A review by sfstagewalker
The Art of Tough: Fearlessly Facing Politics and Life by Barbara Boxer

3.0

I neither loved nor hated this memoir. I have a lot of respect for Boxer, but this book felt ... light. It's not that I wanted dirt, but this book just kind of rattled off a bunch of anecdotes in chronological order while occasionally throwing in a reference to the title. I'd have been much more interested in either more of a "room where it happened" approach (which she does come close to at times) or a thoughtful exploration of resilience and struggle in the face of opposition. It really feels like she brushes up against these, but ultimately feels more like a casual reflection on her career than anything else.