pjdas1012's review against another edition
5.0
“We decide, on issues large and small, whether we will be bystanders or upstanders.”
Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power describes her childhood, initial exposures to humanitarian journalism, and ultimate work with the Obama administration in this wide ranging memoir. Reading this book distinctly reminded me of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s memoir, Interventions. Both he and Power discuss how they thought getting into these positions of power could help them stop the atrocities occurring around the world. It strikes me that they are good people who wanted to make a positive impact, but in many situations were stymied even in their high positions of power by bureaucracy and politics. Power herself describes how much of a political battle it is just to be able to call the Armenian genocide a genocide. And of course, what I was most curious about going into this book was Syria. How could we have let this happen? Power describes it in detail, and you can tell how much she wishes there was more she could do. In this vein, the latter portion of the book was a depiction of the successes and failures of the UN and US influence during her time as ambassador. One thing I truly respect about Power is how much she walks the walk. When she says she cares about people suffering in the farthest reaches of the world, she actually goes there and meets with them. Overall, this was a fascinating read and I learned about the humanitarian crises of our time as well as the path and limitations of doing humanitarian work while part of the government. The author writes clearly and purposefully, and I felt compelled to read every word rather than skimming around. As frustrating as political work can be, this was an important book to read.
Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power describes her childhood, initial exposures to humanitarian journalism, and ultimate work with the Obama administration in this wide ranging memoir. Reading this book distinctly reminded me of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s memoir, Interventions. Both he and Power discuss how they thought getting into these positions of power could help them stop the atrocities occurring around the world. It strikes me that they are good people who wanted to make a positive impact, but in many situations were stymied even in their high positions of power by bureaucracy and politics. Power herself describes how much of a political battle it is just to be able to call the Armenian genocide a genocide. And of course, what I was most curious about going into this book was Syria. How could we have let this happen? Power describes it in detail, and you can tell how much she wishes there was more she could do. In this vein, the latter portion of the book was a depiction of the successes and failures of the UN and US influence during her time as ambassador. One thing I truly respect about Power is how much she walks the walk. When she says she cares about people suffering in the farthest reaches of the world, she actually goes there and meets with them. Overall, this was a fascinating read and I learned about the humanitarian crises of our time as well as the path and limitations of doing humanitarian work while part of the government. The author writes clearly and purposefully, and I felt compelled to read every word rather than skimming around. As frustrating as political work can be, this was an important book to read.
gpettey19's review against another edition
5.0
Exactly the memoir every 26-year-old Political Science major and public service devotee should hope to stumble upon during a quarter-life crisis. Power is a human rights and foreign policy powerhouse (ha); it was so refreshing to read about a woman who forms strong opinions based on lived experience (as opposed to pretentious bullshitting) and gives voice to them.
On a less hopeful note, government actors seem to operate within an insular, watered-down machine. Change is much, much easier said than done. Politics is a game that no one wins. I was disappointed with Power's analysis of the Obama administration's foreign policy blunders, which I felt like she didn't fully or honestly address; it was as if she was still holding a chip in the political gamble and/or she's still in a bit of denial herself.
I was left wondering: America is undoubtedly a force in the world, but how do we balance using our influence for the ever-subjective "good" and imposing our moral superiority on the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America?
Highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in government, foreign policy, and international institutions, or to anyone really!
Mort was the first person I came to know well who had helped make foreign policy at such rarified levels, and over time he would drill into me a simple truth: governments can either do harm or do good. “What we do,” he would say, “depends on one thing: the people.” Institutions, big and small, were made up of people. People had values, and people made choices.
I noted that very few of us were likely to find ourselves the victims or perpetrators of genocide. But every day, almost all of us find ourselves weighing whether we can or should do something to help others. We decide, on issues large and small, whether we will be bystanders or upstanders.
On a less hopeful note, government actors seem to operate within an insular, watered-down machine. Change is much, much easier said than done. Politics is a game that no one wins. I was disappointed with Power's analysis of the Obama administration's foreign policy blunders, which I felt like she didn't fully or honestly address; it was as if she was still holding a chip in the political gamble and/or she's still in a bit of denial herself.
I was left wondering: America is undoubtedly a force in the world, but how do we balance using our influence for the ever-subjective "good" and imposing our moral superiority on the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America?
Highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in government, foreign policy, and international institutions, or to anyone really!
Mort was the first person I came to know well who had helped make foreign policy at such rarified levels, and over time he would drill into me a simple truth: governments can either do harm or do good. “What we do,” he would say, “depends on one thing: the people.” Institutions, big and small, were made up of people. People had values, and people made choices.
I noted that very few of us were likely to find ourselves the victims or perpetrators of genocide. But every day, almost all of us find ourselves weighing whether we can or should do something to help others. We decide, on issues large and small, whether we will be bystanders or upstanders.
canadajanes's review
5.0
Very good book. Helped get me excited again about foreign policy and put into words a lot of my feelings and opinions on foreign interventions. Definitely cried at the end.
beloved_bridget's review
guys don't look (I already dnfed this and then thought I was going to give it a second chance but we're back)
merbearmer's review
5.0
This book was amazing and so inspiring. It is honestly mind-blowing to see how much of an impact Samantha Power has been able to make in her life so far. And I am in awe of her methods (ranging from 'tweaking the truth' to get a UN press badge in order to become a war correspondent in Bosnia and Herzegovina to chasing down a government official across a hotel lobby and trapping him in the elevator so they could talk) and it was cool to learn how much work she has put into advancing human rights, and especially LGBT rights, both in the UN and in the Obama Administration.
This book took me a little while to get through since memoires aren't really my thing, but it was so worth it to read!!
This book took me a little while to get through since memoires aren't really my thing, but it was so worth it to read!!
somethingthatsnotbeentakenyet's review
4.0
4,5 stars, but decided on 4 instead of 5 because for all it's self reflection, Power rarely shares times she changed her mind. She shares incidents in which things went wrong, but there is little insight into the evolution of her thoughts, where long-held beliefs were challenged and changed.
Other than that, a beautifully written personal account of American foreign policy and global headlines from the past decades. Would recommend to anyone interested in human rights, global politics, the UN and the international "America".
Other than that, a beautifully written personal account of American foreign policy and global headlines from the past decades. Would recommend to anyone interested in human rights, global politics, the UN and the international "America".
navyachintaman's review against another edition
5.0
An emotional (I cried 15+ times), informative, and wholly inspiring roller coaster of a book. What a phenomenal author and life story.