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What Happened Paperback – September 18, 2018
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In this “candid and blackly funny” (The New York Times) memoir, Hillary Rodham Clinton reveals what she was thinking and feeling during one of the most controversial and unpredictable presidential elections in history. She takes us inside the intense personal experience of becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major party in an election marked by rage, sexism, exhilarating highs and infuriating lows, stranger-than-fiction twists, Russian interference, and an opponent who broke all the rules.
“At her most emotionally raw” (People), Hillary describes what it was like to run against Donald Trump, the mistakes she made, how she has coped with a shocking and devastating loss, and how she found the strength to pick herself back up afterward. She tells readers what it took to get back on her feet—the rituals, relationships, and reading that got her through, and what the experience has taught her about life. In this “feminist manifesto” (The New York Times), she speaks to the challenges of being a strong woman in the public eye, the criticism over her voice, age, and appearance, and the double standard confronting women in politics.
Offering a “bracing... guide to our political arena” (The Washington Post), What Happened lays out how the 2016 election was marked by an unprecedented assault on our democracy by a foreign adversary. By analyzing the evidence and connecting the dots, Hillary shows just how dangerous the forces are that shaped the outcome, and why Americans need to understand them to protect our values and our democracy in the future.
The election of 2016 was unprecedented and historic. What Happened is the story of that campaign, now with a new epilogue showing how Hillary grappled with many of her worst fears coming true in the Trump Era, while finding new hope in a surge of civic activism, women running for office, and young people marching in the streets.
- Print length560 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherSimon & Schuster
- Publication dateSeptember 18, 2018
- Dimensions6 x 1.4 x 9 inches
- ISBN-101501178407
- ISBN-13978-1501178405
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Editorial Reviews
Review
—The New York Times
“What Happened is a raw and bracing book, a guide to our political arena.”
—The Washington Post
“The writing in What Happened is engaging — Clinton is charming and even funny at times, without trying to paint herself in too flattering of a light…. Ultimately, the book might be a historical artifact most of all — the chronicling of what, exactly, it was like to run for president as the first woman major-party candidate (and, yes, a Clinton as well). Plenty may disagree with Clinton’s opinions on what went wrong for her, but her story will still be an important part of that history when America looks back on the melee that was the 2016 election.”
—NPR
“An engaging, beautifully synthesized page-turner.”
—Slate
“Here is Clinton at her most emotionally raw.... While What Happened records the perspective of a pioneer who beat an unprecedented path that stopped just shy of the White House, it also covers territory that many women will recognize.... She demonstrates that she can mine her situation for humor.”
—People
“Contains... insights into Ms. Clinton’s personality, character, and values, and the challenges confronting women in politics.”
—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“What Happened is not a standard work of this genre. It’s interesting; it’s worth reading; and it sets out questions that the press, in particular, has not done enough to face.”
—The Atlantic
“The most useful way to read What Happened is as one last instance of Clinton doing what she calls her civic duty.”
—Los Angeles Times
“This is an important book, and anyone who’s worried by what happened last November 8 should pick it up.”
—Entertainment Weekly
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
This book is a snapshot of how I felt and what we knew in the spring and summer of 2017, just a few months after the 2016 election. As you’ll see, it is at times raw, bewildered, and angry. By the end, though, I found some peace. And I remain hopeful that our country is resilient enough to withstand even these challenging times.
The reception of the book was more positive and fervent than I expected. All over the country, people lined up for hours to tell me— often in tears—how much the book and our campaign meant to them. Hearing from them meant the world to me. Many book signings became part group-therapy session, part organizing rally. I was enchanted by the little girls who came to my events with their parents, some wearing tiny pantsuits and pearls, beaming up at me, so proud to tell me about their siblings, their teachers, and what they want to be when they grow up.
Since I wrote this book, some things have changed. Wounds heal. Emotions cool. History marches on. As it does, it reveals itself more fully. We’ve learned a lot more about what happened in 2016. It turns out the Russian misinformation campaign was even more insidious . . . the dirty tricks that Cambridge Analytica and others used on Facebook and elsewhere were even more devious . . . and the Republican voter suppression efforts were even more effective than we imagined. In a new afterword included in this edition, written in early summer 2018, I try to make sense of these new revelations and what they mean for our country going forward.
