Hillary’s Book
Wed., August 6, 09:54 AM
As you may realize, I’ve been slogging through Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton. And while it hasn’t always been an easy read, I have to say it’s worth seeing.
Is it self-serving? Sure. I expected it to be. You know that, if there is more than one version of events, it’s her version you will read. As adults, I think we should be able to make that kind of distinction. (You can always check the facts on the internet – but consult more than one source.) Is it well written? Yes and no; the woman can write clearly, but there are times when I’d like to make changes.
I once thought of marketing a proof-reading and editing service called “The Right Word.” Ms. Clinton is often a master of the almost right word. She also tends to slip into cliché. It just goes to prove that my service would never sell. No one cares, and her book gets published anyhow.
There are some very sweet pictures included, but I would like to slap the hands of the person who did the internal photo layout. Both the layout and the choice of photos are far better on the book jacket.
Nitpicking! I liked the book. Leaving out your opinion of Hillary and/or Bill, you will enjoy her recollections of friendships with people Nelson Mandela, Jackie Kennedy, and Boris Yeltsin. She has been fortunate to visit some places I’ll never get to see, and I enjoyed the descriptions. And she pushed one of my buttons when she mentioned that “A League of Their Own” is one of her favorite movies.
Maybe, even though my basic beliefs are quite different from Hillary Clinton’s, I admire certain traits that are similar to my own. Keep your personal emotions to yourself. Get through difficulties by just going ahead and doing what you have to do each day. These are philosophies from another era, and it’s a little surprising to discover them in a “Baby Boomer.”
I certainly marvel at her ability to separate her hurt and disappointment with her husband from her belief in his presidency and its agenda. That shows remarkable strength. Even though I might question her decision to stay with him (I would never divorce him, but murder…), I understand the value of a shared history and all the rest of it. No one ever knows everything about a marriage except the couple that shares it, and all the rest is none of my business.
Hillary Clinton has a unique background to advance the causes she believes in – women and children and human rights. She probably can find herself no better place to do this than the U.S. Senate.
Her record there will provide some clue as to whether she and her supporters are right or wrong – whatever that means.
