I like Sarah Palin. I think she’s loyal, hard working, down-to-earth, and a breath of fresh air to the often stodgy and self-important establishment that is American politics.
That being said, I’m no political expert. I didn’t read Going Rogue: An American Life because I want to be a political expert. I wanted to find out more about the woman who was plucked seemingly from out of nowhere and launched onto the national scene, only to become perhaps one of the most controversial women of our time. I wanted to find out how she caught John McCain’s attention, and maybe even why many members of both political parties dislike her so much. The book answered many of those questions.
The daughter of a teacher who moved to Alaska for adventure and opportunities, Palin fondly recalls her childhood. She comes from a close-knit family who modeled a good work ethic and held high expectations. She’s obviously in love with Alaska’s rich history, and is extremely proud to call the state her home. She revels in the Alaskan spirit, which she exudes in spades.
I enjoyed finding out how politics just sort of fell into Palin’s lap, and how she balances family and career (especially difficult since her husband’s job takes him away from home much of the time). Palin is obviously not a political diva. Yes, she speaks her mind plainly. Yes, she questions the political process. Yes, she has stood against members of her party when she felt they were not doing what was best for the people. At the same time, she loves our country. She is proud to be an American, and has great hope for our country’s future. She is also respectful of John McCain (I’d heard she railed against him in the book, but I didn’t find that to be true). I found her to be genuine, witty and charming.
After reading Going Rogue, I like Sarah Palin even more.
Melissa has been captivated by books for as long as she can remember. She resides in Virginia and blogs at Breath of Life.
I’m generally not a big Sarah Palin fan. I don’t think that she knew enough or learned enough about world affairs to be the second in command of our country. Sometimes, I felt like she was purposefully ignorant and that stuff really bugged me. I’ll be honest, too, I didn’t like that McCain picked her because I felt like it was an obvious play to get me to vote for him simply because he chose a woman – a woman that I didn’t think was qualified at all.
There are some things that I liked about her. She WAS a breath of fresh air. She called people on the BS. You could understand her and relate to her on some levels.
That being said, I didn’t like her because I didn’t think that she was qualified at the time and because I didn’t agree with a lot of her policies.
I am really anxious to read this book. I just picked it up over the weekend. As I scan it over, it looks like the book focuses more on who Sarah Palin, the woman, is, rather than her political agenda, and I like that. I can’t wait to get started!
There are things I really like about Palin and things about the situation that I didn’t. That said, I find a lot to admire about her and I’ve been super curious about this book! I’m glad you reviewed it for us, Melissa! Thanks!
can’t wait to see her on the fox network. I’m sure I’m not the only one – especially Tina Fey. heehee
I don’t think it’s any secret to those that know me that I don’t like Sarah Palin or what I think she’s trying to do. I think she stretches the truth and that she has engaged in some unethical practices. I am not sure why she stepped down as governor other than there was investigation into her conduct and handling of certain funds. Also, I think that she is significantly lacking in the area of foreign policy both general knowledge and understanding.
I like that she is a woman in politics. I like that she is pro life. I admire her for her commitment to her family. However, I don’t want her representing me at any level of government.
Thanks for reviewing this book Melissa. I picked it up after seeing it reviewed here and at 10 Million Words. I was curious about the woman behind the political storm. Though I think she did a decent job of getting past the media’s perception of who she is, I was disappointed that she seemed to write from a defensive stance. Thanks again for putting this book on my radar.