As more facts have come to light, I’ve gone back and reconsidered this book with fresh eyes. I believe it stands the test of time. The arguments I made about the factors that contributed to Trump’s election still hold up a year later. Meanwhile, my fears about the danger he poses to our country have only grown. And while Trump and his allies have continued to attack me at every opportunity, none of them has poked any real holes in this book, even about the whole email debacle. I hope that gives you confidence as you read on. And I hope that What Happened helps give you the courage to join the fights we face today. May you find it as cathartic to read as I found it to write.
Product details
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster
- Publication date : September 18, 2018
- Edition : Reprint
- Language : English
- Print length : 560 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1501178407
- ISBN-13 : 978-1501178405
- Item Weight : 1.15 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 1.4 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #895,701 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #289 in Political Leader Biographies
- #1,060 in Women's Biographies
- #19,797 in Memoirs (Books)
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About the author

Hillary Rodham Clinton became the first woman in US history to become the presidential nominee of a major political party in 2016. She served as the 67th Secretary of State—from January 21, 2009, until February 1, 2013—after nearly four decades in public service advocating on behalf of children and families as an attorney, First Lady, and Senator. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother.
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Customers find this book well-written and eloquent, appreciating its candid nature and deep personal insights. Moreover, they describe it as a remarkable and intelligent woman's story that strikes emotions and is filled with wit. Additionally, the book receives positive feedback for its honest account of her life and career, with one customer noting how it reveals her strengths and weaknesses as a candidate.
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Customers find the book well written and worth their time, with one customer noting it's a quick read.
"Great book, a lot of insight, a perspective I wanted and needed to hear. I found the title very apt for this book...." Read more
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Customers praise the writing style of the book, describing it as eloquent, readable, and down-to-earth.
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Customers appreciate the deeply personal nature of the book, which shows the author's depth of experience.
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"...Whatever you think of this book, it's an important read by a passionate, smart, sensible woman who has much useful lived experience to share about..." Read more
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Customers appreciate Hillary Clinton as a remarkable and intelligent woman who humanizes herself in the book, with one customer noting her honesty and another highlighting her strengths and weaknesses as a candidate.
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Customers find the book emotionally impactful, describing it as poignant and relatable, with several customers mentioning they cried while reading it.
"...The book is raw, angry, emotional, funny, defensive and poignant...often at the same time. Just like the campaign was...." Read more
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"A painful and painstakingly written account of a significant moment in American history written by the person at the center of it all. &#..." Read more
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"Funny, insightful, smart, and heart-breaking. Hillary Clinton is (and remains) one of the most consequential people in the United States...." Read more
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- Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2017BOOK REVIEW | NONFICTION
A Document for Permanent Consultation and Reference
By GUILLERMO BRUNO | DEC. 9, 2017
WHAT HAPPENED by Hillary Rodham Clinton (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2017), 494 pp.
In a few months, "What Happened" by Hillary Rodham Clinton has transcended frontiers. This book shows us the facts behind the 2016 United States presidential election. What captivated my attention was both the perspective the author chose to tell "her story" and the existence of strong evidence that supports it. Therefore, in my opinion, this essay constitutes a document for permanent consultation and reference. But, let's consider some of the reasons to come to this conclusion.
When grieving is inevitable, you may write with resentment —what you feel when you do not receive what you deserve, it manifests itself in envy where darkness prevents you to cope with grief and to regain the balance lost— or do it with gratitude. Inspired by "The Return of the Prodigal Son" by Henri Nouwen; Hillary decided to express herself with love, joy, trust, gratitude, and courage. Since "gratitude" is the opposite of resentment, they cannot coexist. Thus, if we practice gratitude every day, it becomes a discipline, "the discipline of gratitude," the way to heal wounds, compatible with the Methodist belief "To do all the good you can…" By assuming this approach, with an unparalleled intelligence, she ensures herself a prominent place in history. So, it is not surprising that Mrs. Clinton extends her thanks to lots of people, including the 65,844,610 fellow Americans who voted for her, the Secret Service agents who protected her life as a presidential candidate, the members of her team, and the professionals who took care of her personal image. Moreover, she expresses her respect to the press corps who used to accompany her on the campaign trail.
