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Feb 23, 2011

Damon rated it:

A tough book to finish,and I imagine most who buy it do not, no matter their side of the political divide. What I find fascinating about Palin is her eagerness to put other people's word in her own mouth, and her inability to originate a single thoguht of her own.

I read this to "see what the buzz was about" and discovered that it was about 15 minutes too long. If you're a fan of the woman, you've heard all this. If you aren't it will drive you up a wall.

The th More...

1 comment like (8 people liked it)

Feb 01, 2011

Tasha rated it:

I really tried to be objective about this but it was hard...Palin writes just as she speaks, she does not mince words but she also lacks a certain aspect of professionalism I expect from politicians. Plus she relied to heavily on excerpts from other peoples writings/speeches to form her opinions and explain her thoughts. I expected more but then I should have known better...

1 comment like (4 people liked it)

Sep 26, 2011

Susan rated it:

I was anxious to read "America By Heart," Sarah Palin's second book. I like Sarah Palin, although I don't think she'll ever be President, since the media has "Dan Quayled" her. I liked her first book, "Going Rogue," which told her story. I didn't enjoy this one as much. It reads more like a series of editorials or campaign speeches. There are personal glimpses into Palin's life, but those are pretty fleeting. And a few caused me to roll my eyes a little: "(Daug More...

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Jun 17, 2011

Jeremy rated it:

I read this book because I'm doing research on the tea party. It's nowhere near as bad as I expected. There are some interesting musings on America's colonial and postcolonial times. However, throughout the book, there is an underlying fear of complexity, and an embracing of simplicity, which I found annoying, even when "Palin" (the book was coauthored by a professional writer) was telling me something I didn't know. She's unable to consider things in a nuanced way, unable to be fa More...

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Jan 26, 2011

Richard rated it:

I was pleasantly surprised by this newest book from Sarah Palin. First of all, I don't think the title really does the book justice. "America by Heart" said to me that this was going to be some sentimental paean to a Norman Rockwell ideal, and "Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag" had me thinking of Norman Vincent Peale. That is not this book at all. Instead, this is a thoughtful and concise reflection of American community and values. She refutes the concept that Ame More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 25, 2011

Kelsey rated it:

I read (and actually enjoyed) Palin's first book just to find out more about her and where she comes from. I like to know where people are coming from ESPECIALLY when I don't agree with them.

This book was a complete disaster. It was misrepresented as her own feelings on family, God, values, and patriotism. Not only was it contradictory from one sentence to the next, it was also more of a scrapbook of OTHER authors'/politicians'/speakers' works with a couple of paragraphs by Palin her More...

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Jun 16, 2011

Ryan rated it:

I picked up this book because it was on the Best Seller stand at the library—that, and someone I highly respect gave it a good review. If it wasn't for these two circumstances I don't think I would have ever flipped through its pages. Needless to say I’m glad I did get a chance to read it.

There was much between the covers I didn't particularly like (especially her rants about President Obama not thinking America is the greatest nation in the world, as well as some of her old fashioned, More...

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Jun 15, 2011

Michael rated it:

I was hesitant to review this book since Sarah Palin has the same effect on her detractors that a red cape has on a snorting, enraged bull. The fury Mrs. Palin elicits is matched only by the clawing,grasping defense her supporters offer each and every time she says or does something foolish. This woman, like her or hate her, is a sort of political lightening rod: she attracts tremendous amounts of energy from both sides of the political spectrum. I would also suggest that Palin is a bit of a Ror More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 12, 2010

Lauren rated it:

WELL.

america by heart is so much more aggressively christian and angry and uninformed than going rogue, it's hard to believe it was "written" by the same "woman." in hindsight, going rogue was actually pretty centrist and palin definitely played to all sides. NO MORE, AMERICA. she is able to effectively marginalize gays (by not mentioning them!), women (with sloppy definitions of feminism!), disabled (shilling her son!), scientists (i can't really even get into thi More...

6 comments like (5 people liked it)

Dec 11, 2011

Marsha rated it:

I read Sarah Palin’s previous book, “Going Rogue” in January 2010. That book was an autobiography leading up and including the time that Palin ran for Vice President in the 2008 election.

