It’s difficult to review anything Hillary Clinton writes without turning it into a review of Hillary Clinton the person (in this way, it’s much like reading a review of any new Madonna album). It’s particularly difficult to talk about What Happened, nearly 500 pages of Hillary talking about Hillary, without talking about... Hillary (and, before I see “Egomaniac! Self Obsessed!, etc, I’ll remind you -- writing a book about one’s experiences in the first person is called a memoir, and anyone can write one -- yes, even a woman!) Trying to review this like any other book solely in a vacuum of its own literary merits is not only impossible, but somewhat disingenuous.
What Happened is a lot of things. A memoir, a recap, a cautionary tale, a warning, a call to arms, an airing of grievances. Hillary Clinton has always been a walking PowerPoint presentation. What it is not -- and never tries to be, despite everyone’s assumptions based on a few leaked excerpts -- is a long diatribe of blame deflection and an attempt to be the definitive source of analysis on the strangest and ugliest political contest in the history of the United States. Clinton states in the very first chapter that it is not intended to be such a book -- that she is too close to the events, too caught up in the rawness of the emotion. The question of should she/shouldn’t she write this has been dominating the conversation about this book, and it’s another question that I find irrelevant: she wrote it, deal with it, don’t read it if you don’t want to. I know that I, and millions of others, were eager to hear her perspective, and find her analysis both insightful and cathartic.
It’s bizarre to me that I feel compelled, as a 33 year old nobody, to take to the internet to defend the right of a former First Lady, Secretary of State, and two time presidential candidate, a figure at the forefront of American politics who has dedicated her entire life to public service and has just had a singularly unique experience unshared by anyone in history, to write a book about those experiences. But such is the polarizing effect Hillary Clinton has. Those that hate her hate her with a fury and a frenzy that seems almost medieval, way out of proportion to any of her supposed crimes. Those people will not enjoy this book, unless they intend to get pleasure out of hate-reading (the way I do when I watch American Horror Story).
What Happened, like so much of everything Hillary Clinton has done in public life, finds itself in sort of a no-win situation. No matter what the tone of it -- was she self deprecating enough? Did she properly chastise herself enough? Does she sound bitter? Does she sound smug? Did she take all the sins of the 63 million Trump voters and carry them on her back to the pyre, and allow us to burn her in effigy? -- it wasn’t going to be acceptable. Accused throughout her career of being overly cautious and guarded (I wonder why?), we were promised a more open, direct Hillary here.
We get that, sort of. Her previous two books, Living History and Hard Choices, were each accused of two of the big Clinton Cardinal sins: the former, a chronicle of her early life and White House years, of being cautious/careful. The latter, recounting her time as Secretary of State, of being boring (I personally liked the...many, many pages of “boring” policy overview from a person who not only has a knack for that sort of thing, but actually seems to enjoy it. I wake up every morning wishing we had a person like that in the oval office today). What Happened may not read like the no holds barred celebrity tell-all scandal book many wanted it to be, but by Clinton standards, it’s the closest we’ll probably ever get to her hearing her speak openly and honestly about her joys and frustrations.
I want to cite, in particular, the chapter Women in Politics. In the past, Hillary has always had to be careful when talking about gender -- and if reading that sentence annoyed you just as much as it annoyed me to type it, this chapter alone may be worth the price of the book for you. This is the clearest, most direct, and -- yes -- angriest Hillary has ever been while addressing the topics of sexism and misogyny, and the roles they’ve played in her political and personal life. But beyond venting frustration and citing the challenges, she also addresses the unique joys and rewards that come with often being the only woman in the room.
She also does something that her detractors will hate even more than her feminist venting: she has the audacity to talk about her accomplishments. This is something that women are conditioned never to do -- in my opinion, it’s part of why Clinton’s campaigns have always struggled with getting her message and point of view out to the voters -- and it’s refreshing here to see her take deserving pride in what she’s done for women and children over the years. So much has been twisted and fabricated, and when coupled with the genuine problems and mistakes of her husband’s administration, that Hillary’s very real fight and achievements for women and children are always overshadowed.
