Politics & Government
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Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
The definitive biography of Nancy Pelosi, the most powerful woman in American political history, written by New York Times bestselling author and USA Today Washington bureau chief Susan Page.
Featuring more than 150 exclusive interviews with those who know her best-and a series of in-depth, news-making interviews with Pelosi herself-MADAM SPEAKER is unprecedented in the scope of its exploration of Nancy Pelosi's remarkable life and of her indelible impact on American politics.
Before she was Nancy Pelosi, she was Nancy D'Alesandro. Her father was a big-city mayor and her mother his political organizer; when she encouraged her young daughter to become a nun, Nancy told her mother that being a priest sounded more appealing. She didn't begin running for office until she was forty-six years old, her five children mostly out of the nest. With that, she found her calling.
Nancy Pelosi has lived on the cutting edge of the revolution in both women's roles and in the nation's movement to a fiercer and more polarized politics. She has established herself as a crucial friend or formidable foe to U.S. presidents, a master legislator, and an indefatigable political warrior. She took on the Democratic establishment to become the first female Speaker of the House, then battled rivals on the left and right to consolidate her power. She has soared in the sharp-edged inside game of politics, though she has struggled in the outside game-demonized by conservatives, second-guessed by progressives, and routinely underestimated by nearly everyone.
All of this was preparation for the most historic challenge she would ever face, at a time she had been privately planning her retirement. When Donald Trump was elected to the White House, Nancy Pelosi became the Democratic counterpart best able to stand up to the disruptive president and to get under his skin. The battle between Trump and Pelosi, chronicled in this book with behind-the-scenes details and revelations, stands to be the titanic political struggle of our time.
The definitive biography of Nancy Pelosi, the most powerful woman in American political history, written by New York Times bestselling author and USA Today Washington bureau chief Susan Page.
Featuring more than 150 exclusive interviews with those who know her best-and a series of in-depth, news-making interviews with Pelosi herself-MADAM SPEAKER is unprecedented in the scope of its exploration of Nancy Pelosi's remarkable life and of her indelible impact on American politics.
Before she was Nancy Pelosi, she was Nancy D'Alesandro. Her father was a big-city mayor and her mother his political organizer; when she encouraged her young daughter to become a nun, Nancy told her mother that being a priest sounded more appealing. She didn't begin running for office until she was forty-six years old, her five children mostly out of the nest. With that, she found her calling.
Nancy Pelosi has lived on the cutting edge of the revolution in both women's roles and in the nation's movement to a fiercer and more polarized politics. She has established herself as a crucial friend or formidable foe to U.S. presidents, a master legislator, and an indefatigable political warrior. She took on the Democratic establishment to become the first female Speaker of the House, then battled rivals on the left and right to consolidate her power. She has soared in the sharp-edged inside game of politics, though she has struggled in the outside game-demonized by conservatives, second-guessed by progressives, and routinely underestimated by nearly everyone.
All of this was preparation for the most historic challenge she would ever face, at a time she had been privately planning her retirement. When Donald Trump was elected to the White House, Nancy Pelosi became the Democratic counterpart best able to stand up to the disruptive president and to get under his skin. The battle between Trump and Pelosi, chronicled in this book with behind-the-scenes details and revelations, stands to be the titanic political struggle of our time.
Editorial Reviews
"Long considered one of America's finest journalists, Susan Page's newest book cements her reputation as one of our foremost political biographers. In exploring the remarkable life of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Susan has painted a compelling portrait of determination, resilience, and patriotism that is the essence of American democracy."
―Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright
"Impressive in scope, elegant in style, and extremely judicious in its use of evidence, Susan Page's MADAM SPEAKER is a must-read biographical portrait of the indomitable Nancy Pelosi. Page, one of America's most admired journalists, has a gift for delivering fresh behind-the-scenes anecdotes and recapturing watershed historical moments in colorful prose. Every page sparkles with revelations. Pelosi is the true power broker of our time. Highly recommended!"―Douglas Brinkley, bestselling author of AMERICAN MOONSHOT: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race
"In this story of power, resolve and intrigue, Susan Page has a subject equal to her inordinate talents. She takes us behind the scenes with the Speaker of the House-the most powerful woman in American history-and shows us how Nancy Pelosi conquered a world of guys."―John A. Farrell, New York Times bestselling author of RICHARD NIXON: THE LIFE
"Nancy Pelosi is a tough, ruthless, and energetic practitioner of the acquisition and use of political power. Anyone seeking to understand the House of Representatives and the House Democratic Party has to start with Speaker Pelosi. Susan Page has written that lesson plan for all to read."―Newt Gingrich
"With her biography of First Lady Barbara Bush and her new book about Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Susan Page has distinguished herself as a chronicler of women public figures who defied odds, raised eyebrows, and ultimately found that being true to themselves and not worrying about what others thought or said about them was the key to success and happiness as they defined it. As with her first biography, MADAM SPEAKER will be a resource to historians and anyone who wants to understand the influence this powerful, sometimes controversial, occasionally ruthless, and fiercely determined woman has had on our national life."―Dana Perino, New York Times bestselling author of AND THE GOOD NEWS IS...
