What do you think?
Rate this book
Beyond Charlottesville: Taking a Stand Against White Nationalism
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
The former governor of Virginia tells the behind-the-scenes story of the violent “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville—and shows how we can prevent other Charlottesvilles from happening.
When Governor Terry McAuliffe hung up the phone on the afternoon of the violent “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, he was sure Donald Trump would do the right thing as president: condemn the white supremacists who’d descended on the college town and who’d caused McAuliffe to declare a state of emergency that morning. He didn’t. Instead Trump declared there was “hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides.” Trump was condemned from many sides himself, even by many Republicans, but the damage was done. He’d excused and thus egged on the terrorists at the moment when he could have stopped them in their tracks.
In Beyond Charlottesville, McAuliffe looks at the forces and events that led to the tragedy in Charlottesville, including the vicious murder of Heather Heyer and the death of two state troopers in a helicopter accident. He doesn’t whitewash Virginia history and discusses a KKK protest over the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee. He takes a hard real-time behind-the-scenes look at the actions of everyone on that fateful August 12, including himself, to see what could have been done. He lays out what was done afterwards to prevent future Charlottesvilles—and what still needs to be done as America in general and Virginia in particular continue to grapple with their history of racism.
Beyond Charlottesville will be the definitive account of an infamous chapter in our history, seared indelibly into memory, sure to be cited for years as a crucial reference point in the long struggle to fight racism, extremism and hate.
The former governor of Virginia tells the behind-the-scenes story of the violent “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville—and shows how we can prevent other Charlottesvilles from happening.
When Governor Terry McAuliffe hung up the phone on the afternoon of the violent “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, he was sure Donald Trump would do the right thing as president: condemn the white supremacists who’d descended on the college town and who’d caused McAuliffe to declare a state of emergency that morning. He didn’t. Instead Trump declared there was “hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides.” Trump was condemned from many sides himself, even by many Republicans, but the damage was done. He’d excused and thus egged on the terrorists at the moment when he could have stopped them in their tracks.
In Beyond Charlottesville, McAuliffe looks at the forces and events that led to the tragedy in Charlottesville, including the vicious murder of Heather Heyer and the death of two state troopers in a helicopter accident. He doesn’t whitewash Virginia history and discusses a KKK protest over the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee. He takes a hard real-time behind-the-scenes look at the actions of everyone on that fateful August 12, including himself, to see what could have been done. He lays out what was done afterwards to prevent future Charlottesvilles—and what still needs to be done as America in general and Virginia in particular continue to grapple with their history of racism.
Beyond Charlottesville will be the definitive account of an infamous chapter in our history, seared indelibly into memory, sure to be cited for years as a crucial reference point in the long struggle to fight racism, extremism and hate.
192 pages, Hardcover
Published July 30, 2019
27 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
August 5, 2019
I was there for the August 12, 2017 white supremacist rally and car attack in Charlottesville. Former Governor McAuliffe’s portrayal of the events that weekend are grossly inaccurate, and his decision to donate 1/2 the proceeds of the book to the police is beyond offensive. The police were responsible for terrorizing victims that day (and every day) and contributed greatly to the pain and suffering that survivors are still dealing with today.
The summer of 2017 in Charlottesville was not just a political moment for out of touch politicians to use to prop themselves up. These were real events that happened in the lives of real people, some of whom still don’t have the money to pay ongoing medical bills from injuries suffered that day. Shame on Terry McAuliffe for not listening to or caring about survivors.
The summer of 2017 in Charlottesville was not just a political moment for out of touch politicians to use to prop themselves up. These were real events that happened in the lives of real people, some of whom still don’t have the money to pay ongoing medical bills from injuries suffered that day. Shame on Terry McAuliffe for not listening to or caring about survivors.
August 5, 2019
I was there in Charlottesville, both on July 8th and August 12th. McAuliffe made decisions that put us in harms way. (For example, calling in the National Guard. It made the situation *so much* more dangerous for those of us showing up against this hate.) Further, for him to say that if we had just stayed home, everything would have been okay is plainly false. We MUST show up against this hate. Ignoring it doesn't make it go away. It is beyond gross that he is using this book to build his political cache and it is gross that half the money from this book is going to the VSP, the very people who called us "motherfuckers" (it's part of a Federal case record). Do not buy this book. Do not read this book. Instead, take the money you would have spent on this book and donate it to the Charlottesville fund. https://www.cacfonline.org/heal_charl...
September 8, 2019
The premise of the book sounds good, but I felt like I read a much different book than was promised. This is more a memoir of McAuliffe's political career, focusing mostly on what he had achieved in office as the governor of Virginia.
It becomes clear very quickly that McAuliffe can do no wrong in his own eyes. He spends the first part of the book talking himself up at every opportunity and touting his accomplishments. He namedrops frequently, and it became quite repetitive and annoying.
The second part of the book deals with what happened in Charlottesville during the "Unite the Right" weekend. McAuliffe praises himself and the state police without reservation (although the police's actions in the rallies were suspect - why were nonviolent protesters being teargassed while later that night people who were flaunting the law allowed to continue in these activities without the police making a peep?). He is quick to lay blame on anyone and everyone else - the counterprotesters for not staying home, the ACLU (he really hates the ACLU, it seems), the judiciary for not siding with him, and the Charlottesville local government.
The last couple of chapters deal do offer some ideas of what can be done to combat white nationalism, but it feels like too little, too late. Even most of these "ideas" are actually just a regurgitation of what he has done in office.
The entire book feels like an attempt from McAliffe to set himself for running for a higher office. I mean, seriously, this guy compares himself to Nelson Mandela, Robert F. Kennedy, and John Lewis. I almost gagged a little. Self-serving much?
My verdict: meh. This isn't the book I was expecting, and I got sick of McAliffe's pontificating pretty quickly.
It becomes clear very quickly that McAuliffe can do no wrong in his own eyes. He spends the first part of the book talking himself up at every opportunity and touting his accomplishments. He namedrops frequently, and it became quite repetitive and annoying.
The second part of the book deals with what happened in Charlottesville during the "Unite the Right" weekend. McAuliffe praises himself and the state police without reservation (although the police's actions in the rallies were suspect - why were nonviolent protesters being teargassed while later that night people who were flaunting the law allowed to continue in these activities without the police making a peep?). He is quick to lay blame on anyone and everyone else - the counterprotesters for not staying home, the ACLU (he really hates the ACLU, it seems), the judiciary for not siding with him, and the Charlottesville local government.
The last couple of chapters deal do offer some ideas of what can be done to combat white nationalism, but it feels like too little, too late. Even most of these "ideas" are actually just a regurgitation of what he has done in office.
The entire book feels like an attempt from McAliffe to set himself for running for a higher office. I mean, seriously, this guy compares himself to Nelson Mandela, Robert F. Kennedy, and John Lewis. I almost gagged a little. Self-serving much?
