Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power Book Review

To be a woman in politics is to have a backbone made of steel. It requires courage, strength, an incredibly brilliant mind, and the ability to navigate through the bullshit.

Nancy Pelosi has done this and so much more. She has broken barriers, become a controversial figure, and stood toe to toe with some of the most notorious political figures of our era. Her biography, Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power, by Susan Page, was published earlier this year. Pelosi was born in Baltimore, the youngest child, and only daughter in a prominent Italian-American family. Though she was raised in an era in which girls were boxed in, her mother encouraged her to color outside of the lines.

Moving to California after marrying, Pelosi only got into politics after her children were grown. Starting at the local level, she climbed up the ladder with a shrewd mind and an understanding of the game. Page spends most of the book examining her career and the challenges (especially when going against you know who) that she has come against. Diving into the details of the last few decades, the woman we meet is one who does not shrink when coming against a man who thinks that he knows better than her.

I enjoyed this book. The reader is introduced to Pelosi as the whole woman, not just the image on the evening news. She is thoroughly human in a way that I found relatable and inspirational. Pelosi may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you cannot deny that what she has accomplished is exceptional and admirable. We need more women in this world like Nancy Pelosi.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power is available wherever books are sold.

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Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey Review

For many of us, religion is a very important part of our daily lives. But there is a distinct line between believing in a higher power and using that belief to enrich your own needs.

Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey is a new Netflix four-part miniseries. It tells the story of the FLDS and the group’s infamous leader, Warren Jeffs. Known for being polygamous and practicing a strict adaptation of Mormonism, Jeff was arrested for marrying young, underage girls and having sexual relations with them. Interviewing former members of the FLDS, law enforcement, media, etc, a picture is painted of a man who instead of representing his heavenly creator, twisted religious doctrine to fit his own needs.

As I got further into this program, my stomach kept turning and I kept getting angrier. I am not a religious person, but I respect a lay leader who in turn respects their congregation and the doctrines of their faith. What I do not like is using their power and status to take advantage of those who trust them.

What struck me was the strength of the women who survived the ordeal and have thrived in what they would previously called the “gentile” world. It’s more than coming out of it and living a normal life, it’s having the strength to tell their story to strangers who might judge them in a negative manner.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey is available for streaming on Netflix.