"Scoopy and insightful."―The New York Times
"[MADAM SPEAKER provides] a much deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, the work it takes for a woman to harness, maintain and wield authority that was once reserved exclusively for men."―Washington Post
"Even longtime watchers of House Speaker Nancy Nancy Pelosi will learn something new about...
―Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright
"Impressive in scope, elegant in style, and extremely judicious in its use of evidence, Susan Page's MADAM SPEAKER is a must-read biographical portrait of the indomitable Nancy Pelosi. Page, one of America's most admired journalists, has a gift for delivering fresh behind-the-scenes anecdotes and recapturing watershed historical moments in colorful prose. Every page sparkles with revelations. Pelosi is the true power broker of our time. Highly recommended!"―Douglas Brinkley, bestselling author of AMERICAN MOONSHOT: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race
"In this story of power, resolve and intrigue, Susan Page has a subject equal to her inordinate talents. She takes us behind the scenes with the Speaker of the House-the most powerful woman in American history-and shows us how Nancy Pelosi conquered a world of guys."―John A. Farrell, New York Times bestselling author of RICHARD NIXON: THE LIFE
"Nancy Pelosi is a tough, ruthless, and energetic practitioner of the acquisition and use of political power. Anyone seeking to understand the House of Representatives and the House Democratic Party has to start with Speaker Pelosi. Susan Page has written that lesson plan for all to read."―Newt Gingrich
"With her biography of First Lady Barbara Bush and her new book about Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Susan Page has distinguished herself as a chronicler of women public figures who defied odds, raised eyebrows, and ultimately found that being true to themselves and not worrying about what others thought or said about them was the key to success and happiness as they defined it. As with her first biography, MADAM SPEAKER will be a resource to historians and anyone who wants to understand the influence this powerful, sometimes controversial, occasionally ruthless, and fiercely determined woman has had on our national life."―Dana Perino, New York Times bestselling author of AND THE GOOD NEWS IS...
"Scoopy and insightful."―The New York Times
"[MADAM SPEAKER provides] a much deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, the work it takes for a woman to harness, maintain and wield authority that was once reserved exclusively for men."―Washington Post
"Even longtime watchers of House Speaker Nancy Nancy Pelosi will learn something new about...
Readers Top Reviews
Todd Gordon Ritchi
Very enjoyable read with helpful insight to Speaker Pelosi.
Whitney
I’m at the beginning of the audiobook. Good information. Lots of details about her early life. Chapter 3 has some areas of dropout or skips of the track (listening in audible app on iphone). ****UPDATE: Connected to an external speaker and the sound problems went away. Narration becomes less earnest (a good thing) in later chapters.
Mike
Not a great biography, but well worth reading. Interesting and informative, but not at the level of Robert Caro's biographies.
Lynne M. SpreenBill
The first third of this book details Nancy D’Alesandro’s roots, down to describing the villages where her mother’s and father’s families originated. When she is finally born, we see what it was like to grow up in an extremely political home, and how that shaped her. Then she’s a young mother running her family with military precision and dabbling in community politics, but still not looking to forge a career for herself. This is instructive. She wasn’t a political animal from the start, although she certainly had the training. The bulk of the narrative focuses on Pelosi’s time in Congress, and here we see how brilliant and determined she is. Each of her significant political challenges, victories, and losses is examined in minute detail, from which emerges a portrait of a fiercely gifted political strategist who nevertheless rules with a heavy partisan hand. The anecdotes and accounts from her contemporaries are interesting. What I took away from her story was just what a badass the woman is. She's inspiring. From this account, no matter what stage she’s at in her life, she rules it. Nothing phases her. And this is also a detriment to the book. Surely Nancy Pelosi experiences more emotional ups and downs, rides the waves of life’s drama, more than the modicum of human emotion allowed in this account. But on the other hand, given Pelosi's intimidating persona, maybe Susan Page was afraid to ask. Otherwise, this is a solid account of a brilliant politician and groundbreaking congressional leader.
Warrior1234
A truly enjoyable read. For someone so much in the public eye, there were many things in this book I found surprising. Pelosi was tutored in power by her influential parents - part of a kennedyesque family in Baltimore. She then went to California for her husband’s career with seemingly little thought to running for office on her own. She raised five kids before she ran for Congress. Then much of her life seemed to be in preparation for her showdowns with Trump, scenes Page deftly brings to life. Highly recommend regardless of your political persuasion.