While Clinton is careful (as always, maybe too careful) to balance her overview of the combination of outside forces conspiring against the campaign with taking responsibility for her own mistakes (apologizing many, many times -- did we ever hear Mitt Romney do the same?), and while she tries to balance her Cassandra-like warnings with uplifting and inspirational quotes -- What Happened is still often very hard to read. In particular, the chapter on Election Night, and the excerpt she gives us from what would have been her victory speech, felt like I was ripping off a scab all over again.
And that was one of the biggest criticisms surrounding this book. Why look back? Setting aside the fact that our current president still seems obsessed with talking about the election and brings it up any time there are cameras in his face, there are a lot of reasons why it is valuable to assess the problems, the mistakes, and the aftermath from as many perspectives as possible. And while I hope one day we will look back and shake our heads in disbelief at how we were all so stupid, with the benefit of hindsight, time, distance, and qualified analytical minds to write about it in the years to come, I think it is absolutely imperative to get the perspective of the woman who was on the front lines the entire time fighting for us all, taking every single direct punch and getting up again, never giving up the fight. I also think, for many of us, there an be a shared sense of catharsis to hearing Hillary vent a little bit. Is this book the most academic thing she’s written? No, but people were unhappy with THAT as well. If nothing else, this book is a valuable primary source document, an insight into what became a much more bizarre election than any of us even imagined.
On the morning of election day, I woke up feeling hopeful. After voting, I wrote in my journal, thinking -- somewhat morbidly -- about my future children, who may come across my notebooks in a box one day after I’m dead. I wrote thinking about the daughter that I might one day have, addressing her and saying that I was proud and hopeful to be able to show her that, in a pivotal moment in history, we were all able to come together and make the right choice. I was excited about the idea of her maybe growing up and having her first image of the oval office be one with a woman sitting behind the desk. I was excited to tell her one day that the country came together to stand up to the bully, put aside our differences, and proved that hatred doesn’t always win. Hillary Rodham Clinton -- the woman who is somehow, every year, voted simultaneously the most admired woman in the country as well as the most reviled -- after enduring years of sexism, abuse, and the most violent and disgusting political attacks I’ve ever seen -- stood tough through it all and, on the merits of being the most qualified person for the job, became the first female president of the United States.
Of course, this is not what happened. This time, the bully won. But, as cliche as this is, sometimes the most important lessons are the ones learned in defeat and loss. As Hillary enters the later years of her life, her career as an elected public official may be over, but there is still so much we can learn from her. And that’s why I think this book is so valuable: right now, it’s helpful for processing and starting a conversation about what to do in the aftermath of this mess we’re in. But I’m also glad it exists for future generations to read when they look back on 2016 and think: what the f--?
The reality in life is sometimes the bully DOES win. This is a hard, unpleasant, but necessary truth that all children need to face sooner or later. Sometimes the big, stupid bully, lurking behind and looming over the hard working straight A student who does all the extra credit assignments and color-codes her highlighters when making notes, does not get punished, indeed gets rewarded for his bumbling mediocrity. This is What Happened. What happens next?
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Get the Message: Not the Messenger: Clean the Mess!!!
