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detailsandtales's review against another edition
4.0
This was a compelling listen, especially as it the narrator is Senator Gillibrand herself. There are moments in the recording where she literally gets choked up. While I felt like certain sections strayed a bit from the point they were trying to make, overall, I appreciated the picture the book painted of what it takes to run for office and what life is like once one gets there, especially when one is a woman. This book at once left me wanting to be more politically involved and also never, ever wanting to run for office.
shoshin's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
I enjoy memoirs a great deal. This one was particularly detailed about how Sen. Gillibrand got into politics, so if you are looking for a "how to" guide as much as a "this is my life" book, this is a good one to read.
eralon's review
4.0
I read this because Gillibrand is one of the 2020 Presidential candidates. Unfortunately, this isn’t a policy book; it’s part memoir and part resume of her legislative pursuits on behalf of New York. That said, I think it’s difficult to be a woman/mother in my age-group and not be delighted by Gillibrand’s personality. She’s funny and very relatable and to the extent that she mentions her current policies, which is not very much, I’m in agreement with her positions.
On the other hand, she tried to address one of my central concerns about her, her House gun record, but I don’t think she did so persuasively enough.
She’s not my preferred candidate, and she’s not currently polling well. Nonetheless, if by some miracle she became the Democratic nominee, I’d be pleased to vote for her.
On the other hand, she tried to address one of my central concerns about her, her House gun record, but I don’t think she did so persuasively enough.
She’s not my preferred candidate, and she’s not currently polling well. Nonetheless, if by some miracle she became the Democratic nominee, I’d be pleased to vote for her.
mackharte's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, it was definitely one of the better political memoirs I’ve read— incredibly focused, precise, and yet warm and detailed.
vegancleopatra's review
3.0
As Gloria Steinem said, brilliantly, “The truth will set you free. But first it will piss you off.” So here’s my blunt truth: I’m angry and I’m depressed, and I’m scared that the women’s movement is dead, or at least on life support. Women talk a lot these days about shattering the glass ceiling, but we also need to focus on cleaning the so-called sticky floor, making sure all women have a chance to rise. Loc158
Overall I enjoyed Off the Sidelines: Raise Your Voice, Change the World. Gillibrand's message is clear: women need to be more involved in politics and choices by society as a whole. Women are too often put on the sidelines, either forcibly or by feeling as though they have no other choice. While Gillibrand's family has connections and Gillibrand herself was a lawyer, her position never feels terribly out of reach.
Now, I love my sons, and I love Henry’s confidence. I want him to think that the world is his. But how the hell did he come to believe, at the tender age of two, that he could do anything because he is a (very little) man? I did not teach him this. In our family, capability has nothing to do with gender. I’m one of only twenty female senators, so I have about as atypical a job as you can find for a woman in the United States. More to the point, how many girls in his preschool class, when faced with some hill to climb, would say brightly, “We can do it because we’re women!”? Loc109
Gillibrand makes strong statements when it came to feminism and also changes that need to be made in society overall. I enjoyed Gillibrand's humor sprinkled throughout and honestly, she writes very similarly to how she speaks. Gillibrand is a forthright individual and it comes across clearly in her writing.
I must admit, with some regret, that I inherited her facility for colorful language, though I keep it to one or two expletives at a time. Once, when Senator Joe Lieberman, an elegant and religious man, asked me about the status of a bill, I responded with a recitation of political obstacles that apparently included an epithet I’m sure very few, if any, others had ever used in his presence. A few minutes later, a staffer pulled me aside and said, “You just said ‘Fuck me’ in front of Joe Lieberman!” I hadn’t even noticed, and Lieberman hadn’t flinched. God bless his polite heart. Loc218
Gillibrand's comments regarding feminism were on point and the ridiculous comments she has to endure as a woman in the Senate are reprehensible but not at all surprising.
One of the main goals of the feminist movement is that all women should be able to make the best choices for themselves and their families, and no one should be belittled, degraded, or disregarded because of what she chooses to do. Loc1243
Psychiatrist and Weill Cornell Medical College professor Anna Fels, author of Necessary Dreams: Ambition in Women’s Changing Lives, interviewed dozens of successful women for her book and found that none would admit to being ambitious—none. Everybody hated the term, believing it implied egotism, manipulation of others, and self-aggrandizement. Fels found two regular refrains: “It’s not about me, it’s the work,” and “I hate to promote myself.” Men don’t trip over themselves in this way, nor does anybody question their sanity or sexuality for pursuing what they want. Loc1491
Many of my older male colleagues didn’t know what to say but still felt compelled to offer advice, such as this gem: “Good thing you’re working out, because you wouldn’t want to get porky!” Thanks, asshole. Loc2017
One day I met with a labor leader to get his advice on how best to introduce myself to the unions and win their support in the special election I’d have to win a year and a half later. He said, “When I first met you in 2006, you were beautiful—a breath of fresh air. To win this election, you need to be beautiful again.” I nearly choked. Loc2030
Gillibrand's work in government is commendable, especially her work trying to fund medical care for 9/11 first responders, repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell and her attempts to tackle the huge issue of sexual assault and rape in the military.
Since 1994, when the law was first implemented, approximately thirteen thousand well-trained military personnel had been discharged from the U.S. military for being gay. More than two thousand of those people were experts in mission-critical disciplines. The military lost close to 10 percent of its foreign-language speakers. The cost of implementing the policy, from 1994 to 2003—including recruitment, retraining, and separation travel—was somewhere between $190 million and $360 million. Loc1762
Crimes could be reported to anyone, but all power rested with the commanders, as the commanders had sole authority to decide whether to prosecute a case or not. Commanders even had the authority to throw out a jury verdict after a perpetrator was convicted. These commanders had no legal training or objectivity, but they did have many possible biases. They had asses to cover, reputations to maintain, favored service members to protect. Military justice for sexual-assault survivors was a farce. Loc2527
“Could you surmise that it may well be that a victim has no faith in the chain of command on this issue, on sexual assault? “Do you think, perhaps, that a victim does not believe he or she will receive justice because the chain of command is not trained, does not have the understanding of what sexual assault and rape actually is? “Imagine you are the assaulted victim who has just gone through a trial. And because a commanding officer has said, ‘Let’s overturn the jury’s verdict,’ you then have to salute the person who assaulted you.” Loc2583
So many of her attempts have failed, which is not surprising considering the environment in Washington, but she continues to fight for what she feels is right. The only thing that comes to mind in which I disagree with Gillibrand is her pro-hunter/gun stance, this is just not something I can get behind.
Ultimately Off the Sidelines is a readable account of one person in government's attempt to make a difference and push for other women to do the same, at any level in or out of government. I found the book engaging and Gillibrand's personality surprisingly entertaining.
mikolee's review
2.0
There are sections of this memoir by senator Kristen Gillibrand that are informative and perhaps even inspiring. I did not know there were schools to attend with specific courses on running for congress. She does seem to be articulate and passionate about many of the same causes that I care deeply about. However the style of the book is disjointed and clunky. It sort of starts as if it is going to be in chronological order with stories about her political grandmother and her hard working mo. Then it seems to break down into themes. But it doesn't even do that part well. I really either wanted her life story or musings on political issues. This was a confusing mishmash.
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