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bookapotamus's review against another edition
4.0
From the Corner of the Oval is the EXACT book you want to read for all the revealing scoop inside the Obama Administration White House and what it would be like to work inside. We see what it's like to work alongside the president, travel the world and hang out with other staffers. MINUS the boring political swill and old school players in Washington, DC. OK, well there ARE technically players, but of a "sleep me with and then don't talk to me for months" kinda way.
It's not so much about the inner workings of Obama's administration - you aren't going to learn any federal secrets or inside Obama family scoop - but follows one young woman's journey working in the depths of the white house on a super-low rung of the totem pole, as she builds some pretty fun relationships and interactions between the staffers.
Beck Dorey-Stein is living in Washington D.C. at an all-time career low (out of work teacher) when through of all things - a vague Craigslist ad - is hired as a stenographer in the Obama White House. She is totally out of her element and finds herself navigating the DC elite, finding out who she is and what she wants from life and making WAY TOO MANY HORRIBLE mistakes in love.
I LOVED getting all the inside looks to what a day could be like in the White House from a 20-somethings' perspective. She zooms all over the world in Air Force One following POTUS to just about every speaking engagement he had throughout almost his entire administration. She has several fun interactions with him, and sees and experiences high and lows of our country and our world that she will never forget. All the while, she is navigating falling in love and trying to find where in this world she fits in.
She has a really fun group of friends and I thought every character in the memoir deserved some more attention. I do wish there was a bit more development or backstory of some of the people she is closest to, but we mostly learn about Beck's life here. At some points you can feel how hard she truly tries to make relationships work, but it gets really intense and a bit annoying, and you're like "Get your Sh*t together already woman!" But that's the story - Beck is trying to get her Sh*t together and it's a fun journey to follow!
There's some super colorful language - so if calling Congress a 'Bag of D*cks' is not your thing... be forewarned! I personally enjoy a good F-bomb every now and again, so it only made the story more light and fun. I TORE through this. It's fun, and fascinating, and I wanted so much more!!
It's not so much about the inner workings of Obama's administration - you aren't going to learn any federal secrets or inside Obama family scoop - but follows one young woman's journey working in the depths of the white house on a super-low rung of the totem pole, as she builds some pretty fun relationships and interactions between the staffers.
Beck Dorey-Stein is living in Washington D.C. at an all-time career low (out of work teacher) when through of all things - a vague Craigslist ad - is hired as a stenographer in the Obama White House. She is totally out of her element and finds herself navigating the DC elite, finding out who she is and what she wants from life and making WAY TOO MANY HORRIBLE mistakes in love.
I LOVED getting all the inside looks to what a day could be like in the White House from a 20-somethings' perspective. She zooms all over the world in Air Force One following POTUS to just about every speaking engagement he had throughout almost his entire administration. She has several fun interactions with him, and sees and experiences high and lows of our country and our world that she will never forget. All the while, she is navigating falling in love and trying to find where in this world she fits in.
She has a really fun group of friends and I thought every character in the memoir deserved some more attention. I do wish there was a bit more development or backstory of some of the people she is closest to, but we mostly learn about Beck's life here. At some points you can feel how hard she truly tries to make relationships work, but it gets really intense and a bit annoying, and you're like "Get your Sh*t together already woman!" But that's the story - Beck is trying to get her Sh*t together and it's a fun journey to follow!
There's some super colorful language - so if calling Congress a 'Bag of D*cks' is not your thing... be forewarned! I personally enjoy a good F-bomb every now and again, so it only made the story more light and fun. I TORE through this. It's fun, and fascinating, and I wanted so much more!!
pjdas1012's review against another edition
2.0
If you're interested in what it's like to work in the White House (particularly for Obama), you should skim this book. If you are interested in that plus you like romance, you should read this book. If you don't like either, this may not be the book for you.
Since I am intrigued by the Obama White House but I don't care much for reading about someone's romantic mishaps, I skimmed this book and found it moderately interesting. The author was a stenographer for Obama's White House and also for a part of Trump's, which offers an interesting perspective since it's not as high-level a position as other White House memoirs you may read. The author is an excellent writer and has a poetically profound way of describing situations and ideas at times. However, she is also very human, and this book is very much about her human struggles with other humans she's attracted to. In fact, it's mostly about that. Though the constant drama didn't interest me, I can certainly see how it may appeal to some.
