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mtnmama's review against another edition
4.0
Three to four stars. I found it a good YA read about a woman with remarkable accomplishments.
terrimarshall's review against another edition
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir. It was very interesting to read about Condi's childhood in Birmingham during the civil rights unrest of the 1960s and very interesting to consider how being a witness to all that made her more determined than ever to get her education and pursue her dreams. Her parents were very focused on providing a top-notch education for her, and they sacrificed a lot financially for her. My favorite quote of the book: "....my parents did have me convinced that even if I couldn't have a hamburger at Woolworth's lunch counter, I could grow up to be President of the United States." Amazing that her parents were able to instill that in her despite all they witnessed and experienced in the segregated South.
moll_ratt's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful and inspiring, made me want to try harder in school, life, and with my family.
alicea's review
3.0
Condoleezza Rice: A Memoir of My Extraordinary, Ordinary Family and Me covers her childhood in segregated Birmingham, her close-knit family life, education, and rise through professional, educational, and political worlds. I went into this knowing almost nothing about Condoleezza beyond her serving in the White House under President Bush but by the end of this book I felt that I knew her as one knows a friend. I think what I found most surprising is that she still teaches classes (Managing Global Political Risk if you're curious) at Stanford University. This book runs chronologically as most autobiographies do but two of the biggest focuses are her relationship to her parents (she is an only child) and her professional life as an academic and political scientist. She is an accomplished, intelligent, and ultimately fearlessly ambitious woman. She has never married but seems genuinely happy with her single life (sounds familiar). She makes no bones about her many achievements which include but are not limited to being a proficient pianist and fluent Russian speaker. I also appreciated that she included photographs, a chronology of her career, and a glossary of historic events and people during her lifetime. I'd say that this book would be good for anyone looking to learn more about women in politics and/or what it was like for this particular woman who was raised during segregation in the tumultuous city of Birmingham...and still make it to the upper echelons of government. Good for history buffs and political junkies.
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