I was excited to get a copy of this book because yes I am a woman, an admirer of HRC but above all a global citizen interested in political science and curious to know ‘what happens’. By virtue of my profession as a lawyer, and all other work I do for human, women and mental health rights, I will proceed to review this book which was a cathartic read to be honest. Not being an American (nor involved in any gerrymandering or etc) gives me the audacity to title my review as I do. I have therefore divided my review into three sections respectively and I will conclude with a probably more audacious stance. Spoiler: Message not in any EMAILS!!!1) Get the MessageI would have been disappointed if the only message I got from this book was about what happened during the 2016 sagacious presidential election in the USA. I am therefore appreciative of the fact that the book is about what happened before, during and after not only the elections but also what happened and happens to HRC – and well the USA. The book is not titled say ‘what happened that I lost in 2016’ …The message or should I say messages HRC share in her book are therefore about her, the campaign and elections saga, and the country as a whole. I keep likening what I think of the US now to a person who has fallen from such Grace to Grass. HRC in her usual candour which I have appreciated all along reading her various books, sounds the clarion call, pointing fingers to all including herself. Putin may not like her, Trump may not (obviously), ‘Little Rocket Man’ too, the Republicans without doubt, even some Democrats presumably, but the message has to be given and just like other great messengers in the world (Start maybe from Jesus, Mahatma Ghandi, MLK, Malcom X, Mandela, you name them I mean even Barack Obama), HRC ( a brave woman for a change) had no choice but to follow that inner nudge and deliver the message (s) in this book.Not the MessengerI think the world or to be more honest the US, has held HRC to an unreasonably terrifying standard while at the same time expecting her to just ‘disappear’. No doubt HRC was the candidate and should, and in my candid opinion does take a lot of responsibility, she is not the reason the country is in such chaos. She is a messenger sent bearing a torch under a scorching scrutiny, and facing immense challenges and sabotage from different angles it could only take Amazing Grace to see her through it all (had she ended up in an asylum or in Jail maybe there would have been more ‘celebration’?).Yet truth be told, the records she has set not only as the first female presidential nominee of one of the great parties in that country, but also in her long and impact full public service to the country and the world at large, will in another country probably grant her immunity from whatever, for life, period. It is therefore shameful and dare say embarrassing that several other reviews I have read, and some media outlets take pleasure in trying further ‘character or emotional assassination’ of HRC. Hold up USA, you seem not to know the gem you have in HRC the messenger. She is just a human being for crying out loud but the choices she has made and the message she delivering in this book should not be overlooked because someone in the Oval office or somewhere doesn’t like her face, voice, shape, sight etc.Clean the MessIn this book, I gather and undeniably think that the country is in a mess. I mean blame it on HRC and the Clintons if you want, blame on Barrack and the Obamas, on the democrats maybe, blame it on Russia if you are bold enough to follow through with your investigations – that is if it is already obvious blaming the Republicans too right?, I can even blame my US Buddy who keeps putting up those blogs posts with such alien like updates! The bottom line is: The great Super Duper US of A is currently in a mess and I recently said they had become “a global embarrassment and case study”. Seriously some real cleaning has to be done because it ain’t wrong to fall, but it’s appalling to stay down when you know how to get up!!!In conclusionRead this book and think about the solutions HRC proposes, take it or leave she has painfully and graciously delivered the message. Take it or leave she deserves a medal (the highest honour that exists in your country). Take it or leave HRC is your modern day Eleanor Rooselvelt (No doubt she finds such inspiration from this exceptional icon). I am glad that HRC did not choose to FOLD IT ALL AND RUN but to FACE IT ALL AND RISE after she lost the presidential elections (that may have deprived Charlotte and Aidan of their awesome grandma just too soon), and that she has pulled herself back together and is continuing to do all the good she can as seen in the creation of ‘Onward Together’. Thank you so much HRC you have inspired so many young girls and women the world over you can’t imagine. I was hoping you’ll be the Ellen Sirleaf of the US but I think the country wasn’t ready for you. You were not angry enough, resentful enough, nasty enough, persistent enough, bashful enough, elite enough, middle class enough, poor enough; you were over educated, over composed, dreamt too much, nodded too much, spoke too much, spoke too little, smiled too much, wore blank suits all the time, had friends from Kindergarten and couldn’t even fire a single campaign manager… I can go on and on and on… In the meantime, I cling on to the T-Shirt of Madame President which I bought and had dhl-ed to me. One day hopefully before my time here below is up, I’ll clap when that utmost glass ceiling is shattered once and for all. HRC didn’t let me down, she showed me the way and she keeps striving with humility, persistence, modesty and love. Americans do yourself some service and read this book – I give it a 5 star without reservation!!!
