A Book A Week

I've always had an interest in reading presidential memoirs. Even as a high school student too young to understand every nuance of Bill Clinton's My Life, I could recognize the unique perspective of his journey and the decisions he was faced with that would impact not only his personal life but the lives of those he was elected to govern. Years later, George W. Bush's Decision Points helped illuminate his response to the horrific terrorist attacks on 9/11 and the lengthy military action that followed. Politics aside, I think that we can all agree that it's a lot to ask of one person. Every four years the weight of the entire country is set upon the shoulders of a single American. They are elected to guide the nation through whatever challenges and hardships arise, all while we look on and judge every move they make. 

If every President faces immense challenges and scrutiny, then the historical presidency of Barack Obama faced that tenfold. In his memoir A Promised Land, Obama chronicles his unlikely rise through community organizing and local politics to becoming the first African American to be elected President of the United States. He candidly recaps the great responsibility that comes with running a country, never shying away from the toll that obligation took on him. Intermingled with the sprawling geopolitical recollections are those of the quiet in-between moments of a man and his family. It is these moments, the kind that the public only glimpsed as he served, that makes Obama's memoir one of the most personal political writings that I've ever read. 

By all conventional wisdom, Barack Hussein Obama should have never become the President of the United States of America. Born from a biracial couple and bearing a name so different from those of his predecessors, his path to the White House is as unique as he is. He spent much of his early years in search of an identity. Guided by the idyllic vision of his mother and the more practical outlook of his grandparents, Barack gained a worldview of working hard and doing what is right for himself and others. This would form the foundation of his personal and political ideals and propel him to a life of public service. 

The lead-up to his election was nothing short of spectacular. Running in a crowded Democratic primary against the juggernaut front runner Hillary Clinton, Obama's grassroots approach to running a campaign was seen as a huge gamble. But his methods paid off.  He seemed to capture the enthusiasm of those he met, exciting record numbers of Americans to turn out to vote. His candidacy wasn't without its detractors, especially from the other side of the political aisle. While John McCain always came to the defense of Obama against the most heinous of personal attacks, a fired-up Republican Tea Party was out for blood, foreshadowing the political divisiveness that would cloud much of Obama's eight years in office. 

Even before his presidency began, Obama was faced with some of the greatest challenges of any American President. The country was on the verge of economic collapse, leaving millions of Americans jobless and in financial ruin. A bipartisan stimulus deal helped to turn the tides, but recovery would be a long and strenuous process that would slowly take place across his first term. And what a term it was. Ambitious initiatives around diplomacy, healthcare, and climate change were all undertaken as Obama also faced the challenges of unexpected political moments like the Deepwater Horizon tragedy and the military operation that would lead to the death of Osama bin Laden.

Barack Obama has always had a way with words, and the first volume of his presidential memoirs is no exception. A Promised Land sees the former president thoughtfully reflect upon the run-up to and the duration of his first term in office. I was struck by the huge aspiration that Obama approached his presidency with. And with good measure. He ran a campaign built upon hope and change, and a majority of the American population placed their confidence in him to deliver it. When he arrived in the Oval Office, he was faced with the reality that achieving everything he promised wouldn't be without challenges and opposition. He writes about the self-doubt that comes with trying to run the country in a way that aligns with his morals and those of the people who elected him. The book is wordy. Obama takes his time describing the details of each historical moment, giving due course to all of his decisions. Unlike other political memoirs, however, I never felt that the wordiness bogged down the writing. In fact, it only further added to my appreciation for the depth and care with which Obama devoted to his time in office. Whatever your opinions of his politics, I think that there is great value in reading a memoir like this one. A Promised Land brilliantly illustrates Barack Obama's devotion to family, country, and the American dream. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2021, 31)

With the US Presidential Inauguration now behind us, I thought it would be the perfect time to read a book about a former president. In 41: A Portrait of My Father, former President George W. Bush writes an overview on the life of his father, the late President George H. W. Bush. I was immediately drawn to the historical significance of this work. The Bush family is only the second family in history to produce two US Presidents. Having the perspective of both son and a former president gives George W. an unprecedented insight into the life of his father. Less a political study and more a commentary on the man himself, 41 provides an intimate portrait of the Bush family patriarch.

