Hillary Clinton, a tough woman, a great read
926151
Well wriiten, Bernstein does a great job the Hillary Clinton that has worked so hard all of her life!
3465757
I'm currently reading this book.  Dr. Bond has a very unique style for bringing forth information about a subject, based upon extensive research.  The Clintons are absolutely fascinating people; they are very human as well as extremely knowledgeable and powerful, all rolled into one.  They deeply care about other human beings and it is quite obvious to me that they would love to see all people everywhere happy and healthy.  I hope that Hillary Clinton becomes our next president and our first female president.  This is her time.
2501678
Though she says she isn't running for president (so does Hillary), this lady is one outstanding candidate. She is smart, experienced, for the regular citizen and not bought by the one percent rich. Her book is a joy to read, well written and reveals events of her life and how she has handled them. Her life's experiences qualifies her for the highest office of the country. But, will the Democratic Party nominate the best qualified candidate or the one they think can get elected? I certainly hope they pick Elizabeth Warren. She'd get my vote! Read her book and see if you don't agree.
3750562
Hillary Clinton's voice comes through consistent with her life story. She has been reviled by right wing sources throughout her life. This Presidential campaign has brought out vile accusations. Her story of her life rings true and is substantiated by other sources.
2942402
I enjoyed this book. Hillary Clinton will play a large part in the 2016 election, regardless if she runs or not. I would say that this book presents Hillary as a hard-nosed politican. I enjoyed it and learned.
3230120
I've long been a kind of reluctant fan of Hillary Clinton.  Although I don't agree with many of her political views, she's clearly extremely bright, focused and tough.  "HRC: State Secrets and the Rebirth of Hillary Clinton" highlights those qualities, but also presents a woman who is politically flexible, compassionate and spiritual as well.  And, that's the problem with the book.  "HRC:" is written about a working politician, and depends far too much on unattributed quotes from other working politicians who undoubtedly expect to work in a possible Clinton administration.  Their memories, while probably not intentionally false, nonetheless appear to me to be filtered through rose-colored glasses.  What we get is a picture of a public servant that is too good to be true.  Unfortunately, I think we'll have to wait until Secretary Clinton has retired from public life, or lost the nomination in 2016, to begin getting a clear analysis of her public service.

It goes without saying that, regardless of the title, the book presents no special insights into "state secrets", or of how decisions are made.  Having said that, this is still an interesting book.  I particularly liked the sections dealing with Bill and Hillary's "enemies" list.  Every serious politician keeps track of other politicians.  Politics is a zero-sum game, with every election having a winner and a loser, and the successful politician becomes proficient at picking and staying close to the winners.  It's unusual for two super-stars, like Bill and Hillary, to be on one team, but together they present a fearsome prospect for any candidate that might want to challenge Hillary for the 2016 nomination. The book illustrates well the cost that Hillary, through Bill, imposes against those who stand against them.  Think about it.  If you're a Democrat, not supporting Hillary becomes an "all-in" bet.  Win, and the payoff is big, but lose, and you're out of the game.  Career politicians are not high risk-takers, so who is going to challenge Hillary?  I suggest nobody, except perhaps a Joe Biden who is nearing retirement, and can run a token race to keep Hillary in the news.

To summarize:  "HRC:  State Secrets and the Rebirth of Hillary Clinton" is a pleasant read.  If you're a Hillary fan, it will remind you of why you like her.  If you are not a fan, you'll come away feeling you've just been sold a bill of goods, but that's politics in America.
4195846
Anyone who had read this book would never have voted for Hillary. However, now that the election is over and Hillary has crashed and burned this book provides information on the time when Hillary and Bill first met and answers a lot of those nagging questions about how their political relationship works.

 Dolly Kyle first met Billy Clinton when she was eleven years old and he was thirteen. It was the beginning of life-long affair and friendship that still smolders till this day. Dolly dated Billy on and off for most of their lives. Even marriages didn't stop the decades long affair. Their unusual mostly happy history is probably one of the chief reasons that Dolly is still alive and able to tell her story about Bill and Hillary Clinton.

 For those readers who don't understand the world that exists in Arkansas this book will help bring it into focus. For those readers who wonder how a rather unattractive young Hillary could seduce Billy Clinton in the first place, this book provides the answers. For those people who want to know what Hillary was like in those early days when she provided Billy a place to live and from that point on took care of his financial well-being while enabling him to pursue his various addictions, Kyle has some shrewd insights on that subject.

 This reviewer grew up on the Missouri side of the Arkansas border and has relatives living all over Arkansas. Dolly Kyles observations about the state, the politics and the people are amazingly accurate.

