Living history (edição: 2003)

While this book is not the best written autobiography, it does emphasize Clinton's values and gives a clear perspective on her life, some of the mistakes she and her husband made but also the immense pressure they have been under. There were moments where I thought that she protested too much, but her discussion of life in politics and how to reconcile this with family life appear authentic. ( )

Well, the abriged version (still 5 hours of audio) is done.
It was not a bad book, but it didn't interest or touch me nearly as the book by Michelle Obama did.
I can't help comparing the two, 'reading' them one after the other. This book was more politics, meetings, strategy, than the memoirs of a mother, a wife.
This life in public feels much further away from my life than Becoming, although they describe the same things: being a first lady, raising a child in the White House, being married to a president, living in the public eye.
Interesting times were Hillary's years in the White House, but the description of these times felt like as told from a distance, without really tangible passion, awe and a touch of humility.

I own a copy of the Dutch edition of this book, but I found the audiobook version of is, so I've switched to that one. Like Michelle Obama read her own book, Hillary Clinton also reads this one.

Seems like I'm into reading from/about former first ladies at the moment :-) ( )

Excellent book to read during this election season. Shows the human side of Hillary. It matches nicely with what I have gathered about her over the years from the news. She is a dedicated public servant who should make an excellent president. ( )

I admire the hell out of Hillary Rodham (Clinton), but this was the most tactfully dull autobiography I ever attempted. It's not so much that I was looking for anything bizarre: she's on the Wonk end of the political spectrum, which gets shit done, but tends to avoid amazing soundbites. What I miss is her sense of humor. Her first job our of school was working to impeach Nixon. Let's revel in that irony.

[If you find a copy nearby, do check out the photographs. There's a really funny one of her on the back of an elephant, where the driver looks freakishly tiny.]

As much as I enjoy reading in general, this business of presidential candidates putting out books doesn't impress me much. Some of them are well written, but the only candidate's books I've ever really enjoyed were those of Al Franken, and he was definitely a writer first. By way of contrast, check out [b:Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg|25422234|Notorious RBG The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg|Irin Carmon|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1429924065s/25422234.jpg|44611586]The Notorious RBG. Now there's a book that evokes personality and determination and so forth. Two stories about lawyers who focused their professional lives on achieving legal equality and improved conditions for women, children, and men. Only one of those books sets the reader into full-on fandom.

Library copy

I read this during a rare moment when I was interested in political biographies. Fortunately the moment was short-lived. ( )