The Russians stained the 2016 election in an abnormal interference on the American democracy. They not only used the traditional state-run media, but the internet flooding the web with a vast network of fake Twitter and Facebook accounts —either "trolls" "accounts that real people run" or "bots" "short for robots" this is "automatic accounts"— to place malicious headlines targeted to undecided voters. The author says "… Putin himself had ordered a covert operation with the goal of denigrating and defeating me, electing Trump, and undermining the American people's faith in the democratic process…" Besides, I had never imagined that anger, sexism, discrimination, intolerance, disrespect, brutality and an opponent who would break all the rules of a civilized nation would invade the electoral process. Even though Hillary won 2,864,974 more votes than her adversary and captured nearly as many votes as Barack Obama to win in 2012 (65,915,795), she lost the Electoral College. However, these facts in themselves are historical milestones. Needless to say that President Trump owes his victory in the Electoral College to three states where he won by the smallest number of votes: Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
During the campaign, it seemed that nobody wanted to listen to Mrs. Clinton's proposals. To those who proceeded in that way, let me remind you some of the most relevant ones. She had proposed: a) to modernize America's infrastructure which included roads, bridges, tunnels, ports, airports, and broadband networks; b) to create new incentives to attract manufacturing jobs in hard-hit communities; c) to impose debt-free college: d) to improve training and apprenticeship programs to help people without college degrees get higher-paying jobs; e) to support small business; f) to expand clean energy production; g) to deploy half-a-billion solar panels in four years; h) to invest in scientific research; i) to establish new rules to make it easier for companies to raise wages and share profits with employees; j) to upgrade workforce protection with a higher minimum wage, equal pay for women, paid family and medical leave, and affordable child care; k) to support reproductive rights, women's access to birth control and abortion as defined in Roe v. Wade; l) to protect the rights of LGBT people; and m) to expand access to treatment, improve training for doctors and pharmacists, and reform the Criminal Justice System to help non-violent drug offenders —victims of the opioid and heroin epidemic— end up in rehab instead of prison. These and many other things could have come true with a slight increase in taxes on the wealthiest, which represent 1% of the US population… In spite of the idea that Peter Barnes explores in his book "With Liberty and Dividends for All…" fascinated Hillary, she decided to leave it on the shelf for further studies.
By the way, do not forget that on June 22, 2000, President Bill Clinton announced the "Completion of the First Survey of the Entire Human Genome Project," one of the greatest legacies of his Administration. On that occasion, President Clinton said “… We are here to celebrate the completion of the first survey of the entire human genome. Without a doubt, this is the most important, most wondrous map ever produced by humankind... More than 1,000 researchers across six nations have revealed nearly all 3 billion letters of our miraculous genetic code… Today, we are learning the language in which God created life… With this profound new knowledge, humankind is on the verge of gaining immense, new power to heal. Genome science will have a real impact on all our lives... It will revolutionize the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of most, if not all, human diseases... by attacking their genetic roots…” Unfortunately, little has been done since then.
With humor and candor, the author reveals what she and her team used to eat during the campaign trail. The "Mothers of the Movement" and the "Flint Water Crisis" moved me very much. It is true that we have to study "the long-term effects of automation and artificial intelligence, both on employment and national security." There are also some relevant quotes to take into account such as "in the twenty-first century, wars will be increasingly fought in cyberspace…," "…we need to get serious about cyberwar" where "government and the private sector need to work together to improve our defenses…" "… The United States should declare that a cyber attack on the American vital infrastructure constitutes an act of war and that it should receive a proportional response." Finally, "…the point of modern propaganda isn't only to misinform or push an agenda; it is to exhaust your critical thinking to annihilate truth…"
It is no good trying to disregard the dangerous forces that shaped the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. Understanding the facts that threatened the democratic process is a must. Amid the darkness of today, this woman –undoubtedly a fighter– becomes the moral reserve of our time, an inspiration for millions of people all over the world to get involved, to raise our voices, to defend our rights, and to fight for the values we believe in and care for. To sum up, these are some of the reasons that lead me to recommend this masterpiece, and as the Gershwin brothers say "Who Could Ask for Anything More."