My verdict: meh. This isn't the book I was expecting, and I got sick of McAliffe's pontificating pretty quickly.
January 22, 2021
A very important story about the White Nationalist rally and murderous behavior. Three people died.
McAuliffe describes the build-up before the rally, the activities at the rally, ammunition, counterprotestors, attempts to control the activity, persons involved, the car violence, and the helicopter crash. He then explains the work done after the event, changes in regulations, and attempts to maintain a more safe environment.
I found it a worthy read.
McAuliffe describes the build-up before the rally, the activities at the rally, ammunition, counterprotestors, attempts to control the activity, persons involved, the car violence, and the helicopter crash. He then explains the work done after the event, changes in regulations, and attempts to maintain a more safe environment.
I found it a worthy read.
August 6, 2019
Read reviews from survivors- this book and the fact that McAuliffe wrote it are a slap in the face to those who actually lived through it.
October 26, 2019
Beyond Charlottesville: Taking a Stand Against White Nationalism by Terry McAuliffe
“Beyond Charlottesville” captures the behind-the-scenes events behind the infamous “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville and what we can do to prevent similar occurrences. Former Governor Terry McAuliffe takes the reader to the events that led to the tragedy in Charlottesville. This insightful 186-page book includes the following twelve chapters: 1. A Virginian by Choice, 2. Voting Rights, 3. A New President, 4. The Robert E. Lee Statue, 5. Preparing for Trouble, 6. Friday, August 11, 7. Saturday Morning, August 12, 8. Saturday Afternoon, August 12, 9. Sunday, August 13, 10. Immediate Fallout, 11. Practical Lessons Learned, and 12. Rallying Cry.
Positives:
1. A well-written narrative. Conversational tone.
2. An interesting topic, the infamous “Unite the Right” rally and what we can do to avoid future similar events.
3. McAuliffe is genuine; his emotions are conveyed clearly in his words. He comes across as a caring and passionate man.
4. The failure of President Trump to lead the effort against white nationalism. Observe McAuliffe’s strong words. “His staff had given him the words to sound presidential, the words to bring the country together. Instead, Donald Trump chose that day to come out as a white supremacist. He chose that day to come out as a dyed-in-the-wool, unapologetic racist. It was his coming-out party that day; no more room for any doubt that this man was at heart a racist and a hater.”
5. The topic of racism. “Shockingly, having a black man in the White House enflamed bigotry in many parts of the country. I never saw this coming, I’ll tell you right now. It’s so hard for me to understand. But to these racists, having a black man in the White House was an affront, and the Obama years tragically unleashed an ugly racism that had been smoldering under the surface, as we would come to learn.”
6. Restoring voting rights battle. “In April 2014, we streamlined the process to make it easier for people to apply for restored rights and then in June 2015, we restored voting rights for people who owed outstanding court costs or fees.”
7. Ugly historical racism revisited. “I told the assembled crowd that Senator Glass had stood at this very capitol in 1902 and announced he was rigging the Virginia Constitution to discriminate against African Americans. I reminded people that Glass had said: “I’m doing it to eliminate the darkey as a force in Virginia politics.””
8. The demonization of foreigners by Trump’s administration. “On Friday, January 27, he’d issued an executive order seeking to block citizens from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya, and Somalia from entering the United States for the next ninety days without “extreme vetting,” a move that produced instant fear, chaos, and consternation. No one knew what it meant, least of all the authorities who had to enforce it.”
9. The Robert E. Lee statue fight. “Robert E. Lee’s great-granddaughter spoke at the dedication of the statue in May 1924, remembering her ancestor as a man who she said represented “the moral greatness of the Old South.” For her, the Civil War was not about slavery; it was about differing “interpretations of our Constitution” and differing “ideals of democracy.” She was wrong. It was about slavery and it was about treason, pure and simple, and we know the deep and lasting damage that comes from running away from that central truth.”
10. Goes behind the scenes to describe the concerns and preparation for the trouble ahead of the infamous rally. “The more we learned about what to expect from the “Unite the Right” rally, the less we liked it. The Fusion Center analysts monitoring online activity found out that these extremist groups were going to be coming from far and wide.”
11. Interesting statements. “The First Amendment is not there to protect incitement to violence.”
12. The challenges faced. “Apparently, the Charlottesville Police Department knew at that point that there was going to be a torchlight rally that night, possibly near the UVA Rotunda, and neglected to share that information.”
13. Insightful information. “The key to controlling a protest is always to keep the different groups separated.”
14. The criminal act described. “Twenty-year old James Alex Fields Jr. of Maumee, Ohio, had driven his Dodge Challenger at high speed and rammed into a crowd of people near Emancipation Park, and then thrown it into reverse and sped off.”
15. Dealing with racism. “You can’t fight racism if you don’t call out racists. You can’t condemn right-wing fanatics if you can’t call a Nazi a Nazi and a white supremacist a white supremacist.”
16. The fallout of the tragic events. Hateful words. “The following Friday, Kessler went on Twitter and sent out one of the more vile social-media posts I’ve ever seen: “Heather Heyer was a fat, disgusting Communist. Communists have killed 94 million. Looks like it was payback time.”
17. Lessons learned. “K-Sue Park, a UCLA law professor, weighed in with a New York Times op-ed headlined THE ACLU NEED TO RETHINK FREE SPEECH. “By insisting on a narrow reading of the First Amendment, the organization provides free legal support to hate-based causes.””
18. Provides a rallying cry moving forward. “My message to everybody is: Stop being comfortable. Stop believing we’ve come so far. As Charlottesville has proven, we haven’t.”
Negatives:
1. Limited scope. It’s practically all about the infamous “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville.
2. No links to notes or sources.
3. Other than Photo Inserts, no supplementary material provided.
4. Missed opportunities to provide more substantive information.
In summary, if you are looking for an accurate account of the “Unite the Rally” from former Governor McAuliffe’s perspective then this book will meet your expectations. However, the book is really limited in scope. It is strictly about the behind-the-scenes events that transpired and veers little from of it. McAuliffe’s words are uplifting and genuine but I wanted more technical insights and history about white nationalism. Worth the read but set your expectations to a limited scope for more substance on this important topic see below in my further recommendations.
Further recommendations: “Rising Out of Hatred” by Eli Saslow, “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo, “White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide” by Carol Anderson Ph.D., “White American Youth” by Christian Picciolini, “Tears We Cannot Stop” by Michael Eric Dyson, “Under the Affluence” by Tim Wise, “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander, “The End of White Christian America” by Robert P. Jones, “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates, “White Trash” by Nancy Isenberg, and “Slavery by Another Name” by Douglas A. Blackmon.