As a biography, there's little surprise in either structure or content in this writing. The story of George Bush unfolds linearly, starting from his humble childhood and progressing across time. Like most men of the era, a strong family unit and fervent faith created the foundation on which the future statesmen would build his life. The early portion of this book reads almost like something out of a folk tale. I'm sure that the basis of this retelling is founded on truth, but I couldn't help but feel as if it was all a bit too perfect. I imagine that the author heard these stories from his parents throughout his own upbringing, so they take on the kind of second-hand feel of any story that was passed down from person to person. Still, the lessons that his mother instilled in him as a child would be the same principles that would guide the elder Bush throughout his life. "Do your best. Don't be arrogant. Never complain."

The book takes on a different tone as the author clearly begins writing from his own lived experiences with his father. You can't help but sense the pure admiration that George W. Bush possesses for both of his parents. Grounded by his unwavering faith in religion, country, and family George H. W. Bush approached each part of his life with quiet dignity. This duty to uphold the values he most cherished saw the man through fighting in a war, raising a family, facing the tragedy of losing a child, and shouldering the massive responsibility of running the country. Even after the crushing defeat in his bid for a second presidential term, George Bush conducted himself with the kind of decorum that seems nearly impossible in the current political climate.

This is not the average presidential biography. George W. Bush focuses as much on the quiet family moments that he clearly cherishes as he does the high-stakes political events that history will remember the men for. This can sometimes give the work an unevenness that readers of more traditional political writing may find jarring. Politics aside, I found the intimate nature of this writing to be refreshing. Bush Sr. never wrote his own presidential memoir, so this is the closest thing we will ever have to an inside look into his life. As most sons would write about their fathers, George W. often oversimplifies the governmental blunders and noble intentions of the late president. He paints a portrait of a man driven by the intention of doing right by the country he devoted his professional life to serving and the family he loves. As a political biography, the book is far from perfect. As a love letter from a son to his father, however, 41: A Portrait of My Father strikes all the right notes.

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2021, 4)

With the dust of the contentious 2016 presidential election finally settling, Americans are beginning to look toward the 2020 contest. As the early stages of this election begin to come into view, potential Democratic candidates have started to offer a counter choice to Donald Trump's controversial presidency. It seems to be a prerequisite for each prospective candidate to publish a memoir that gives voters an intro to their family upbringing, political history, and hopes for America's future.

In his memoir, An Unlikely Journey, Julian Castro attempts to plant the seeds for his own political future. Castro recently announced his candidacy for President, so this book seems a bit inevitable. His story is pretty compelling. In sharp contrast to the rhetoric of the current President, Castro writes about the value of immigrants to the US. His family descends from Mexican immigrants, and he was raised with a deep connection to his culture. He witnessed the ways his family members worked hard and persevered to build their own version of the American dream. Moreso, he saw his mother's never-flinching commitment to provide him and his identical twin brother with the opportunities only a solid education could provide.

Julian has had an interest in politics for most of his adult life. He's grown and learned from each of those experiences. From student council member, city council member, city mayor, and finally head of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Castro has dedicated his life to public service. He writes about the challenges of those demanding positions and the need for balancing them with the needs of his young family. Ultimately, his most passionate explanations are the ways in which he eschewed personal gain for the needs of his constituents. Specifically, Castro writes about initially turning down a job with the Obama administration so that he could see a large education policy for San Antonio children come to fruition.

San Antonio is my hometown, and I remember Castro as being the first mayor I was actually aware of. His Pre-K for SA initiative still stands as a lasting testament to his commitment to providing a strong education to future generations. Despite my personal connection to his story, I'd be lying if I said An Unlikely Journey is a good read. He fell into the trap that many political memoirs do. His personal story is compelling, but his writing on political aspirations and specific policy halt any narrative momentum. Instead of coming off as an inspiring story of rising from nothing, An Unlikely Journey ends up being a mere clog in Castro's political machine.


For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2019, 3)

I went back and forth on reading and reviewing this book. I try to keep my reviews free of politics, and I typically like to think of my opinions as balanced. President Donald Trump usually incites the exact opposite. Most people are either staunchly supportive of him in everything he says and does or 100% against him. There's little middle ground. Still, there is no denying that Michael Wolff's account of the President's first 100 days in office has become part of the national conversation. As a person who writes a weekly review of books, how could I not read one of the most buzzed about books of the year?!

The President has brushed off Wolff's book as little more than tabloid gossip. To be fair to Mr. Trump, Wolff does little to protect himself from these accusations. Wolff starts the book by stating that the version of events he presents is his best representation of the truth based upon the varying versions he heard in interviewing White House staff. The varying renditions of events can only add to the confusion of where the truth lies. Further, Wolff never provides direct quotes or references as is the norm in other works of non-fiction.