Guillermo Bruno
Guillermo Bruno was born in Argentina. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from the School of Legal Sciences, Universidad del Salvador (USAL), and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Air and Space Law from the Instituto Nacional de Derecho Aeronáutico y Espacial (INDAE). He has been a professor of law, a legal writer, a defender of animal rights, and a songwriter.
RECENSIÓN DE LIBRO | NO FICCIÓN | ESPAÑOL
Un documento de referencia y consulta permanente
Por GUILLERMO BRUNO | DIC. 9, 2017
QUÉ PASÓ de Hillary Rodham Clinton (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2017), 494 pp.
En unos meses, "Qué pasó" de Hillary Rodham Clinton ha trascendido las fronteras. Este libro nos muestra los hechos detrás de las elecciones presidenciales de Estados Unidos de 2016. Lo que cautivó mi atención fue tanto la perspectiva que la autora eligió para contar "su historia" como la existencia de pruebas sólidas que la avalan. Por lo tanto, en mi opinión, este ensayo constituye un documento de referencia y consulta permanente. Pero, consideremos algunas de las razones para llegar a esta conclusión.
Cuando el duelo es inevitable, puedes escribir con resentimiento –lo que sientes cuando no recibes lo que mereces, se manifiesta en envidia donde la oscuridad te impide elaborar el duelo y recuperar el equilibrio perdido– o hacerlo con gratitud. Inspirada en "El regreso del hijo pródigo" de Henri Nouwen; Hillary decidió expresarse con amor, alegría, confianza, gratitud y coraje. Como la "gratitud" es lo opuesto al resentimiento, no pueden coexistir. En consecuencia, si practicamos la gratitud todos los días, se convierte en una disciplina, "la disciplina de la gratitud", la forma de sanar heridas, compatible con la creencia Metodista que expresa: "Haz todo el bien que puedas…” Al asumir esta postura, con una inteligencia incomparable, se asegura un lugar prominente en la historia. Por lo tanto, no sorprende que la Sra. Clinton extienda su agradecimiento a muchas personas, incluidos los 65.844.610 de estadounidenses que votaron por ella, los agentes del Servicio Secreto que protegieron su vida como candidata presidencial, los miembros de su equipo y los profesionales que se ocuparon de su imagen personal. Además, expresa su respeto por los cuerpos de prensa que solían acompañarla en la campaña electoral.
Los rusos mancharon las elecciones de 2016 con una interferencia anormal en la democracia estadounidense. No solo usaron los medios estatales tradicionales, sino Internet inundándolo con una vasta red de cuentas falsas de Twitter y Facebook –sea con "trolls" “cuentas que las personas reales ejecutan” o con “bots” “abreviatura de robots”, esto es, "cuentas automáticas"– para colocar titulares maliciosos dirigidos a votantes indecisos. La autora dice: "... el mismo Putin había ordenado una operación encubierta con el objeto de denigrarme y derrotarme, elegir a Trump y socavar la fe del pueblo estadounidense en el proceso democrático..." Además, nunca imaginé que la ira, el sexismo, la discriminación, la intolerancia, la falta de respeto, la brutalidad y un oponente que quebrantaría todas las reglas de una nación civilizada invadirían el proceso electoral. Pese a que Hillary ganó 2.864.974 de votos más que su adversario y obtuvo casi la misma cantidad de votos que Barack Obama en 2012 (65.915.795), perdió en el Colegio Electoral. Sin embargo, estos hechos en sí mismos son hitos históricos. Huelga decir que el presidente Trump debe su victoria en el Colegio Electoral a tres estados donde ganó por el menor número de votos: Pennsylvania, Wisconsin y Michigan.