“Beyond Charlottesville” captures the behind-the-scenes events behind the infamous “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville and what we can do to prevent similar occurrences. Former Governor Terry McAuliffe takes the reader to the events that led to the tragedy in Charlottesville. This insightful 186-page book includes the following twelve chapters: 1. A Virginian by Choice, 2. Voting Rights, 3. A New President, 4. The Robert E. Lee Statue, 5. Preparing for Trouble, 6. Friday, August 11, 7. Saturday Morning, August 12, 8. Saturday Afternoon, August 12, 9. Sunday, August 13, 10. Immediate Fallout, 11. Practical Lessons Learned, and 12. Rallying Cry.
Positives:
1. A well-written narrative. Conversational tone.
2. An interesting topic, the infamous “Unite the Right” rally and what we can do to avoid future similar events.
3. McAuliffe is genuine; his emotions are conveyed clearly in his words. He comes across as a caring and passionate man.
4. The failure of President Trump to lead the effort against white nationalism. Observe McAuliffe’s strong words. “His staff had given him the words to sound presidential, the words to bring the country together. Instead, Donald Trump chose that day to come out as a white supremacist. He chose that day to come out as a dyed-in-the-wool, unapologetic racist. It was his coming-out party that day; no more room for any doubt that this man was at heart a racist and a hater.”
5. The topic of racism. “Shockingly, having a black man in the White House enflamed bigotry in many parts of the country. I never saw this coming, I’ll tell you right now. It’s so hard for me to understand. But to these racists, having a black man in the White House was an affront, and the Obama years tragically unleashed an ugly racism that had been smoldering under the surface, as we would come to learn.”
6. Restoring voting rights battle. “In April 2014, we streamlined the process to make it easier for people to apply for restored rights and then in June 2015, we restored voting rights for people who owed outstanding court costs or fees.”
7. Ugly historical racism revisited. “I told the assembled crowd that Senator Glass had stood at this very capitol in 1902 and announced he was rigging the Virginia Constitution to discriminate against African Americans. I reminded people that Glass had said: “I’m doing it to eliminate the darkey as a force in Virginia politics.””
8. The demonization of foreigners by Trump’s administration. “On Friday, January 27, he’d issued an executive order seeking to block citizens from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya, and Somalia from entering the United States for the next ninety days without “extreme vetting,” a move that produced instant fear, chaos, and consternation. No one knew what it meant, least of all the authorities who had to enforce it.”
9. The Robert E. Lee statue fight. “Robert E. Lee’s great-granddaughter spoke at the dedication of the statue in May 1924, remembering her ancestor as a man who she said represented “the moral greatness of the Old South.” For her, the Civil War was not about slavery; it was about differing “interpretations of our Constitution” and differing “ideals of democracy.” She was wrong. It was about slavery and it was about treason, pure and simple, and we know the deep and lasting damage that comes from running away from that central truth.”
10. Goes behind the scenes to describe the concerns and preparation for the trouble ahead of the infamous rally. “The more we learned about what to expect from the “Unite the Right” rally, the less we liked it. The Fusion Center analysts monitoring online activity found out that these extremist groups were going to be coming from far and wide.”
11. Interesting statements. “The First Amendment is not there to protect incitement to violence.”
12. The challenges faced. “Apparently, the Charlottesville Police Department knew at that point that there was going to be a torchlight rally that night, possibly near the UVA Rotunda, and neglected to share that information.”
13. Insightful information. “The key to controlling a protest is always to keep the different groups separated.”
14. The criminal act described. “Twenty-year old James Alex Fields Jr. of Maumee, Ohio, had driven his Dodge Challenger at high speed and rammed into a crowd of people near Emancipation Park, and then thrown it into reverse and sped off.”
15. Dealing with racism. “You can’t fight racism if you don’t call out racists. You can’t condemn right-wing fanatics if you can’t call a Nazi a Nazi and a white supremacist a white supremacist.”
16. The fallout of the tragic events. Hateful words. “The following Friday, Kessler went on Twitter and sent out one of the more vile social-media posts I’ve ever seen: “Heather Heyer was a fat, disgusting Communist. Communists have killed 94 million. Looks like it was payback time.”
17. Lessons learned. “K-Sue Park, a UCLA law professor, weighed in with a New York Times op-ed headlined THE ACLU NEED TO RETHINK FREE SPEECH. “By insisting on a narrow reading of the First Amendment, the organization provides free legal support to hate-based causes.””
18. Provides a rallying cry moving forward. “My message to everybody is: Stop being comfortable. Stop believing we’ve come so far. As Charlottesville has proven, we haven’t.”
Negatives:
1. Limited scope. It’s practically all about the infamous “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville.
2. No links to notes or sources.
3. Other than Photo Inserts, no supplementary material provided.
4. Missed opportunities to provide more substantive information.
In summary, if you are looking for an accurate account of the “Unite the Rally” from former Governor McAuliffe’s perspective then this book will meet your expectations. However, the book is really limited in scope. It is strictly about the behind-the-scenes events that transpired and veers little from of it. McAuliffe’s words are uplifting and genuine but I wanted more technical insights and history about white nationalism. Worth the read but set your expectations to a limited scope for more substance on this important topic see below in my further recommendations.
Further recommendations: “Rising Out of Hatred” by Eli Saslow, “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo, “White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide” by Carol Anderson Ph.D., “White American Youth” by Christian Picciolini, “Tears We Cannot Stop” by Michael Eric Dyson, “Under the Affluence” by Tim Wise, “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander, “The End of White Christian America” by Robert P. Jones, “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates, “White Trash” by Nancy Isenberg, and “Slavery by Another Name” by Douglas A. Blackmon.
August 27, 2019
I have mixed feelings about this book. It is an interesting account of the neo-Nazi protests in Charlottesville in August of 2017 and the events that led up to it, from the point of view of McAuliffe, who was governor of Virgania at the time. However chapter 1 - about his run for governor and election to the office - just left a bad taste in my mouth. It read like a campaign pamphlet, particularly the quotes praising Terry McAuliffe that seemed to be inserted anywhere they would fit, usually just after he had mentioned the person in question. I have to wonder whether this was originally written with an eye to a presidential run, rather than for the stated purpose, despite my feeling that this is an issue about which he does care. That first chapter easily could have been left out or at least shortened considerably if he felt that he had to provide some context. The tone of the rest also seems self-serving to an extent, especially since in his telling the state authorities bear no responsibility for anything that went wrong - only the city authorities, the ACLU, etc.
In addition, the title is a misnomer, since only the last couple of chapters are really about the aftermath and actions that were taken (again, mostly by him, in his telling) and can be taken in response to the threat of white nationalism.
In addition, the title is a misnomer, since only the last couple of chapters are really about the aftermath and actions that were taken (again, mostly by him, in his telling) and can be taken in response to the threat of white nationalism.
August 5, 2019
I'm also a survivor of the Charlottesville August 2017 terrorist attack. Terry McAuliffe didn't take a stand against white nationalism before the white supremacist attacked us, and he sure as hell isn't taking a stand against white nationalism now.
