PublishedSimon & Schuster, August 2017 |
ISBN9781925596694 |
FormatHardcover, 512 pages |
Dimensions15.3cm × 23.4cm |
In the past, for reasons I try to explain, Ive often felt I had to be careful in public, like I was up on a wire without a net. Now Im letting my guard down.- Hillary Clinton, from the introduction of What HappenedFor the first time, Hillary Clinton reveals what she was thinking and feeling during one of the most controversial and unpredictable presidential elections in history.
Now free from the constraints of running, Hillary takes you inside the intense personal experience of becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major party in an election marked by rage, sexism, exhilarating highs and infuriating lows, stranger-than-fiction twists, Russian interference, and an opponent who broke all the rules. This is her most personal memoir yet. In these pages, she describes what it was like to run against Donald Trump, the mistakes she made, how she has coped with a shocking and devastating loss, and how she found the strength to pick herself back up afterwards. With humor and candor, she tells readers what it took to get back on her feetthe rituals, relationships, and reading that got her through, and what the experience has taught her about life. She speaks about the challenges of being a strong woman in the public eye, the criticism over her voice, age, and appearance, and the double standard confronting women in politics. She lays out how the 2016 election was marked by an unprecedented assault on our democracy by a foreign adversary. By analyzing the evidence and connecting the dots, Hillary shows just how dangerous the forces were that shaped the outcome, and why Americans need to understand them to protect our values and our democracy in the future. The election of 2016 was unprecedented and historic. What Happened is the story of that campaign and its aftermathboth a deeply intimate account and a cautionary tale for the nation.
Barb takes care of the web orders here at Boffins, and is your contact for book club enquiries. She spends all her spare time curled up on the couch reading and for the last several years has reviewed books on the Afternoon Program on ABC radio Perth.
I couldn’t resist having a go at this book, though I did wonder if I would be giving up part way through with disappointment if it was all too self controlled. In fact, I found it fascinating. I don't think it would be possible to write a book of this size so soon after suffering a loss so big without revealing a lot about yourself. In particular I liked the nitty gritty detail of putting together a campaign; typical days on the road; preparing for debates; the email scandal; Russian interference, etc. Clinton reflects on history, especially of women in politics and gives some insight into her personal life, particularly on what it feels like to lose a race most people thought she would win. She has had a long life in the public eye spanning significant changes in American history and politics and her views make interesting reading.
