Know Your Power: A Message to America's Daughters

Nancy Pelosi shared her journey from being a daughter of the mayor of Baltimore to the Speaker of the House in 2007. It is the exciting, remarkable odyssey to share in the center of power house with the President. It is the Catholic faith, Italian-American, discipline, balance and support she maintained in reaching her goal in many chapters. In Chapter 8, she mentioned Tibet and Dalai Lama as a champion of human right. Our country will be a better union if she keeps that fighting spirit for those homeless camped in the frosted lawn of San Francisco City Hall, the poor at the south side of Los Angeles, East St Louis and Detroit, the 46 million without health care insurance and the 4.5 million unemployed. She shared the operation of democracy in Washington with a presidential denial (P.117). She commented that 22% of world elected officials are women while US only 17% (P.127). However, she did not elaborate on the fact that many 2nd & 3rd World countries already had women in high positions notably in Philippines,(President Corazon Aquino), Pakistan, Israel. Her statement "don't overstate what you deliver, and always complete the task agreed to" (P.128) reminded of my advice to my daughter "under promised, over delivered". It was admirable that Nancy went to Congress and cracked the old boy club and had the freedom of movement. Nancy is right in the assessment of the cost of Iraq War. However, Iraq is still the unaffordable to win, lose, leave or stay liability with the opportunity cost "of forty days in Iraq could pay for the ten million children getting health care in US for one year" (P.162). Nancy Pelosi is the American idol in inspiring all Americans, especially the X,Y generations. She achieved a great chapter in American history and it is encouraging to see that in Decision 2008, each political party had a woman candidate runner. America welcomes the first Madam Speaker. Will a Madam President too far away? PS. America is not ready for Mrs Clinton but she won popular votes but lost electoral to Trump who claimed to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN (in Covid19 toll!) with incited January 6 2021 insurrection against democracy, a treason against Constitution act. Ms Harris will swear in as VP. Maybe a Madam President will be a reality soon!

Quick read that details the highlights of Nancy Peloski's political career according to her. Her advice is meaningful and her insiders perspective is fresh. I enjoyed the read and hope she writes another book soon. This book would be a perfect summer read for any female interested in politics.

I can see that all the politcial readers have dismissed this book for partisan reasons, but as a struggling single-mom, I found her story inspirational.

The other reviewers seem to have missed the subtitle of this book: A Message to America's Daughters. I read this book in a couple hours - it is a light read, but it is meant for middle school and high school girls. There are 8 pages that are overtly political. The other 166 pages describe the path of a woman rising in politics in the context of her time. Our girls today take for granted sports, college, postponing marriage, and having a career. It is good to remind them how far we still have to go in government. We have 91 women out of 535 Senators and Representatives. Mrs. Pelosi follows a very traditional path, giving up law school to be a wife and mother to five children. However she never forgot her ideals and worked for them through her volunteer work. After over a decade of volunteer work, she stepped up to more formal jobs in politics. Another reviewer called that arrogant and elitist. I call that standing up for what your beliefs - and it can apply to either political party. I am the leader of two Girl Scout troops, one working on their Silver Award and the other working on their Gold Award. I am giving them this book to them as a treatise on leadership and how we need women in government. I think they can decide for themselves about the eight pages of idealogy.

I am a 67 year-old grandfather. I am very proud of the accomplishments of my wife and my daughter who are successful professionals. I am just as proud of my son and grandson but is obvious that the path is steeper for women. Speaker Pelosi's book is just the kind of message our girls and women need. It is a shame that something can't be done about the negative reviews that are such a transparent organized right wing smear.

This was an excellent book. You have to like Nancy Pelosi to really read the book.Her good ideas and beliefs are the character of the book. I think she is an asset to all women.She tells of her experience from a child living with her family all the way to her position today. it is just a fantastic read.