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lspargo's review
4.0
Very funny, inspiring, and informative book. It's great to read about a smart, accomplished woman. Also, I really miss Obama.
hc21's review
5.0
Is there such a thing as a beach read political memoir? There is now, and it's delightful. Mastromonaco deftly weaves together advice, stories, and honesty. She made me want to get into politics, in part because she makes it seem cool and exciting, and in part because she makes very clear that she isn't perfect but is still a badass.
scliesrwat's review
4.0
When I first found out about this book, I was really interested in reading it mainly because "The West Wing" is my favorite show and it awakened an interest in the world of politics in me.
Simply put, I loved this book. As a teenage girl, it was important for me to read something like it. Alyssa Mastromonaco did not go to an Ivy league, didn't come from an old-money wealthy family, and didn't get a 4.0 GPA, and she still got one of the most important jobs in the West Wing by working hard for it.
This memoir isn't a boring, purified tale told by an old white man. Mastromonaco is funny, smart, and not afraid to get real about the issues she struggled with before and after leaving the White House.
I also LOVED reading about her relationship with Obama: it really was insightful to what the most powerful man in the world was like behind closed doors, and a comfort knowing he's just as cool as I thought he was.
Finally, this book just made me miss when good, honest people ran the White House and the US. Could we please go back to that?
Simply put, I loved this book. As a teenage girl, it was important for me to read something like it. Alyssa Mastromonaco did not go to an Ivy league, didn't come from an old-money wealthy family, and didn't get a 4.0 GPA, and she still got one of the most important jobs in the West Wing by working hard for it.
This memoir isn't a boring, purified tale told by an old white man. Mastromonaco is funny, smart, and not afraid to get real about the issues she struggled with before and after leaving the White House.
I also LOVED reading about her relationship with Obama: it really was insightful to what the most powerful man in the world was like behind closed doors, and a comfort knowing he's just as cool as I thought he was.
Finally, this book just made me miss when good, honest people ran the White House and the US. Could we please go back to that?
mrz_owenz's review against another edition
4.0
I have been listening to Alyssa Mastromonaco for years on the podcast Hysteria so in some ways I already felt like I know her. And although I knew a few of the stories, there was mostly new and revelatory information in this book. The depth and importance of her job at the White House was one of the more interesting aspects. She's very relaxed, casual, and funny on the podcast so I didn't realize that she had organized much of the FEMA response to Hurricane Sandy until reading this book. Ms. Mastromonaco is incredibly smart and hard working and can serve as an inspiration to any young woman trying to make her way in politics or any arena typically dominated by males. I listened to the audiobook and she was more formal than on the podcast and I kind of missed the chill but blunt and hilarious casual version of her but I appreciated the additional context of her story. The story was told out of chronological order which was disorienting at times.
lolagreen's review
4.0
Being a woman is hard. Being a woman in the White House is EVEN harder.
Mastromonaco is candid and raw. She talks about her period, her IBS, her less-than-romantic marriage proposal… she goes there and HARD. Reading her book has demonstrated to me that hard work and dedication DOES go a long way. That owning up to your mistakes is NOT going to contribute to your downfall but instead help people trust you. She taught me that being a smart woman in a room of powerful men should not intimidate you; that your voice is just as valid. She taught me how to be a good colleague and how to better support those around me.
I originally gave this book 3 stars but I had to increase to 4 stars because I found myself thinking about this book over and over again and applying what I’ve learned to my professional life. I highly recommend to all young working professional women! You will laugh, you will cry, but hopefully you won't crap your pants (which Mastromonaco may or may not have done several times).
Mastromonaco is candid and raw. She talks about her period, her IBS, her less-than-romantic marriage proposal… she goes there and HARD. Reading her book has demonstrated to me that hard work and dedication DOES go a long way. That owning up to your mistakes is NOT going to contribute to your downfall but instead help people trust you. She taught me that being a smart woman in a room of powerful men should not intimidate you; that your voice is just as valid. She taught me how to be a good colleague and how to better support those around me.
I originally gave this book 3 stars but I had to increase to 4 stars because I found myself thinking about this book over and over again and applying what I’ve learned to my professional life. I highly recommend to all young working professional women! You will laugh, you will cry, but hopefully you won't crap your pants (which Mastromonaco may or may not have done several times).
kikideee's review
3.0
I love Alyssa Mastromonaco and listen to her regularly on podcasts. She’s a dynamic speaker and hilarious. She is also a total badass and somebody I would have loved to have as a mentor when I was younger.
I listened to this book rather than reading it since Alyssa narrated it. Unfortunately, I was super disappointed by the narration style. You can tell she wrote it in her speaking style but when she reads it, she uses the same unnatural cadence over and over and it’s super distracting.
I love the stories she tells. I just wish they were in some sort of chronological order. Maybe it’s easier to follow when you’re reading it, but the bouncing back and forth between college and the end of her time in the White House is rough when you’re listening to it.
So overall, great stories that are not in any sort of order and I recommend reading the book rather than listening to the audiobook.
I listened to this book rather than reading it since Alyssa narrated it. Unfortunately, I was super disappointed by the narration style. You can tell she wrote it in her speaking style but when she reads it, she uses the same unnatural cadence over and over and it’s super distracting.
I love the stories she tells. I just wish they were in some sort of chronological order. Maybe it’s easier to follow when you’re reading it, but the bouncing back and forth between college and the end of her time in the White House is rough when you’re listening to it.
So overall, great stories that are not in any sort of order and I recommend reading the book rather than listening to the audiobook.
ris_stitches's review
2.0
I guess maybe i’m the wrong demographic here, being that i’m much closer to Alyssa’s age than the 18-25 set this book was apparently written for. I just didn’t really get it. It wasn’t all that funny and it jumped around like crazy, I couldn’t figure out what part of her career she was talking about half the time. It didn’t read like an interesting memoir, or like a self-help type book. I think it would have been a lot better if it WAS a memoir.
justinsim's review
2.0
“Who thought this was a good idea? By Alyssa Mastromonaco” definetly not what i was expecting from a politicaly savy woman. She mentions at the end of the book that its geared toward young women as memoir/guide book on how to become political. Interesting content but written like a youtube star thrust into stardom not a woman of power. Funny, but full of gramatical and spelling errors as well as non-sense, i dont care about your birth control methods or a detailed description of your cats diet.
⭐️⭐️ But barely
⭐️⭐️ But barely