Despite all of this, the most incriminating portions of the book are directly quoted from the President's campaign speeches, tweets, and press briefings. To the approval of his supporters and horror of his detractors, Donald Trump has never been one to mince words. He says exactly what is on his mind. That being said, reading the often incoherent ramblings of the President printed in black and white can be quite alarming. These irrefutable quotes seem to support Wolff's claims that Trump is ill informed about most of the big decisions he faces.

Wolff also touches upon the alleged disfunction among the White House staff. He maintains that the President's background in business makes him more focused on the "big picture". Because of this, the smaller staff positions that make the larger machine that is the US Government fucnction have not been filled. Beyond that, there is a war for the President's attention and policy that was between three sections of American Politics. Steve Bannon represents the interests of the alt-right of the Republican Party, Reince Priebus lobbies for the interest of the traditional/establishment Republicans, and Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner vie for the more liberal interests. This collision of ideologies coupled with the President's lack of governing experience, Wolff conjectures, caused Trump to not achieve any significant legislative victories during the first part of his presidency.

For as much media attention and hype that Fire and Fury has received, I was surprised at how little of the book was shocking or presented new information. Even the more inflammatory excerpts that made headlines are not so crazy. For example, one passage about Ivanka making fun of and describing the formation of her father's infamous hairstyle was actually a quote from years ago when she was a college student. History will ultimately be the judge of Donald Trump's time in office. Because much of Michael Wolff's more explosive claims are not verified by any specific source, I'm not sure that Fire and Fury will be remembered as part of that history. Rather, supporters of the President will likely not be swayed by Wolff's claims while detractors will use it to further fan the flames of their discontent.

For more information, visit Amazon and Goodreads.

(2018, 8)

Charlotte Kramer is making history. As the first female President of the United States, she faces even greater scrutiny than her predecessors. Working closely with her Secretary of Defense, Charlotte has made great strides in the Middle East. After years of violence and political turmoil, the region prepares to hold its first truly democratic election. Charlotte is proud of the amount of good she has accomplished in her three years on the job, but she knows that she needs to do more to secure a second term. Despite all of her progress abroad, things are not as positive back at home. Under her leadership, the economy is failing to recover in the way she promised it would. Bitter partisan politics have hindered any policy discussions.  Worse, a less than ideal showing at the midterm elections has left a congress that is waiting for any opportunity to end her career. With little time to reframe her reputation, Charlotte turns to her family, friends, and political advisors to take a final shot at retaining her spot in the White House.

Melanie Kingston is a fixture of Washington politics. Fifteen years ago, she lied about being a student to gain an internship at the White House. Ever since then, she has worked her way up the ladder, serving as campaign manager and press secretary for the previous administration. Now, as the White House chief of staff,  she is one of Charlotte Kramer's most trusted advisors. Every aspect of Charlotte's administration, from policy decisions and speeches to wardrobe, runs through Melanie. But this loyalty has taken a toll on her personal life. She is the most respected woman in Washington, besides the President of course, but with one failed marriage and no children, she has little personal fulfillment. When a local reporter contacts Melanie about a story of infidelity in the President's marriage, she kicks it into high gear. A story like this doesn't stay out of the spotlight for long. If news of a Presidential affair surfaces, it threatens to not only derail the President's reelection campaign, but to completely tarnish Melanie's lifetime of work.

Dale Smith is the new kid on the block. Young, smart, beautiful, in love, she seems to have it all. Dale is the White House correspondent, weekend anchor, and a shoe in for future nightly anchor at one of the national networks. Despite her clear success, Dale is still finding her way in the town where seniority reigns supreme. To prove herself and cement her place among the best journalists in the nation, she must gain access to the hard hitting interviews and breaking news stories that garner ratings and prestige. Lucky for her, she has a secret weapon. During her short time in Washington, Dale has gained the trust and heart of one of the people closest to President Charlotte Kramer. . . her husband.

Eighteen Acres is a stellar novel that mixes political and personal drama into a page turning, edge of your seat read. Author Nicolle Wallace uses her firsthand political knowledge to bring the behind the scenes aspects of the political game front and center. Her experience at the White House allows for each page to ring with authenticity. Political aptitude aside, this is a fascinating character study that stands on its own merits. It is great to read a book about three smart and beautiful women that focusses on their struggle to maintain their personal lives amidst the demands of their high profile careers. Wallace dives headfirst into questions about the double standards of women in the workplace while never becoming preachy. The political intrigue combines with the equally well developed characters to form the perfect mix in this smart, timely, and entertaining novel.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and GoodReads.

(2015, 11)