Author:
Narrator: Hillary Rodham Clinton
Format: Unabridged-CD, Paperback
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: Jun 2014
Genre: Biography & Autobiography - Political
Retail Price: $14.99
Discs: 6
Hillary Rodham Clinton is known to hundreds of millions of people around the world. Yet few beyond her close friends and family have ever heard her account of her extraordinary journey. She writes with candor, humor and passion about her upbringing in suburban, middle-class America in the 1950s and her transformation from Goldwater Girl to student activist to controversial First Lady. Living History is her revealing memoir of life through the White House years. It is also her chronicle of living history with Bill Clinton, a thirty-year adventure in love and politics that survives personal betrayal, relentless partisan investigations and constant public scrutiny.
Hillary Rodham Clinton came of age during a time of tumultuous social and political change in America. Like many women of her generation, she grew up with choices and opportunities unknown to her mother or grandmother. She charted her own course through unexplored terrain -- responding to the changing times and her own internal compass -- and became an emblem for some and a lightning rod for others. Wife, mother, lawyer, advocate and international icon, she has lived through America's great political wars, from Watergate to Whitewater.
The only First Lady to play a major role in shaping domestic legislation, Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled tirelessly around the country to champion health care, expand economic and educational opportunity and promote the needs of children and families, and she crisscrossed the globe on behalf of women's rights, human rights and democracy. She redefined the position of First Lady and helped save the presidency from an unconstitutional, politically motivated impeachment. Intimate, powerful and inspiring, Living History captures the essence of one of the most remarkable women of our time and the challenging process by which she came to define herself and find her own voice -- as a woman and as a formidable figure in American politics.
I think this book was an excellent way to learn more about Clinton's administration, Hillary's motivations and interests, and her political accomplishments. I like the way in which she gives the reader a view into her personal life, and not just life on Capitol Hill. However, I think Hillary goes into WAY too much detail regarding the Whitewater scandal and drags on about it fo so so long, losing me, and my interesting along the way. I understand that this was a traumatic experience for her and a terrible use of resources however, I do not think it was necessary to dedicate so much of the book to this one topic. Additionally, she provides the name of every single person involved in every single occurence. I also felt this was unnecessary and caused the book to drag on for much longer than it should have. I think this is a good read for anyone who is interested in politics, would like to learn more about Clinton's excellent administration, or would like to learn more about the controversial figure that is Hillary Clinton. However, as a warning, it does read like a history book at times.