Rodham: A Novel
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - From the author of American Wife and Eligible . . . He proposed. She said no. And it changed her life forever. "A deviously clever what if."--O: The Oprah Magazine
"Immersive, escapist."--Good Morning America
"Ingenious."--The New York Times NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New Yorker - NPR - The Washington Post - Marie Claire - Cosmopolitan (UK) - Town & Country - New York Post
In 1971, Hillary Rodham is a young woman full of promise: Life magazine has covered her Wellesley commencement speech, she's attending Yale Law School, and she's on the forefront of student activism and the women's rights movement. And then she meets Bill Clinton. A handsome, charismatic southerner and fellow law student, Bill is already planning his political career. In each other, the two find a profound intellectual, emotional, and physical connection that neither has previously experienced. In the real world, Hillary followed Bill back to Arkansas, and he proposed several times; although she said no more than once, as we all know, she eventually accepted and became Hillary Clinton. But in Curtis Sittenfeld's powerfully imagined tour-de-force of fiction, Hillary takes a different road. Feeling doubt about the prospective marriage, she endures their devastating breakup and leaves Arkansas. Over the next four decades, she blazes her own trail--one that unfolds in public as well as in private, that involves crossing paths again (and again) with Bill Clinton, that raises questions about the tradeoffs all of us must make in building a life. Brilliantly weaving a riveting fictional tale into actual historical events, Curtis Sittenfeld delivers an uncannily astute and witty story for our times. In exploring the loneliness, moral ambivalence, and iron determination that characterize the quest for political power, as well as both the exhilaration and painful compromises demanded of female ambition in a world still run mostly by men, Rodham is a singular and unforgettable novel.
"Immersive, escapist."--Good Morning America
"Ingenious."--The New York Times NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New Yorker - NPR - The Washington Post - Marie Claire - Cosmopolitan (UK) - Town & Country - New York Post
In 1971, Hillary Rodham is a young woman full of promise: Life magazine has covered her Wellesley commencement speech, she's attending Yale Law School, and she's on the forefront of student activism and the women's rights movement. And then she meets Bill Clinton. A handsome, charismatic southerner and fellow law student, Bill is already planning his political career. In each other, the two find a profound intellectual, emotional, and physical connection that neither has previously experienced. In the real world, Hillary followed Bill back to Arkansas, and he proposed several times; although she said no more than once, as we all know, she eventually accepted and became Hillary Clinton. But in Curtis Sittenfeld's powerfully imagined tour-de-force of fiction, Hillary takes a different road. Feeling doubt about the prospective marriage, she endures their devastating breakup and leaves Arkansas. Over the next four decades, she blazes her own trail--one that unfolds in public as well as in private, that involves crossing paths again (and again) with Bill Clinton, that raises questions about the tradeoffs all of us must make in building a life. Brilliantly weaving a riveting fictional tale into actual historical events, Curtis Sittenfeld delivers an uncannily astute and witty story for our times. In exploring the loneliness, moral ambivalence, and iron determination that characterize the quest for political power, as well as both the exhilaration and painful compromises demanded of female ambition in a world still run mostly by men, Rodham is a singular and unforgettable novel.
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Community Reviews
Loved this book! The authenticity of the narrative was striking, backed up by the range of references and sources. An utterly engaging and intelligent read. Highly recommended especially if you have an interest in American politics. I would give it a 9+
Really enjoyed this book. What a fascinating premise and brilliantly executed. All round applause. I loved the intermingling of historical fact with fascinating fiction, the character exploration of Hilary and bill - particularly if they had gone different paths, and how everything could’ve played out. I really recommend this for anyone interested in American politics, feminism and the clintons but also if you’re just keen on a good novel. It’s g...read more
An interesting perspective on what could have been. While reading this book I couldn’t help but feel conflicted. I so wanted it to be reality that it made me sad. But it also highlights that our lives are a result of the choices that we make. It definitely shed a different light on the Clintons, blurring fiction and reality.
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