Since I am intrigued by the Obama White House but I don't care much for reading about someone's romantic mishaps, I skimmed this book and found it moderately interesting. The author was a stenographer for Obama's White House and also for a part of Trump's, which offers an interesting perspective since it's not as high-level a position as other White House memoirs you may read. The author is an excellent writer and has a poetically profound way of describing situations and ideas at times. However, she is also very human, and this book is very much about her human struggles with other humans she's attracted to. In fact, it's mostly about that. Though the constant drama didn't interest me, I can certainly see how it may appeal to some.
mhoffrob's review against another edition
4.0
From the Corner of the Oval is Rebecca Dorey-Stein's memoir of her years as a stenographer in the White House during the Obama years. Stenographers don't take actual shorthand anymore in this case, they record and transcribe presidential events. Dorey-Stein practically stumbles into the job via a Craigslist job want ad. The ensuing years are outlined throughout the book, while she makes friends, falls in and out of love, witnesses history, and travels the world within the presidential "bubble". Dorey-Stein is forthright and extremely honest about her own missteps, shortcomings, and actions. This is more a story of her coming of age and growing into adulthood than it is a tell-all on the White House. She does provide insight into Washington events and personalities, but almost tangentially. The writing is engaging, the subject matter entertaining and enlightening, and the narrator endearing.
Only one question, WHO the HECK does she mean when she says "the Rattler"???
With thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley.com for the advanced reader copy.
Only one question, WHO the HECK does she mean when she says "the Rattler"???
With thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley.com for the advanced reader copy.
hannahbrench's review against another edition
1.0
Couldn’t finish it. I pray I’m never 26 and excited to be making out with someone 10 years older than me in the exact model of Jeep my parents used to own during my childhood. Interesting to hear about working for the White House, but I couldn’t get through the cringe-worthy “romance”.
tfelmey's review against another edition
44 from the inside
Fun read! It wasn't until the end that I learned that the author is local to me, from the suburbs of Philadelphia.
This follows the years of a White House stenographer. Sprinkled with real emotions and yearning for a return of the Obama Administration.
Fun read! It wasn't until the end that I learned that the author is local to me, from the suburbs of Philadelphia.
This follows the years of a White House stenographer. Sprinkled with real emotions and yearning for a return of the Obama Administration.
katekate_reads_'s review against another edition
2.0
Such mixed feelings about this one! For the first 100 pages, I was really loving this book and thinking it might be a 5 Star read. I’ve read a handful of books by members of President Obama’s staff and enjoyed them all but this one felt the most personal - like I was truly hearing the stories from a close friend who happened to work in the White House. I cried a few times from missing President Obama so much but I also laughed a number of times. However, then it began to feel more about the author’s relationship struggles and it got repetitive. As it continued and we see the author giving her writing as gifts and anxiously waiting for (and sharing with us) the praise she receives - over and over - my enthusiasm wanes even further. For me, this was a book that started at 5 stars and slid downhill as I read it. By the end, Beck moved from feeling like an interesting friend to someone I really have no interest in spending time with. There are some great phrases and stories I’m glad to have learned - maybe my frustration is as much with the editor as the writer. Nearly impossible to give this one a rating but ultimately going with 2 stars - “did not like”.
risabella's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. This was incredible. An in-depth look to the team that makes the President, the President. I didn't realize the extent of Air Force One and how seriously his security is taken. But also there are so many pieces that make up all things presidential and WOW, I'd never thought of that.
Fascinating to see how world events bring us out of the details of Beck's life. And how encompassing the world of POTUS can be. How incredible, unreal and also horrible, frustrating, discouraging.
This account leaned heavily into her personal relationships and experiences, which wasn't my favourite part. But it spoke to how easy it is to fall into bad habits when they're in proximity.
Also, what a trip to experience the magnificence of Obama and then his successor.
Fascinating to see how world events bring us out of the details of Beck's life. And how encompassing the world of POTUS can be. How incredible, unreal and also horrible, frustrating, discouraging.
This account leaned heavily into her personal relationships and experiences, which wasn't my favourite part. But it spoke to how easy it is to fall into bad habits when they're in proximity.
Also, what a trip to experience the magnificence of Obama and then his successor.