't read a lot of non-fiction and, when I do, it is almost never political. But I have always admired Hillary Clinton, and someone gave me her book, so I gave it a try. And I was very pleasantly surprised. While of course it deals with many political issues (the US electoral process, the current state of America, Russian interference in US politics, etc.), the book is largely a very personal account.
Clinton gives us insight into what she was thinking and feeling during the 2016 election campaign and, in particular, after her crushing (and surprising loss). She is very analytical in her thinking, yet enough emotion comes through to make her very relatable, at least to me. I love how she dealt not only with the obvious politics of the situation, but also had chapters on her relationships with her parents, her husband, her daughter and various advisors and friends.
She also took a very evidence based approach to trying to decipher what went wrong - something that seems to be generally lacking in the political arena these days. And she didn't hesitate to take blame for her own actions - she clearly feels tremendously bad for letting her supporters, and women in general, down.
I came away from the book with even more admiration for Clinton than I had when I started. This must have been a very difficult, though likely cathartic, book to write. It also made me wish I could have her over for dinner - the conversation would undoubtedly be fascinating.
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