In this book, Sarah Palin has written a selection of essays about the ideals of America. Not all her thoughts I agreed with, particularly when she reiterated in a few of her chapters how wrong “pro-choice” is. However, despite her belief that it is NOT a woman’s right to choose abortion, she says More...

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Feb 11, 2011

Kelly rated it:

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I started it with pretty low expectations, but I found myself genuinely enjoying it and I feel like I'm coming away with a better understanding of my political perspective. I almost quit listening during the introduction because the intro was so bad, but I'm glad that I didn't.

Sarah Palin's writing style is pretty awful, but that should be no shock to anyone who's heard her speak. I also could have done without the passages where she attacks th More...

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May 27, 2011

Dan rated it:

Picked this one up at the local library b/c I was curious about how Ms. Palin approached this book. I was surprised by the sheer number of quotations and historical references in the book, most of which seemed fairly applied. She had kind words for Calvin Coolidge, among others, which is an easy way to get on my good side.

I do wish that Ms. Palin could hide her resentment of elites a bit more. Reagan would have described them as misguided; Palin seems to hint that they're just vindic More...

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Jan 02, 2011

Meggen rated it:

I loved that this book celebrated concepts I, too, value: family, faith, and flag. I love that Sarah talks about how we can and should cherish parenthood, and that every child has the right to be welcomed and loved in our world and our families.

I also appreciated this book's focus on faith--especially how important it was in the founding of this great country. As we move away from faith, our country is increasingly in jeopardy. Yet, remembering the divinely inspired principles the f More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 03, 2011

Wendall Paul rated it:

The interesting thing about Sarah Palin is she never speaks (or writes) in the same vernacular of what the public expects. She carries a common-speak to her addressing the public - either at speeches or in what she writes. What I found with this book was not an elevated, intellectual, aristocratic approach to issues (or, in the case of this book's theme, the essence of what made America America). That is the way people expect her to talk; she does not talk that way; she will never talk like a More...

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Sep 20, 2011

Susan rated it:

Sarah Palin is a common sense American and her book "America By Heart" reflects that description. In writing her thoughts on family, faith, and the flag, she includes substantial quotes and stories that are uniquely American. A favorite chapter of mine was "The Rise of the Mama Grizzlies." Only an Alaskan could come up with such a phrase "Mama Grizzlies." Sarah tells stories about Alaskan women Caroline Churchill and Crystal Brilliant Snow Jenne, tough frontiers More...

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Feb 01, 2011

Jessica rated it:

I was surprised that while reading this book I kept nodding my head in agreement. While many people criticize her choice of life and her intelligence, she really did the work and research to produce a well written book.

I found myself reading this book in 2 days. The references to the founding fathers and her knowledge of some of our more profound presidents gave hope towards a better future for tomorrow in America. She loves Ronald Reagan (I mean who doesn't) but she used his speeches, More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Oct 14, 2011

Daisy rated it:

I must say I have to disagree with some of the recent reviews posted on here regarding this book because I LOVED THIS BOOK! I was not a Sarah Palin supporter to begin with I picked up this book because of the title and because although I do not agree on everything Mrs. Palin stands for I do have American Pride in common with. I loved all the references she used throughout this book from historical people. Reading this book just made me feel so proud all over again to be an American and see all o More...

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Dec 16, 2010

Jessica rated it:

I found this book to be a great motivator to stick to things even when they are hard, to have the love of country that our founding father's had and to stand up for the things I believe, and to have faith in our God who will always be there for us. I wasn't a big Sarah Palin fan when I started this book, her voice annoys me and she's a little cheesy at times, but I think she's one tough cookie and I admire her for her dedication to America and her family values. I think this book gave me the boo More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 18, 2010

Frederic rated it:

"It was Amazing"...is the only possible response...it's a great read, Love Her or Hate Her, because you are getting the "real" Sarah(as she wants to be seen)not filtered through the LameStream Media...Is she the Queen Esther Redux of FOXNEWS fantasies or the Fascistoid Evita of MSNBC nightmares?...She Writes,You Decide...but someone please tell her that "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" was written by a Communist(defiant of HUAC,smeared and blacklisted)as a song of pra More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 09, 2011

Jennifer H rated it:

I started out, and I was sort of enjoying reading this book. I like the excerpts from other books that she provided and discussed. I had thought that I was enjoying more than her last book. But then, like the last book, it got preachy towards the end. I don't know what it is - that she gets so into saying what's on her mind that she does a data dump at the end or what. I have to say that it was an interesting read. But unfortunately I couldn't finish the conclusion at the end. I enjoyed t More...

