Goodreads | La Mia vita, la mia storia (Broché) by Hillary Rodham Clinton

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L rated it:

(review of isbn 0743222245)

03/26/08

Read in February, 2008

recommended to L by: I found this book on my own, hoping to learn a little more about
recommends it for: anyone who's interested in both sides of a story.

Religion and Politics. They are simply the two most unsettling arguments in the world today. I have resolved not to go into politics in depth but to focus more on the art of writing and the act of reading. So here's the challenge. The book I am reviewing is political in nature. Written after her being elected to the Senate in New York, "Living History" is the autobiography of Hillary Rodham Clinton. The copy I read had 538 pages plus index and source notes that included an updated &qu...more Religion and Politics. They are simply the two most unsettling arguments in the world today. I have resolved not to go into politics in depth but to focus more on the art of writing and the act of reading. So here's the challenge. The book I am reviewing is political in nature. Written after her being elected to the Senate in New York, "Living History" is the autobiography of Hillary Rodham Clinton. The copy I read had 538 pages plus index and source notes that included an updated "afterward."

This book was described as "safe," "candid," "genuine" and revealing without any "Revelations." I would describe it as conversationally written, genuine, self affirming and self conscious. If the people who ran her current campaign for president in 2008 had read this book and realized what they had, Hillary Clinton may be known today as "the inspirational candidate."

In the beginning she describes growing up in the suburbs of Chicago. She describes her father, Hugh Rodham, as a staunch Republican who demanded perfection. He was born just a stone's throw from my family in Scranton, Pennsylvania. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he joined the Navy and eventually would marry Dorothy Howell and settle in Chicago.

Dorothy was more of a Democrat's mind. She may be the true root of Hillary's commitment to Women and children's rights. Growing up in foster care and moving around a lot, Dorothy's life was not pleasant. But she still managed to be a strong maternal figure that would inspire her daughter's toughness as well as her empathy.

Mrs. Clinton talks in depth about her affection for Bill (her husband and the 42nd President of the United States) and her desire to continue working as a lawyer and advocate while he was in office. Her description of Bill's second run for Governor of Arkansas when she added the dash and "Clinton" to her name was particularly moving. Their courtship was interesting and explained in vivid detail why a woman as intelligent and capable as she, would decide to stay married to a man that let her down at such a terrible level.

The book is a detailed guide through her "35 years of life experience" that she claims to bring to her presidential candidacy. She doesn't shy away from her short comings and takes the occasional shot at her learning curve. The detail of her work as First Lady was incredible. Those descriptions were so vivid I felt like I was touring throughout the world myself at points and even teared up at the level of depravity in several "third-world" countries.

Her view of the "scandals" that haunted the Clinton presidency were very revealing about her character and the character of those who tried to undermine the administration. She was very convincing as she once again blended her determination, mistakes, successes and struggles during those times. At the same time she made you hate her husband for being a dog and still appreciate the outstanding job he did as president. She never made excuses for him and weighed her decision carefully.

I had always assumed that any woman who stayed with her husband after something like the Lewinsky scandal simply had a strategy in mind. But after reading about the courtship and their partnership as parents and politicians, I've come to believe that she chose to forgive him. He was and is her best friend and he let her down. That failure simply wasn't strong enough to destroy a marriage based on friendship. I can understand that, as for the last 10 years my wife has been my best friend and I could see myself forgiving just about anything.

Overall, this really didn't seem like a campaign book, although it could have been an excellent way to reintroduce Mrs. Clinton to the American public. I think it would be a great read for Republicans and Democrats alike. She's not as good as her most adamant supporters claim, but she'll never be as bad as her harshest critics claim. Great book from Scribner of Simon & Schuster.

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