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A review by ladyheroj
Outsider in the White House by Bernie Sanders
3.0
Bernie's politics? I'd give 'em 5 stars. When I picked this book up at my local library, I didn't realize it was a reprint of something he wrote back in 1997. But in a way, that made this book even more refreshing to me. Because his message HAS NOT CHANGED. Nineteen years, and I couldn't find a flip-flop? Insert a surprised-face emoji here! (But in a way, it was also tragic because it also meant that not much has changed in nineteen years. Or it's gotten worse, will get worse...but that's for a different discussion, not a book review.)
What got the book 3 stars? The writing style is dry. Now, Bernie's known for his direct, blunt speech and that's something I like about him. But in the book, it left something to be desired. There would be times where I'd wonder "why were we told these little details?" I literally laughed out loud, not in a good way, when a chapter ended on the sentence "We ate cold cuts." Why tell us that? Why not end on the previous sentence about how everyone was gathered to wait the election's outcome? It could be to show how Bernie and his camp are more down-to-earth than his opponents, but that comparison (at least with the food) was never made. So why write that one little sentence and ruin the momentum? But if the writing style is dry, again it's because it mimics his speech. And there are times when the book comes across as quite conversational, which is a nice touch. I also rate the book three stars because of its organization. It cuts from his campaign against Susan Sweetser in '96 to his time as mayor and House Representative (and thus his campaigns for those offices). I think this was done to add a stronger sense of narrative, but instead it just struck me as unnecessary and even confusing at times.
While not the best-written book, I'd still recommend it. Because Bernie's message is legit, he walks what he talks, and damn if I don't feel more inspired to do my part for America's democracy.
What got the book 3 stars? The writing style is dry. Now, Bernie's known for his direct, blunt speech and that's something I like about him. But in the book, it left something to be desired. There would be times where I'd wonder "why were we told these little details?" I literally laughed out loud, not in a good way, when a chapter ended on the sentence "We ate cold cuts." Why tell us that? Why not end on the previous sentence about how everyone was gathered to wait the election's outcome? It could be to show how Bernie and his camp are more down-to-earth than his opponents, but that comparison (at least with the food) was never made. So why write that one little sentence and ruin the momentum? But if the writing style is dry, again it's because it mimics his speech. And there are times when the book comes across as quite conversational, which is a nice touch. I also rate the book three stars because of its organization. It cuts from his campaign against Susan Sweetser in '96 to his time as mayor and House Representative (and thus his campaigns for those offices). I think this was done to add a stronger sense of narrative, but instead it just struck me as unnecessary and even confusing at times.
While not the best-written book, I'd still recommend it. Because Bernie's message is legit, he walks what he talks, and damn if I don't feel more inspired to do my part for America's democracy.