I backup the statements of my fellow survivors:
“Former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe’s most recent book is a daft attempt at anti-racism and serves as an absolute characterization of the white savior complex. He not only fails to mention his moral obligation to inhibit the convening of the largest, armed, racist, white nationalist militia group gathering in decades, but he openly idolizes the police officers who participated in and actively endorsed violence by their refusal to intervene and protect anti-racist activists. McAuliffe represents and speaks for white liberal moderates who intellectually understand that racism is wrong but who do not want to do any of the heavy lifting associated with actual change. Neither McAuliffe nor the police should profit one red cent from the book; survivors of the car attack that he failed to prevent are still in need and are much more worthy of support.
— Anna Malinowski, Constance Young, Rosia Parker, and Star Peterson”
I backup the statements of my fellow survivors:
“Former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe’s most recent book is a daft attempt at anti-racism and serves as an absolute characterization of the white savior complex. He not only fails to mention his moral obligation to inhibit the convening of the largest, armed, racist, white nationalist militia group gathering in decades, but he openly idolizes the police officers who participated in and actively endorsed violence by their refusal to intervene and protect anti-racist activists. McAuliffe represents and speaks for white liberal moderates who intellectually understand that racism is wrong but who do not want to do any of the heavy lifting associated with actual change. Neither McAuliffe nor the police should profit one red cent from the book; survivors of the car attack that he failed to prevent are still in need and are much more worthy of support.
— Anna Malinowski, Constance Young, Rosia Parker, and Star Peterson”
December 8, 2019
It's true that those of us with White privilege will never truly understand what it's like to be a person of color in this racist society, and it's also true that we can never again be silent about the existing racism in this country. Now is the time to act. Act with love and tolerance.
May 30, 2020
Meh.
This was just a summary of information that was already available to the public. I felt there were several times he could have gone into more depth about things that happened leading up to the protests. For example, why did the UVa president not notify any law enforcement about the protest she knew was going to happen on University grounds? Why was she not held accountable for that? Why was more not said about the City of Charlottesville not listening to all of the suggestions that the State Police were providing?
I feel like there are still a lot of questions that have not been answered.
This was just a summary of information that was already available to the public. I felt there were several times he could have gone into more depth about things that happened leading up to the protests. For example, why did the UVa president not notify any law enforcement about the protest she knew was going to happen on University grounds? Why was she not held accountable for that? Why was more not said about the City of Charlottesville not listening to all of the suggestions that the State Police were providing?
I feel like there are still a lot of questions that have not been answered.
October 21, 2019
As a book recounting the events of Charlottesville in 2017 from the hindsight vantage point of Terry McAuliffe, the governor at the time, the book was interesting. As a book representing a "Taking a Stand Against White Nationalism" and moving "Beyond Charlottesville", it felt disingenuous and disappointing. And while I get that authors don't always get to choose the names for their book, this title promised much and delivered little. McAuliffe is useful in providing context for how he navigates the complex issues rising up to and the aftermath, spending ample time reaffirming that Virginia is (supposedly) no place for white supremacy and that the President of the United States failed at his job to call out white supremacy in a clear, unequivocal manner. So, at the end of the day, McAuliffe does the bare minimum of what we should expect from our leaders and it's disappointing that bare-minimum is sufficient enough to get such accolades. That is, accolades for speaking out again the most egregious forms of white supremacy shouldn't be grounds for a book-deal; they should be the basic level of decency we have in our leaders.
So while I appreciate McAuliffe doing what he did, I still feel like this book was a quick way to make a buck, launch the next stage of his career, shine the light on him or what have you, but not really showing and articulating what it means to stand against white nationalism. The book attempted to be both memoir and call to action but doesn't really offer both. There's no insightful revelatory experience for McAuliffe and the final advice is light on changing or addressing the cultural and social elements that created Charlotteville and the numerous racist acts that happen daily. If you are looking for a book that helps to make sense of what happened in Charlotteville and provides a meaningful guide for moving forward--this is not that book.
So while I appreciate McAuliffe doing what he did, I still feel like this book was a quick way to make a buck, launch the next stage of his career, shine the light on him or what have you, but not really showing and articulating what it means to stand against white nationalism. The book attempted to be both memoir and call to action but doesn't really offer both. There's no insightful revelatory experience for McAuliffe and the final advice is light on changing or addressing the cultural and social elements that created Charlotteville and the numerous racist acts that happen daily. If you are looking for a book that helps to make sense of what happened in Charlotteville and provides a meaningful guide for moving forward--this is not that book.
May 11, 2024
AN INSIGHTFUL (YET FRIGHTENING) PERSPECTIVE ON THE ‘UNITE THE RIGHT’ RALLY
Terry McAuliffe was Governor of Virginia from 2018-2018. He wrote in the introductory section of this 2019 book about the events of August 2017, “When I hung up with President Trump that day, there was no question in my mind that he was going to do the right thing… I was convinced that he was going to clearly condemn and white supremacists and neo-Nazis who had come out of the shadows to march through the streets of Charlottesville… in broad daylight, armed and dangerous, screaming some of the most obscene, sickening language I’ve ever heard… During our short call, I briefed the president on the dangerous situation we’d been confronting on the ground on Charlottesville… I’d known Donald Trump for years. I’d golfed with him. I’d dined with him, and as governor… I’d dealt with him often during his presidency… I truly believed that this president… was about to show that he could grow in office… He said he would be going in front of the cameras right now… to address the tragedy of what happened in Charlottesville… he was going to come out against these white supremacists brandishing Confederate flags and neo-Nazis with swastikas on their shields…. I thanked the president for his support…” (Pg. 1-2)
He continues, “I kept waiting, and still there was no Trump press conference… I can’t account for the missing hours. I’m sure we’ll read later in someone’s memoir about how one of the ideologues in the White House cornered the president and told him he couldn’t alienate the hard-core racists. That would be at odds with their strategic political game plan… ‘We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence,’ he began, but then added… ‘on many sides…’ On MANY sides? The president and I had only talked about one side, the side with the heavily armed white supremacists and neo-Nazis on a mission of hate and violence, not the other side with peaceful protesters taking a stand against hate and division… His staff had given him the words to sound presidential, the words to bring the country together. Instead, Donald Trump chose that day to come out as a white supremacists… as a dyed-in-the-wool, unapologetic racist… no more room for doubt that his man was at heart a racist and a hater.” (Pg. 2-4)