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Aug 11, 2011

Danielle rated it:

I usually prefer fiction, but this book was just incredible to read. So uplifting & inspiring!! Admittedly, I thought it would take away to get through being a politically oriented book, but I breezed right through it, it was so down-to-earth so easy to relate to. I loved getting to know Sarah better and read her beautiful quotes, stories and interpretations of where our country has been and where it is now and where we hope to be in the future. She is a sharp cookie & I'm so glad that I stu More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 12, 2011

Melinda rated it:

Full Disclosure, I really like Sarah Palin. I may not always agree with everything she says, but I like her. This book is very well written. The chapters each deal with different topics, and her writing style has definitely improved from her memoir. I am about half-way through this book and so far I am really enjoying it. If you don't like Sarah Palin, or you don't agree with conservative principals you will probably not like this book. But if you like Palin, or just want to see what your More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 23, 2011

Karen rated it:

At the risk of creating a backlash of criticism, I was deeply moved by this book. Another reader claimed Palin had only others' words, but that was exactly what she was reflecting upon. Having been all across the US during both her political campaign and book tour, she had the opportunity to cull from so many she met (and has read) reflections on what it means to be an American. We are free to disagree with her opinions specifically because we are in America. I fail to see why simply being will More...

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Mar 18, 2011

Cassidy rated it:

From a reader of memoirs stand-point, she “quoted” historical figures too often and asked too many rhetorical questions. Evidence is well and good until it starts taking up pages where you could be saying your own words, as that should be the point of writing a book. If I wanted to read pages and pages of John F. Kennedy or Calvin Coolidge I would read their work.

Her chapter on “feminism” attempted to define feminism with a definition that even a junior in college could tell was incoh More...

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Dec 30, 2010

Amy rated it:

Very interesting!

All politicians have agendas and Sarah Palin is no exception. What I got from reading this is: we should be proud of the USA. We do not owe anybody any apologies for our country. America is not a perfect place. We have made mistakes and allowed some terrible things in our history, but given the sordid historical record of virtually every other country on the planet, we are doing pretty well.

At home, President Obama continues to reject American exceptionalism More...

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Feb 17, 2011

Karen & Gerard rated it:

There is really no grey area when it comes to Sarah Palin. You either like her or you don’t. I do. America By Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag is her second book; her first was Going Rogue: An American Life. She touches on a number of subjects. The chapters of this book that I enjoyed most were: “Why They Serve,” “The Rise Of The Mama Grizzlies,” “I Hear America Praying,” and “Common Sense Constitutional Conservatism.” I liked both her books.

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Nov 17, 2011

Emily rated it:

I don't normally jump at the chance to read anything nonfiction or memoire-esque (especially if politics are involved), but I can't say that I didn't enjoy Sarah Palin's newest book, America By Heart. Granted, it took me about four months to finish, simply because I never found myself completely engrossed. But I believe that her words of wisdom regarding freedom, faith, and family are definitely worth taking into consideration by both liberals and conservatives alike.

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Oct 02, 2011

Mike rated it:

This book didn't seem as personal as her first book, in my opinion. This book gives Sarah's views on what shapes her opinions and cites a number of various sources. She brings up good points of discussion, but then she defers to another on every occasion! Every other page is a quotation! The linear justification is off, but you can tell when it's Sarah's words and when it's a quote! A little disappointed but worth the read.

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Nov 28, 2010

Catherine rated it:

This book was wonderfully uplifting because in it, Sarah has included quotes and in some cases whole sections of speeches and documents which is a good reminder of the values on which our country was built. I think that all too often people are forget what makes our country great and I like being reminded that we are blessed to live in a country with the freedoms and rights that others on the outside covet.

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 27, 2010

Lain rated it:

Another great installation in a growing body of work by an incomparable woman. You may not agree with all her positions (and I don't), but you cannot argue that she is a woman of principle. She has done more to save this country and to further the equality of women than most of the so-called feminists. I enjoyed seeing this glimpse into her world, and will be awaiting more from her.

0 comments like (4 people liked it)