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A review by deirdrelistens2books
Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds by Huma Abedin
5.0
Really interesting book. Started on Kindle finished as audiobook. There's a lot that's fascinating about Huma Abedin - she came into public mostly because of her husband Anthony Weiner, but she's a longtime aid of Hillary Clinton and ahs a really interesting life growing up as a devout Muslim.
There's a lot of funny moments in this book, probably mostly at the beginning when she's working as an intern and then a real position in the First Lady's office - this was just years after she lost her own father. You get to see how bright she is, and a hard worker, and watch her become a daughter to the Clintons in a way -- Bill Clinton officiated her wedding and how that happened is another sweet moment in the book. She hid Hillary Clinton's jacket's she didn't think were flattering and she would spring back to a car in heels with barely any notice to save a draft of a Hillary Clinton speech moments before it was supposed to be given. But really interesting, enjoyable read. She's had a front seat to history as a loyal aid to the Clintons through impeachment to Comey announcing he was reopening an investigation into Hillary's emails for a hot second all because an email was found on Huma's computer.
She's clearly had a lot to reckon with married to Anthony Weiner. Unfortunately, by the time it was confirmed to her that he was sending lewd photos to women she was already pregnant - something that humiliatingly was revealed to the world through the New York Times before she could even break the news to her family. Not that it's anyone's business to know why she stayed in her marriage, she grew up with a family that was in tact and she wanted her son to be raised by her father. The most difficult parts of the book are the Anthony Weiner days -- his run for mayor and the downfall, his lewd texts with a minor, James Comey, and Weiner goes to prison.
Hillary losing the 2016 election at least has presented Huma with a gift of more time, and it sounds like she has done to work to reckon with all she's been through - in some ways this book is about forgiveness, because it's a fair question to ask who could possibly forgive Anthony Weiner? But she does and her reasoning is understandable - it's not that she is justifying his behavior but it sounds like she's reckoned with it.
More great parts of this book -- her mother's conversation with Hillary Clinton, confiding in Clinton that she's worried about Huma and feels disconnected a bit since her husband passed. Another great part is Huma and her son vacationing with Bill/Hillary when Anthony is in prison and just kind of wild to see her hanging out with them and doing semi normal people things. Another random thing I like is how she refers to Hillary as HRC and Bill as WJC.
The book doesn't get in the weeds of historical stuff we already know about which I appreciated. Someone should turn her story into a musical and call it Hillaryland.
There's a lot of funny moments in this book, probably mostly at the beginning when she's working as an intern and then a real position in the First Lady's office - this was just years after she lost her own father. You get to see how bright she is, and a hard worker, and watch her become a daughter to the Clintons in a way -- Bill Clinton officiated her wedding and how that happened is another sweet moment in the book. She hid Hillary Clinton's jacket's she didn't think were flattering and she would spring back to a car in heels with barely any notice to save a draft of a Hillary Clinton speech moments before it was supposed to be given. But really interesting, enjoyable read. She's had a front seat to history as a loyal aid to the Clintons through impeachment to Comey announcing he was reopening an investigation into Hillary's emails for a hot second all because an email was found on Huma's computer.
She's clearly had a lot to reckon with married to Anthony Weiner. Unfortunately, by the time it was confirmed to her that he was sending lewd photos to women she was already pregnant - something that humiliatingly was revealed to the world through the New York Times before she could even break the news to her family. Not that it's anyone's business to know why she stayed in her marriage, she grew up with a family that was in tact and she wanted her son to be raised by her father. The most difficult parts of the book are the Anthony Weiner days -- his run for mayor and the downfall, his lewd texts with a minor, James Comey, and Weiner goes to prison.
Hillary losing the 2016 election at least has presented Huma with a gift of more time, and it sounds like she has done to work to reckon with all she's been through - in some ways this book is about forgiveness, because it's a fair question to ask who could possibly forgive Anthony Weiner? But she does and her reasoning is understandable - it's not that she is justifying his behavior but it sounds like she's reckoned with it.
More great parts of this book -- her mother's conversation with Hillary Clinton, confiding in Clinton that she's worried about Huma and feels disconnected a bit since her husband passed. Another great part is Huma and her son vacationing with Bill/Hillary when Anthony is in prison and just kind of wild to see her hanging out with them and doing semi normal people things. Another random thing I like is how she refers to Hillary as HRC and Bill as WJC.
The book doesn't get in the weeds of historical stuff we already know about which I appreciated. Someone should turn her story into a musical and call it Hillaryland.