He goes on, “I knew I needed to speak out… ‘I have a message to all the white supremacists and the Nazis who came into Charlottesville today… Go home and never come back. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth… You pretend that you are patriots but you are anything but a patriot. You are a bunch of cowards… You came here today to hurt people. And you did hurt people. My message is clear: We are stronger than you… You will not succeed. There is no place for you here, there is no place for you in America.’ … Yes, we do need to study that weekend… We need to study and remember and fight racism, together. That’s why I’m writing this book… [I] figured if I … don’t go back over it now, and get it right, in detail, I worry that so much of what happened will be lost. I can’t let that happen… I will take you through the tragic events of that weekend… to move beyond Charlottesville… is the work that is required of us.” (Pg. 5-6)
He explains, “I never whitewashed Virginia’s sordid history. In June 2015, I used my executive authority to remove the Confederate flag from Virginia license plates. I would give tours of the governor’s mansion and make sure to include a visit to the former slave quarters…. What was shocking to me… was the open way that racists in positions of power went about pushing back against voting rights of African Americans in the early twentieth century. They were blatant in their racism.” (Pg. 26)
He observes, “Donald Trump, as most of us knew, was dangerous… Trump was overrated as a businessman with a strong of bankruptcies behind him… Trump was famous in New York for always stiffing the little guy and never paying his bills… Trump ran for president like he was filming another season of ‘The Apprentice,’ and it worked…. He bluffed and bullied his way through it all… Trump was going to do whatever it took to win… he’d have run as a Democrat, but the field was too competitive… so instead he pretended he was a Republican. He wasn’t a Republican. He was a Trump.” (Pg. 37-38)
Of Trump’s immigration enforcement, he comments, “I asked the secretary [of Homeland Security] to explain the criteria ICE agents were relying on to decide when and where and how to detain people for questioning. I was furious about what the Trump administration was doing because it wasn’t legal, an also because of the havoc it was wreaking on the people of Virginia. So many businesses in Northern Virginia were owned by foreign-born individuals. Many of these individuals were scared to death… they were going to get arrested and deported.” (Pg. 42-43)
He recounts that Jason Kessler “filed paperwork… applying for a permit for a ‘Unite the Right’ rally at the Robert E. Lee statue… Kessler’s scheme was to pull white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and other right-wing extremists from all over the country to converge on Charlottesville in broad daylight… the City of Charlottesville[‘s] … permitting process was pathetic. The city had a rule that … if someone submitted a permit and no action had been taken to approve or reject … within ten business days, then it would automatically be approved. No action was taken by the city… No attempt was made to set a limit on the number of people or the number of hours. No restrictions were imposed on the types of weapons that could be brought… The permit was automatically approved … without a peep out of Charlottesville authorities.” (Pg. 56-57)
He observes that “we got an early taste of what was to come when on July 8 the Ku Klux Klan held a rally in Charlottesville. Fifty … KKK held a rally… counterprotesters turned out in huge numbers, easily twenty times the KKK contingent, and so did the Charlottesville Police Department… We learned valuable lessons that day… There was a backlash against the arrests and use of tear gas against people standing up to the KKK… We didn’t want a lot of counterprotesters out there, since their presence in large numbers only led to escalation. At the same time, having these racist hatemongers marching in broad daylight was naturally going to stir up some strong reactions in people.” (Pg. 60-61)
There was a torchlight rally at the University the day before the ‘Unite the Right’ event, and political scientist Larry Sabato reported, “The neo-Nazis were youngish---teens to thirties---overwhelmingly male… the fighting broke out, with the Nazis punching and using their torches to stab at a relative handful of students and others who had decided to make a stand… The Nazis got completely out of control---yet the police… did nothing.” (Pg. 82)
Of the rally itself, he recounts, “This was the largest white-nationalist gathering in the United States in decades, and the neo-Nazis and other fanatics were giddy. They were having the time of their lives… Naturally, David Duke, the former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan was there. He grinned and beamed to well-wishers. ‘This represents a turning point for the people of this country,’ Duke said that morning. ‘We are determined to take our country back… That’s why we voted for Donald Trump…’ The crowd loved it. They were whipped up into a frenzied state… The words these marchers were spewing were unbelievable. Profane, disgusting, infuriating… There were so many different groups and uniforms … There were huge Confederate flags and … and swastika of the Nazis… what we were seeing … was more or less … what we’d expected. When you’ve got a thousand people gathered, carrying sticks, many of them spoiling for a fight, there are going to be incidents.” (Pg. 90-92) But the next day “Alex Fields Jr. … rammed into a crowd of people … We did not yet know that thirty-two-year-old Heather Heyer, a peaceful protester, had been murdered by this act of domestic terrorism.” (Pg. 98-99)
Before a press conference, he mused, “I was angry and I was sad, but I knew the whole world was looking at our state, wondering, ‘Who ARE you?’ I needed to tell them who we were. And I needed to call these people out for who they were… Trump had spoken and come up small. It fell to me to speak for what people everywhere were feeling about the tragic day…” (Pg. 103-104)
He notes, “Charlottesville did at least show that … People can be held accountable for their deeds. That’s especially true when they congregate in board daylight… and assault passive bystanders, all surrounded by … smartphone cameras taking nonstop pictures and videos. Those pictures and videos immediately went up on social media. Alt-right protesters who had lived double lives soon found they could no longer hide from whom they really were. They had exposed themselves---and the world… shuddered, and said, no.” (Pg. 123)
Of Trump’s comments the next day, he records, “Talking to reporters at Trump Tower, he said, ‘I think there is blame on both sides. You had a group on one side that was bad. You had a group on the other side that was also very violent. Nobody wants to say that. I’ll say it right now… You also had some very find people on both sides.’ So much for walking back his earlier racist comments… David Duke… immediately praised Trump’s remarks.” (Pg. 125)
He marvels, “Part of the horror of that weekend was how brazen these racists were. It was unbelievable that weekend to see so many young men showing their faces and engaging in such vile acts. They didn’t cover their faces, even though they knew they were being photographed, and seemed to welcome the attention.” (Pg. 127) He summarizes the aftermath, “The alt-right movement was in disarray, with so many of its leaders in jail, sniping at each other, or leaving the movement---but its notoriety still had a toxic influence.” (Pg. 133)
He concludes, “Charlottesville was a reminder that we need to keep embracing change, not for show but as a daily, constant progression… We’re never going to move forward unless we acknowledge that institutional racism exists. I believe that if we work together we can move beyond our racist past.” (Pg. 147) He continues, “Racism has been deeply ingrained in the fabric of our country… and people have tried to shove it under the rug… citing progress… Charlottesville provided more than a jolt. It was a lightning bolt. Charlottesville lit up the scourge of racism and hatred of others as it really is, in the here and now.” (Pg. 158) He adds, “I’d like to thank all the peaceful protesters who came out in Charlottesville to oppose hate. That wasn’t comfortable. You won’t feel comfortable when you’re out there working for change… a bunch of white people sitting around together trying to … talk a problem to death … doesn’t bring change. Action brings change. Do something. Do it now.” (Pg. 164-165)
This book will be absolute “must reading” for anyone wanting to know more about the Charlottesville events, or about the various extremist factions and people in this country.
