Thursday, November 28, 2024

The Art of Power: My Story as America's First Woman Speaker of the House by Nancy Pelosi


"I accept this gavel in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship. In this House, we may be different parties, but we all serve one country...this openness requires respect for every voice in the Congress. As Thomas Jefferson said, 'Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle'...Let us all stand together to move our country forward, seeking common ground for the common good."
        -Nancy Pelosi, becoming Speaker of the House on January 4, 2007



I have greatly admired Nancy Pelosi for her spirit, courage and tenacity. In reading, I was reminded of many of her accomplishments in her 40 years of public life---addressing the 9-11 terrorist attack, and voting against the war in Iraq, addressing the economic crisis of 2008, the passing of the Affordable Care Act and helping the nation survive the global pandemic of 2020 and an attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Not to mention witnessing two presidential impeachments and dealing with an attack in her own home that seriously injured her husband, Paul.

I learned a great deal from the book and gained even more respect for Speaker Pelosi although I can't say I enjoyed the reading, and it was not a page-turner. There was some repetition and some people's names and political jargon I didn't quite get. I am rating the book a 3.



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