Durante la campaña, parecía que nadie quería escuchar las propuestas de la Sra. Clinton. Para aquellos que procedieron de esa manera, permítanme recordarles algunas de las más relevantes. Había propuesto: a) modernizar la infraestructura de Estados Unidos, que incluía carreteras, puentes, túneles, puertos, aeropuertos y redes de banda ancha; b) crear nuevos incentivos para atraer puestos de trabajo de manufactura en las comunidades más afectadas; c) imponer una universidad sin deudas: d) mejorar los programas de capacitación y aprendizaje para ayudar a las personas sin títulos universitarios a obtener mejores empleos remunerados; e) apoyar a las pequeñas empresas; f) expandir la producción de energía limpia; g) desplegar medio billón de paneles solares en cuatro años; h) invertir en investigación científica; i) establecer nuevas reglas para facilitar que las empresas eleven los salarios y compartan los beneficios con sus empleados; j) mejorar la protección de la fuerza de trabajo con un salario mínimo más elevado, el mismo salario para las mujeres, licencia familiar y médica pagada y cuidado infantil asequible; k) apoyar los derechos reproductivos, el acceso de las mujeres al control de la natalidad y al aborto como se define en Roe v. Wade; l) proteger los derechos de las personas LGBT; y ll) expandir el acceso al tratamiento, mejorar la capacitación de médicos y farmacéuticos y reformar el Sistema de Justicia Criminal para ayudar a que los infractores por drogas no violentos –víctimas de la epidemia del opio y la heroína– terminen en lugares de rehabilitación, no en la prisión. Estas y muchas otras cosas podrían haberse hecho realidad con un ligero aumento en los impuestos a los más ricos, que representan el 1% de la población de EE.UU… A pesar de la idea que Peter Barnes explora en su libro "Con libertad y dividendos para todos..." que fascinó a Hillary, decidió dejarlo para estudios más detallados.
Por cierto, no olviden que el 22 de junio de 2000, el presidente Bill Clinton anunció la "Finalización del Proyecto Genoma Humano", uno de los mayores legados de su administración. En esa ocasión, el presidente Clinton dijo: "... Estamos aquí para celebrar la finalización del Proyecto Genoma Humano... Sin lugar a dudas, este es el mapa más importante y maravilloso jamás producido por la humanidad... Más de 1.000 investigadores en seis naciones han revelado casi 3.000 millones de letras de nuestro código genético milagroso... Hoy, estamos aprendiendo el lenguaje en el que Dios creó la vida... Con este nuevo y profundo conocimiento, la humanidad está a punto de ganar un inmenso y nuevo poder para sanar. La ciencia del genoma tendrá un impacto real en todas nuestras vidas... Revolucionará el diagnóstico, la prevención y el tratamiento de la mayoría de las enfermedades humanas, si no todas... atacando sus raíces genéticas..." Desafortunadamente, poco se ha hecho desde entonces.
Con humor y sinceridad, la autora revela lo que ella y su equipo solían comer durante la campaña electoral. Las "Madres del Movimiento" y la "Crisis del Agua en Flint" me conmovieron en grado sumo. Es cierto que tenemos que estudiar "los efectos a largo plazo de la automatización y la inteligencia artificial, tanto en el empleo como en la seguridad nacional". También hay algunas citas relevantes para tener en cuenta como: "en el siglo XXI, las guerras se librarán cada vez más en el ciberespacio...", "...debemos tomarnos en serio la ciberguerra", donde "el gobierno y el sector privado deben trabajar juntos para mejorar nuestras defensas...” “...Estados Unidos debería declarar que un ciberataque a la infraestructura vital estadounidense constituye un acto de guerra y recibir una respuesta proporcional". Finalmente, "...el objetivo de la propaganda moderna no es solo desinformar o impulsar una agenda, es agotar el pensamiento crítico para aniquilar la verdad..."
Es inútil tratar de ignorar las fuerzas peligrosas que dieron forma al resultado de la elección presidencial de 2016. Hay que comprender los hechos que amenazaron al proceso democrático. En medio de la oscuridad del hoy, esta mujer –sin dudas una luchadora– se convierte en la reserva moral de nuestro tiempo, una inspiración para que millones de personas de todo el mundo nos involucremos, alcemos nuestras voces, defendamos nuestros derechos y luchemos por los valores y principios en los que creemos. En suma, estas son algunas de las razones que me llevan a recomendar esta obra maestra y como dicen los hermanos Gershwin: "¿Quién podría pedir algo más?".