Terry McAuliffe was Governor of Virginia from 2018-2018. He wrote in the introductory section of this 2019 book about the events of August 2017, “When I hung up with President Trump that day, there was no question in my mind that he was going to do the right thing… I was convinced that he was going to clearly condemn and white supremacists and neo-Nazis who had come out of the shadows to march through the streets of Charlottesville… in broad daylight, armed and dangerous, screaming some of the most obscene, sickening language I’ve ever heard… During our short call, I briefed the president on the dangerous situation we’d been confronting on the ground on Charlottesville… I’d known Donald Trump for years. I’d golfed with him. I’d dined with him, and as governor… I’d dealt with him often during his presidency… I truly believed that this president… was about to show that he could grow in office… He said he would be going in front of the cameras right now… to address the tragedy of what happened in Charlottesville… he was going to come out against these white supremacists brandishing Confederate flags and neo-Nazis with swastikas on their shields…. I thanked the president for his support…” (Pg. 1-2)
He continues, “I kept waiting, and still there was no Trump press conference… I can’t account for the missing hours. I’m sure we’ll read later in someone’s memoir about how one of the ideologues in the White House cornered the president and told him he couldn’t alienate the hard-core racists. That would be at odds with their strategic political game plan… ‘We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence,’ he began, but then added… ‘on many sides…’ On MANY sides? The president and I had only talked about one side, the side with the heavily armed white supremacists and neo-Nazis on a mission of hate and violence, not the other side with peaceful protesters taking a stand against hate and division… His staff had given him the words to sound presidential, the words to bring the country together. Instead, Donald Trump chose that day to come out as a white supremacists… as a dyed-in-the-wool, unapologetic racist… no more room for doubt that his man was at heart a racist and a hater.” (Pg. 2-4)
He goes on, “I knew I needed to speak out… ‘I have a message to all the white supremacists and the Nazis who came into Charlottesville today… Go home and never come back. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth… You pretend that you are patriots but you are anything but a patriot. You are a bunch of cowards… You came here today to hurt people. And you did hurt people. My message is clear: We are stronger than you… You will not succeed. There is no place for you here, there is no place for you in America.’ … Yes, we do need to study that weekend… We need to study and remember and fight racism, together. That’s why I’m writing this book… [I] figured if I … don’t go back over it now, and get it right, in detail, I worry that so much of what happened will be lost. I can’t let that happen… I will take you through the tragic events of that weekend… to move beyond Charlottesville… is the work that is required of us.” (Pg. 5-6)
He explains, “I never whitewashed Virginia’s sordid history. In June 2015, I used my executive authority to remove the Confederate flag from Virginia license plates. I would give tours of the governor’s mansion and make sure to include a visit to the former slave quarters…. What was shocking to me… was the open way that racists in positions of power went about pushing back against voting rights of African Americans in the early twentieth century. They were blatant in their racism.” (Pg. 26)
He observes, “Donald Trump, as most of us knew, was dangerous… Trump was overrated as a businessman with a strong of bankruptcies behind him… Trump was famous in New York for always stiffing the little guy and never paying his bills… Trump ran for president like he was filming another season of ‘The Apprentice,’ and it worked…. He bluffed and bullied his way through it all… Trump was going to do whatever it took to win… he’d have run as a Democrat, but the field was too competitive… so instead he pretended he was a Republican. He wasn’t a Republican. He was a Trump.” (Pg. 37-38)
Of Trump’s immigration enforcement, he comments, “I asked the secretary [of Homeland Security] to explain the criteria ICE agents were relying on to decide when and where and how to detain people for questioning. I was furious about what the Trump administration was doing because it wasn’t legal, an also because of the havoc it was wreaking on the people of Virginia. So many businesses in Northern Virginia were owned by foreign-born individuals. Many of these individuals were scared to death… they were going to get arrested and deported.” (Pg. 42-43)
He recounts that Jason Kessler “filed paperwork… applying for a permit for a ‘Unite the Right’ rally at the Robert E. Lee statue… Kessler’s scheme was to pull white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and other right-wing extremists from all over the country to converge on Charlottesville in broad daylight… the City of Charlottesville[‘s] … permitting process was pathetic. The city had a rule that … if someone submitted a permit and no action had been taken to approve or reject … within ten business days, then it would automatically be approved. No action was taken by the city… No attempt was made to set a limit on the number of people or the number of hours. No restrictions were imposed on the types of weapons that could be brought… The permit was automatically approved … without a peep out of Charlottesville authorities.” (Pg. 56-57)
He observes that “we got an early taste of what was to come when on July 8 the Ku Klux Klan held a rally in Charlottesville. Fifty … KKK held a rally… counterprotesters turned out in huge numbers, easily twenty times the KKK contingent, and so did the Charlottesville Police Department… We learned valuable lessons that day… There was a backlash against the arrests and use of tear gas against people standing up to the KKK… We didn’t want a lot of counterprotesters out there, since their presence in large numbers only led to escalation. At the same time, having these racist hatemongers marching in broad daylight was naturally going to stir up some strong reactions in people.” (Pg. 60-61)
There was a torchlight rally at the University the day before the ‘Unite the Right’ event, and political scientist Larry Sabato reported, “The neo-Nazis were youngish---teens to thirties---overwhelmingly male… the fighting broke out, with the Nazis punching and using their torches to stab at a relative handful of students and others who had decided to make a stand… The Nazis got completely out of control---yet the police… did nothing.” (Pg. 82)
Of the rally itself, he recounts, “This was the largest white-nationalist gathering in the United States in decades, and the neo-Nazis and other fanatics were giddy. They were having the time of their lives… Naturally, David Duke, the former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan was there. He grinned and beamed to well-wishers. ‘This represents a turning point for the people of this country,’ Duke said that morning. ‘We are determined to take our country back… That’s why we voted for Donald Trump…’ The crowd loved it. They were whipped up into a frenzied state… The words these marchers were spewing were unbelievable. Profane, disgusting, infuriating… There were so many different groups and uniforms … There were huge Confederate flags and … and swastika of the Nazis… what we were seeing … was more or less … what we’d expected. When you’ve got a thousand people gathered, carrying sticks, many of them spoiling for a fight, there are going to be incidents.” (Pg. 90-92) But the next day “Alex Fields Jr. … rammed into a crowd of people … We did not yet know that thirty-two-year-old Heather Heyer, a peaceful protester, had been murdered by this act of domestic terrorism.” (Pg. 98-99)
Before a press conference, he mused, “I was angry and I was sad, but I knew the whole world was looking at our state, wondering, ‘Who ARE you?’ I needed to tell them who we were. And I needed to call these people out for who they were… Trump had spoken and come up small. It fell to me to speak for what people everywhere were feeling about the tragic day…” (Pg. 103-104)
He notes, “Charlottesville did at least show that … People can be held accountable for their deeds. That’s especially true when they congregate in board daylight… and assault passive bystanders, all surrounded by … smartphone cameras taking nonstop pictures and videos. Those pictures and videos immediately went up on social media. Alt-right protesters who had lived double lives soon found they could no longer hide from whom they really were. They had exposed themselves---and the world… shuddered, and said, no.” (Pg. 123)
Of Trump’s comments the next day, he records, “Talking to reporters at Trump Tower, he said, ‘I think there is blame on both sides. You had a group on one side that was bad. You had a group on the other side that was also very violent. Nobody wants to say that. I’ll say it right now… You also had some very find people on both sides.’ So much for walking back his earlier racist comments… David Duke… immediately praised Trump’s remarks.” (Pg. 125)
He marvels, “Part of the horror of that weekend was how brazen these racists were. It was unbelievable that weekend to see so many young men showing their faces and engaging in such vile acts. They didn’t cover their faces, even though they knew they were being photographed, and seemed to welcome the attention.” (Pg. 127) He summarizes the aftermath, “The alt-right movement was in disarray, with so many of its leaders in jail, sniping at each other, or leaving the movement---but its notoriety still had a toxic influence.” (Pg. 133)
He concludes, “Charlottesville was a reminder that we need to keep embracing change, not for show but as a daily, constant progression… We’re never going to move forward unless we acknowledge that institutional racism exists. I believe that if we work together we can move beyond our racist past.” (Pg. 147) He continues, “Racism has been deeply ingrained in the fabric of our country… and people have tried to shove it under the rug… citing progress… Charlottesville provided more than a jolt. It was a lightning bolt. Charlottesville lit up the scourge of racism and hatred of others as it really is, in the here and now.” (Pg. 158) He adds, “I’d like to thank all the peaceful protesters who came out in Charlottesville to oppose hate. That wasn’t comfortable. You won’t feel comfortable when you’re out there working for change… a bunch of white people sitting around together trying to … talk a problem to death … doesn’t bring change. Action brings change. Do something. Do it now.” (Pg. 164-165)
This book will be absolute “must reading” for anyone wanting to know more about the Charlottesville events, or about the various extremist factions and people in this country.
