Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi's Life, Times, and Rise to Power

by Marc Sandalow

Book Overview

Unthinkable just a generation ago, Hillary Clinton's run for the presidency and Nancy Pelosi's ascension to Speaker of the House have cast the spotlight on American political women as never before. In... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1594868077
• ISBN13: 9781594868078
• Release Date: April 2008
• Publisher: Modern Times
• Length: 314 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Pelosi's Life Story Told by Accomplished Journalist

Marc Sandalow has done a superb job pulling together a coherent and well told story of the rise of Nancy Pelosi. The stories of her childhood in Baltimore, her fathers accomplishments in the parochial neighborhoods of Baltimore and the lessons Pelosi seems to have learned about building relationships are well told and generally not well known about the San Francisco politician. Sandalow does an good job pulling together a coherent story of a women who has made a huge impact as the role of women in politics becomes a part of the American landscape. Would make an excellent book group choice for women seeking inspiration.

Understanding Pelosi: Understanding Our Times

Edward Hallet Carr, in his seminal account of the study of history, What Is History?, writes, "History cannot be written unless the historian can achieve some kind of contact with the mind of those about whom he is writing." Yet, there exists a fine balance between a writer achieving disinterested contact with mind of those about whom one writes, and serving as an instrument in advancing or undermining the power of those about whom one writes. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. writings on the Kennedy years illustrate the danger of the later. Marc Sandalow's book Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi's Life, Times, and Rise to Power demonstrates the insight that can be achieved by the former. Sandalow's unauthorized biography draws upon years of critical reporting on Nancy Pelosi during his tenure at the San Francisco Chronicle. Years as a professional (and some times adversarial) questioner of Pelosi has yielded a narrative account of her rise to power that spares few punches yet unapologetically recognizes Speaker Pelosi's achievements where such recognition is due. E.H. Carr also wrote, "History is progress through the transmission of acquired skills from one generation to another." Speaker Pelosi has certainly acquired skills. Marc Sandalow's book is a reliable, objective, disinterested conduit through which those skills will be transmitted to a new generation of political leaders. This is a must read for those seeking to understand today's political environment, how a woman politician gathered and consolidated power, and where the Democratic Party will be heading in its recently-achieved post Clinton era. Joseph A. Hennessey

Sandalow captures real pelosi

In his book, Madam Speaker, Marc Sandalow paints a picture of an amazingly focused and successful politician who still has the warmth and charm of an Italian Nona. From little Italy in Maryland to the rough and tumble neighborhoods of San Francisco, Sandalow demonstrates why Pelosi is Madam Speaker. And why she will continue to be for the foreseeable future. A must read for anyone interested in this fascinating American success story.

Highly Recommended

Once I started "Madam Speaker," I stayed up until the wee hours before I could finally put it down. The book is written in an extremely lively style, enhanced by some great quotes, and is quite informative. I didn't know a whole lot about Pelosi before picking up this book, and was pleased that someone of such great responsibility came across as a competent, pragmatic, and principled public servant. The book is also a fascinating interesting portrayal of San Francisco in the 80's. I'd recommend it for anyone - not just political junkies.

An Important Story, Well Told

This portrait of the nation's first female Speaker of the House is built for speed; its short paragraphs and newspaper style are probably the result of Sandalow's former day job at the San Francisco Chronicle. Readers expecting a full-blown, soup-to-nuts critical biography won't find it here, and the "Times" part of the subtitle isn't quite apt. This is Pelosi's life story, told quickly and effectively, but without the benefit of much retrospection or even cooperation from the subject or her staff. (Pelosi is planning to write a memoir.) For this more replete kind of biography of a San Francisco politician, the gold standard is still John Jacobs's *Rage for Justice*, which features Phil Burton, one of Pelosi's mentors. Still, I enjoyed *Madam Speaker* and learned a lot from it. In fact, one of the things I learned is that Pelosi wasn't Burton's creature, though Burton's widow Sala essentially bequeathed her House seat to Pelosi on her death bed. Pelosi is quoted as saying that Phil Burton might not have supported that move. Interesting. The other thing I learned is how much political savvy Pelosi picked up from her family in Baltimore. Her father was elected both to the House and as mayor, and he did retail politics the old-fashioned way--right in the neighborhood. In fact, he did a lot of it in the family home, which was frequently full of constituents seeking favors and whatnot. Pelosi's father also provides a good deal of the book's color. Her messaging is very disciplined; he was more willing to open up his game, and Sandalow records some of his zingers, at least two of which are laugh-out-loud funny. The picture that emerges from Sandalow's biography is that of an organized, hardworking, business-like leader. She's sure of her convictions but focused on results, self-respecting but more than willing to share the credit. Most of her peers describe her as a tough Italian grandmother--which happens to match her self-description. "I'm not taking complaints today," she used to tell her five young children when the lamentations began. But like all good legislative leaders, she knows what motivates her colleagues, tracks every detail, and takes no guff. Very worthwhile. (Full disclosure: I edit Pelosi's daughter, Christine.)