 So, even though the election is over and Hillary is probably in denial, but still dreaming of another attempt at becoming President, this page-turner will provide readers with answers to many of their unanswered questions and make Hillary and her actions truly transparent.  And thats no bull.
3587728
It was interesting to read Clinton's views on the election, the process and her loss. The book reveals her humor and her humanity much of which was not evident during the campaign. If you enjoy politics, this is a good read.
146318
This is a fantastic book. Honest, comprehensive, and moving. I enjoyed the personal glimpses into Clinton's feelings and life, and also the links to data and political science analyses of her campaign. Clinton doesn't shy away from her mistakes on the campaign trail. But it's very clear that other major forces led to her defeat, including the media's fascination with her emails, the role of Russia, the role of Jim Comey, and long-term efforts to disenfranchise youth and people of color with voter ID laws. More than a rehashing of what happened (which is of course a big chunk of the story), Hillary gives folks a blueprint for what to do next. How to brush ourselves off and get back to work to fix our democracy and protect our fellow Americans from the worst impulses of the Trump Administration. #OnwardTogether
3791734
A thoroughly enjoyable and illuminating read. Dolly Kyle is a very intelligent woman (you can tell that from her writing even if you didn't know she skipped two grades) and was very close to Bill Clinton for over a decade (up until the Clintons started working to smear her following her testimony when Bill was under investigation). Dolly wasn't close to Hillary personally, and she makes it clear (although she didn't say it explicitly) that most of her knowledge of Hillary comes either from Bill (with whom she was intimate) or from other Arkansans who did know Hillary.
FYI, this is the first political book I have read since Allen Drury's Advise and Consent ca. 1960 when I was in college. I.e., I don't read a lot of political books. But I am glad I read this one.
Highly recommended.
3093112
It's amazing to me that prior to even reading this book, there are folks out there raising their noses and pooh-poohing the "truth" according to Hillary Clinton. This frank and somewhat painful story about a life still being lived was riveting and I finished it within one afternoon. I must confess, I had never been a Hillary fan over the past years, due to her press. I now admit to being guilty of not paying enough attention. Mea cupla, Senator. I was riveted in her story. As for her claim that she did not realize the truth of her husband's dalliances? Ask any woman who has ever been cheated on how long it took for the obvious to sink in. You'll notice the bulk of Hill's literary detractors seem to be men, looking for any avenue to tear apart this interesting and honest retelling of international events by the only woman who actually had to live through it. Chicks know how it is. You believe because you want to believe, until, as any good screenwriter knows, it becomes impossible to "suspend disbelief" any longer.
The early history of the Clinton partnership, their life together coupled with Hillary's rise to political power and personal wholeness is quite worth the cost of the book.
"Why did she write it?" someone asked on cable news today. Easy answer. Because we have been feeding off it for the past ten years, I for one am interested in the other side of the Clinton story as opposed to those who just want to continue the bashing.
Read it and give yourself a chance to know someone you may have overlooked and may very well grow to admire.
She's a mother, a healing wife, and a US Senator, but when it is all said and done...she's just another chick walking the planet and trying to hang on.
Brave job, Hillary.
2541856
Excellent introduction to Hillary for any young reader.  Surprisingly even handed and, while generally positive for Hillary, it also covers her failed healthcare initiative during Bill Clinton's presidency, her ill advised vote for the Iraq War and her loss to Obama in 2008.  Lot's of related overviews including one on Eleanor Roosevelt, The Great Depression and other woman who have run for president (who knew that several woman ran in the late 1800's ?).
4931776
Bordo's account of the destruction of Hillary Clinton as a public figure and political candidate is expertly written in clear and clean prose. I couldn't put it down. The case that Bordo lays out to explain why Clinton's campaign for the US Presidency failed is quite compelling. The evidence is incontrovertible.

In essence, Clinton was no better at the campaign stuff than most presidential candidates but her loss can be mostly attributed to (1) a media that is profit and ratings driven and that mostly abdicated it's responsibility for truth finding in favor of horse race coverage and false equivalencies, (2) a highly profitable and decades-long smear campaign from the right that shape-shifted and changed it's arguments in self-contradictory ways to fit the current narrative, (3) Bernie bros and the "Bernie-or-bust" call-out campaign from the left that threw Hillary out of their self-defined "progressive" camp, (3) a rogue FBI Director, and, YES, (3) entrenched misogyny and gendered ideas of leadership. All of this Bordo deftly defends in the book.

It was healing to read an account that didn't blame Clinton for everything from bed bugs to long lines at Walmart. In truth, Clinton was the most progressive Democratic candidate ever nominated as well as (arguably) the most prepared and distinguished major party candidate in history. The lessons from the 2016 election are much more disturbing than if we simply say Clinton was an awful candidate who defeated herself. The actual explanations are more complex and difficult to swallow. I expect reading this book will be a healing and vindicating experience for Hillary's fans (myself included) but will infuriate those who already rejected her. Of course that fury would underscore Bordo's thesis. I loved this book and I highly recommend it to anyone with an open mind or anyone who was and is inspired by Clinton.
4002976
I really liked this book. I enjoyed reading about such a gutsy woman. I think the research was well done and the choice of materials to include was good. I hope the New Yorker takes up this book because Sally Benson was such a part of the New Yorker scene. I hope all the readers who like strong women will read this book.
3600958
I voted for Hillary but have never been a rabid fan.

I loved two things about this book. First, her candor. I never expected her to be so refreshingly honest and blunt.

I also enjoyed reading about the inner workings of the campaign. She says she was fully prepared for the debates including DT being creepy and still, when he acted abominably, it still surprised her.

It was a hard book to put down.
329295
Very well written and reminds me once again why I will always admire Hillary--her intellect, resilience; her indomitable spirit and her caring nature.  Her ability to rise up once again to continue the constant battle against inequality and injustice when most people would just give up.  I have a lot to learn from her and she is definitely an inspiration.  I highly recommend this book.
2453745
If anyone thought they knew the inner workings of the Clinton Machine, they REALLY need to read this most informative book.  It enlightens the reader of the very early stages of Hillary's life, and all those who helped shape her, to what we know of her today.  When ambition and drive are the most important characteristics that define one's goals, then Hillary Clinton is the champion.  Her mentor Saul Alinsky, a known radical/socialist taught her well in dealing with 'any enemy' and how to erase their effect from one's goal.  The goal is the prize, and nothing or no one should stand in the way-no matter who would be thrown under the bus, in the lust for power, money and fame.  An absolute MUST READ FOR EVERY AMERICAN.