August 30, 2019
Much of this book reads more as Mr. McAuliffe's praise of how he handled things before/during/after the events at Charlottesville than an in depth look at the how and whys of what happened there. I read it in a few hours--it is not a difficult read--but at the end I was left feeling like Mr. McAuliffe is thinking about running for some other office and this is a start in that process--when I read it looking for something more insightful. Meh.
November 6, 2019
Although the content was interesting and his heart is in the right place, sadly McAuliffe is not the greatest writer.
August 8, 2019
This book is lies, and posturing. I was there both in July and in August of 2017, and the re-telling of those events through this man's words is some f*cked up revisionist history. Listen to the voices of the survivors who were there. The folks who were most directly impacted by "Charlottesville" are trying to say how much this book disrespects them, and they are being dismissed! How is this possible? You can't get "beyond Charlottesville" if you keep trying to silence the survivors, and handing money over the the police, who made terrible decisions that put many of us directly in harm's way that weekend. Maybe if McAuliffe used the book to trip a Nazi on its way to the next torch burning, then he could say the book took a stand against white nationalism. That's probably all it's good for. Nazi-tripping and maybe when you run out of toilet paper.
If you want to help Charlottesville get "beyond" this, take the money you would use to buy this book, and donate it to the HEAL Charlottesville Fund. https://www.cacfonline.org/heal_charl...
If you want to help Charlottesville get "beyond" this, take the money you would use to buy this book, and donate it to the HEAL Charlottesville Fund. https://www.cacfonline.org/heal_charl...
August 6, 2019
This book is neither factual nor accurate. Terry McAuliffe was NOT PRESENT in Charlottesville on August 11-13. I was; when i write that i was present, i mean that i was in Charlottesville, and organized, through the entire Spring and Summer of 2017. I was at the church across the street from the Jefferson statue and the Nazi torch mob. I was at what was then Lee Park when the Nazis came marching in. I was right there during the street fight on Market Street. I caught tear gas and bear mace on the wind. I know what i'm god-damn talking about, and this sold-soul politician doesn't have a clue. What happened here was distinctly different from the events as depicted by our odious former governor. His unique spin on the terrorist invasion that i am lucky to have lived through is self-stimulating and self-exculpatory. Do not believe one word of this book. If you want to find out what happened, what really happened, read accounts by the survivors. The truth of the matter is on Unicorn Riot and it's on It's Going Down. It's in the words of Emily Gorcenski. It's in the archive of the C-Ville weekly newspaper. It's in the account of Katie Couric. You can come to Charlottesville and hear it direct from the mouths of the survivors. Our sleazy, hack former Governor turned hack author is the last person you should be turning to for the truth about the damned Unite The Right disaster. If i could give this book less than one star, i would. McAuliffe and Jason Kessler have a cell of fire reserved in Hell for creating so much pain and suffering for my friends and my neighbors: they are exactly the same to me, a survivor of August 12, 2017.
September 29, 2019
This is not the book to read if you are looking for any reflective analysis of the lessons of Charlottesville. This book is irrepressibly Terry - his experience and his alone. I recently heard his perspective directly from him and it was almost word-for-word what he shares in the book. Authentically Terry - love him or hate him. That’s it.
November 6, 2019
Badly written and edited, not because of any grammatical or literary errors (there were none) but because there was no heart to it. The best parts were those relating to the loss of two police officers in a helicopter crash: There McAuliffe almost opened up his true feelings about real people he had known. Had he concentrated on that as a story, he might have had a book here. Yes, I was disappointed.
Read
August 5, 2019He's a liar. Won't take any responsibility for the failure of the state police who didn't want to take orders from a black police chief.
August 5, 2019
He was not there. Please read the reviews that have been posted by survivors of the attack. It is disgusting that he's profiting from this event.
Read
August 5, 2019Gross. Didn’t talk with survivors. Why? Bad.
January 22, 2020
Not bad. Felt like a campaign book though. Took very little responsibility.
August 2, 2022
This book was less about Charlottesville and more about how highly Governor McAuliffe thinks of himself.
October 28, 2022
This book is a masterpiece written by a former state senator named Terry McAuliffe with a byword by famous activist Joe Lewis and I couldn't put it down. This is a important book for anyone interested in today's politics, government , policing , military , criminal justice , social justice, reform , insurance , education , history , voting rights, healthcare, employment, making policymakers make changes needed for the majority of people in this country. This governor fought the Trump administration on their racist comments and anti immigration stance throughout his term in office. He fought to make sure that the federal government played fair with immigrants and brought widespread attention to their plight. He restored the right to vote, travel, be on a jury and run for political office for thousands of people in his state. He fought to make sure people of color were not unfairly kept from voting in his state. He demanded billions of dollars in federal funds for healthcare, insurance , education , transportation, restaurants, hotels, shelters , food banks , nutrition programs , public assistance and legal assistance and made sure that money went to those items . He lowered taxes for many businesses and cut regulations, recruiting businesses to come to his state, which brought many jobs to his state. He lowered the unemployment rate and brought billions in profits and revenue . He fought for women's right to choose and for healthcare centers which largely dealt with low income and uninsured people. He fought unfair gun laws and discriminatory laws. He fought to make violent people accountable for their actions and handled the riots in 2017. He demanded calm and spoke for the majority, the victims. He elected the first black and the youngest member to a certain job. He hired his rival to a important position. He goes into discussing the riots in 2017-what happened before, during and after. He discusses the red flags that were missed and how precautions were not taken. He talks about people who did harm facing accountability for their actions and choices. He says Trump is often used as an excuse. He says Trump never learned how to listen, how to make a deal work for both sides, to compromise . He also talks about how Trump sought to divide people, not bring them together. He talks about how Trump had no idea what he was talking about and constantly lied. They talk about how Trump did nothing to protect the safety , health and rights of workers ; how he did nothing on healthcare, insurance, immigration , criminal justice, the environment. How he cut taxes for the rich and raised them for the poor. I highly recommend this book.