Guillermo Bruno
Guillermo Bruno nació en Argentina. Es abogado, egresado de la Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas de la USAL (Universidad del Salvador) y realizó un posgrado en la Especialización en Derecho Aeronáutico y Espacial en el INDAE (Instituto Nacional de Derecho Aeronáutico y Espacial). Es profesor de derecho, escritor, defensor del derecho de los animales y autor y compositor.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2017It’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?
Top reviews from other countries
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うじゅんReviewed in Japan on July 5, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars 読みやすさ
毎回、ヒラリー・クリントン氏の著書は、意外と中身も豊富で、読みやすいので、楽しんで読んでいるのですが、
今回は、物議をかもしだした前回の大統領選挙の内幕が暴露されてて、非常に興味深かった。女性としての立場から、選挙戦に臨んだ彼女のさわやかな戦いぶりが、将来誕生するかもしれない、米国初の女性大統領への指標になればヒラリー氏の善戦も無駄ではない。ヒラリー氏が政界へ復帰をして、又、興味深い回顧録を書いてくれたらと思う。
- LisettReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly candid and well written
I was not planning on reading this book.
Like so many others, I too found the 2016 election exhausting and demoralising (and I'm not even American!).
However, the many press articles suggesting Hillary Clinton should shut up pissed me off so much I pre-ordered the book. Basically I just wanted to stick it to the people who think this intelligent, hard-working woman who made history is not entitled to share her side of the story.
Once it arrived, curiosity made me leaf through - and soon I found myself engrossed.
Clinton comes across as wryly funny, very well-read, immensely passionate and knowledgeable about politics, a loving wife and mother (basically the opposite of a certain other presidential wannabe).
Despite claims from people who seem to have read no further than the table of contents, this is not an exercise in shifting blame. Clinton fully owns all the things she could have done differently: those damn emails ('dumb mistake'), the 'basket of deplorables' comment, the Wall Street speeches...
In fact, she readily accepts the onus of responsibility. "I'm sorry I failed you," she tells President Obama on Election Night.
“I go back over my own shortcomings and the mistakes we made. I take responsibility for all of them," she tells us all.
"You can blame the data, blame the message, blame anything you want—but I was the candidate. It was my campaign. Those were my decisions.”
I am not sure how much clearer one could be when taking ownership.
And yet, it is clear that this catastrophic failure is not her fault alone. Fighting against the potent combination of general political ennui, misogyny, and misplaced anger in the electorate, dealing with a media tunnel vision on emails and an opponent with no respect for facts, hobbled by a meddling foreign government, it's unclear what more she could have done. Still, the book is important and necessary, if only to give a voice to a woman who, according to herself had "overlearned the lesson of staying calm—biting my tongue, digging my fingernails into a clenched fist, smiling all the while, determined to present a composed face to the world."
Now, at last, she can speak her mind.
- MagdalenaReviewed in Italy on April 17, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars An easy read on the current affairs
the story of Hillary’s run for presidency and her view on what has happened that let her towards losing. Very interesting, biographical book, easy read.
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ArtiomReviewed in Spain on October 8, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Moving so far
I'm halfway through the book, and I'm finding it absolutely moving. In fact, I find myself in need of stopping each 5 minutes because of how emotionally raw is its content. I'll post a complete review once I finish it, but so far this is a great book. I wish HRC would have shown more of her 'human side' throughout the campaign, but really, as things stood, it's completely self-evident that hers was a choice between a 'bad' and 'worse' decision time and time again. Also, for some readers, beware, as it's been stated in the introduction, this is not 'cold political analysis' book, so if you're looking for that, you may as well look elsewhere ('Shattered' might provide the clues, though I can't speak as I haven't read it yet); instead, the book seems to attempt to combine introspection and personal feelings in one single non-fiction piece.
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KarineReviewed in France on September 21, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Un livre intéressant, plein d'humour et d'intelligence
Excellente lecture qui donne un recul et une perspective inédite sur les élections de Novembre. 'What happened' se lit facilement, même pour les niveaux d'anglais intermédiaires.
Je connaissais l'intelligence d'Hillary Clinton, j'ai découverte une femme pleine d'humour et de bienveillance.
Les critiques n'ont certainement pas lu le livre ou sont partis en détestant d'avance ce qu'elle représente.