March 15, 2023
As an, at minimum, 5th (maternal) and 4th (paternal) generation Shenadoah Valley-Virginian this book felt important for me to read. But, I let it sit on my shelf for two years. I picked it up last week and finished it within days (= it's well-written).
Pros: I appreciate learning about the intel leading up to the event, the facts as documented in State record, the timeline of events (from a security and government perspective). I also appreciate McAuliffe clearly stating his stance on racism, hatred and embracing diversity (As well as his passion for jobs, the workforce and business development in the Commonwealth). I also appreciate how he honored Heather Heyer and the pilots who lost their lives that day in C'ville. Overall, the book serves as a good historical document for that horrible C'ville event. I think the book should be mandatory for our high school's Virginia history class.
Cons: He's a politician and has an angle/ talking points that he continously drills throughout the book. Sometimes I felt his commitment to diversity and equity was truly genuine, other times not so much; it felt "pushed" and came off more like a political agenda. However, he emphatically lays out facts and stats to support his successes (in DEI and in the economy).
If you love Virginia and her people and also appreciate history and politics, then add this to your TBR list.
Pros: I appreciate learning about the intel leading up to the event, the facts as documented in State record, the timeline of events (from a security and government perspective). I also appreciate McAuliffe clearly stating his stance on racism, hatred and embracing diversity (As well as his passion for jobs, the workforce and business development in the Commonwealth). I also appreciate how he honored Heather Heyer and the pilots who lost their lives that day in C'ville. Overall, the book serves as a good historical document for that horrible C'ville event. I think the book should be mandatory for our high school's Virginia history class.
Cons: He's a politician and has an angle/ talking points that he continously drills throughout the book. Sometimes I felt his commitment to diversity and equity was truly genuine, other times not so much; it felt "pushed" and came off more like a political agenda. However, he emphatically lays out facts and stats to support his successes (in DEI and in the economy).
If you love Virginia and her people and also appreciate history and politics, then add this to your TBR list.
January 8, 2020
Written by the former governor of Virginia, who dealt at the state level with the Charlottesville alt-right rally. It covers what happened from his perspective, what went right and what went wrong (though those are his perspective, not everyone's). And I learned that my own governor, Charlie Baker, actually asked for his advice when faced with an alt-right rally here in Massachusetts.
It's also a call to stand against white nationalism.
Not sure why he wrote this, though, other than to maybe justify the way things played out to deflect the criticism Virginia, and he, faced. Maybe he was thinking of running for President, though he isn't now. Many survivors who have commented say it's inaccurate and they were THERE
It's short, so it isn't comprehensive. While it doesn't have a lot of answers, it does at least paint a picture of what action can look like from the things that he did as governor (though that's a bit self-serving). I was already in the choir, so I can't way whether it would motivate someone who wasn't. But there were some things I learned about Charlottesville that I hadn't known and I think understanding Charlottesville is important.
It's also a call to stand against white nationalism.
Not sure why he wrote this, though, other than to maybe justify the way things played out to deflect the criticism Virginia, and he, faced. Maybe he was thinking of running for President, though he isn't now. Many survivors who have commented say it's inaccurate and they were THERE
It's short, so it isn't comprehensive. While it doesn't have a lot of answers, it does at least paint a picture of what action can look like from the things that he did as governor (though that's a bit self-serving). I was already in the choir, so I can't way whether it would motivate someone who wasn't. But there were some things I learned about Charlottesville that I hadn't known and I think understanding Charlottesville is important.
August 21, 2020
When I started reading this book it felt disorganized and hastily put together. It felt like a book written by a candidate for president in an election year being told to write a book in order to get their name into the public awareness. The descriptions of the alt-right meeting leading to a riot is where the book starts to settle down and get closer to what I was looking for when I picked up this book. thoughtful and organized and a compelling read. I was discouraged to see that people who were there are questioning the accuracy of the author's description of the events, so now I'm not sure what to believe...I thought the best part of this book was the deeper understanding of these events. I also enjoyed the insight into the racial history of Virginia and the thoughtful suggestions for changes to help create greater equality for all of Virginia citizens. There was a great deal of emphasis on speeches the author gave at the time (felt repetitious) and the self aggrandizement of the author was a bit wearying.
June 18, 2020
I am having a hard time trusting what I am reading, especially as we are dealing with Black Lives Matter marches currently and what I am seeing may be similar to what was experienced in Charlottesville. I feel like there is systematic injustice out there and I would need to read more from different perspectives to be able to understand more than what I’d heard previously in the news media. I did find the parts about Heather H. worthwhile to read as I had wanted to know more about her. What a tragic time in our US history / our history needs more perspectives to be shared and systemic changes to be made. Glad I read the book though as I know I want to read multiple viewpoints of this event to better understand what is happening presently (though I do feel reading a variety of books that go back to Civil Rights Era will be useful putting this event into a fuller context).
October 16, 2019
An informative book about the deadly 2017 Charlottesville massacre from the unique perspective of the Virginia state Governor Terry McAuliffe. He shares his perspective on the growing scourge of white nationalism with critiques on President Trump's response to the Charlottesville protest.
This book is not exclusively about Charlottesville; in addition, progressive ideas to implement meaningful generational social change are shared. These include state wide initiatives Governor McAuliffe has undertaken and political lessons to promote positive social change which invoke the spirit of Robert F. Kennedy.
This book is not exclusively about Charlottesville; in addition, progressive ideas to implement meaningful generational social change are shared. These include state wide initiatives Governor McAuliffe has undertaken and political lessons to promote positive social change which invoke the spirit of Robert F. Kennedy.
December 18, 2019
Former Governor Terry McAuliffe takes us inside the handling of the Charlottesville Unite the Right white nationalist rally, the counter protests and the aftermath by Virginia government officials. He includes context and follow-up in that state. He also discusses the state's challenges and how they were addressed during his term as governor from 2014 to 2018. (Virginia governors can not serve more than one consecutive term) McAuliffe challenges all Americans to take action to move the country forward from deeply ingrained systemic injustices that are harming so many people.
Congressman John Lewis wrote the eloquent Forward of the book.
Congressman John Lewis wrote the eloquent Forward of the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews