A review by rick2
Pelosi by Molly Ball

2.0

Molly Bell talks about Pelosi the way Tucker Carlson talks about Trump. This book starts as breathless fan fic about Nancy Pelosi that I think might have come from those corners of the Internet we don’t talk about in polite society.

I think if an editor went through and took out every adjective in this book, it would ultimately be a stronger book. Every action is “revolutionary” every move is “powerful”. When Nancy sneezes it’s “iconic,” her impeccable fashion sense is only surpassed by her strategic genius. To hear Bell tell it, Pelosi struts about Washington, smacking down losers and Republicans (oh but she repeats herself) with righteous panache. Every major bill passed by the Democrats in the last Century is due to Pelosi. Her Speaker power is so great that she went back in time to tell Roosevelt he should do a “new deal.” It was said that the only thing Roosevelt feared was fear itself, and Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi doesn’t sleep, fueled only by Topo-Chico, chocolate, and her righteousness. Tougher than a $2 steak, Pelosi eats glass, kicks ass and personally gives Trump a weekly wedgie. You know that weird walk Trump has? That is because Nancy’s Stiletto is still lodged in his ass from the last time she kicked it. Chuck Norris checks under his bed for Nancy Pelosi. Ok. that’s enough. You get the gist.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for Pelosi. She’s seems like a compelling figure from what I have gleaned here. I really would be interested in a less fawning book on her life as she’s a strong character at the absolute epicenter of US politics. But this book is so biased it seems almost useless as a source of good information. It’s like hearing an LSU fan talk about how great their football team is, sure your quarterback is a top prospect, but I don’t believe he completed the trials of Hercules blindfolded. Fact and fiction blend together until it is difficult to distinguish what is what.

The book definitely settles down in the second half. Obama comes across poorly and I think it’s a very interesting comparison between a baby faced Barack and an experienced Nancy. The bit on the financial crisis was fascinating because I am familiar with it and could sort fact from fan fiction. When it came to the discussion of the passing of the Healthcare bill, I found it hard to distinguish.

The book is interesting, but I spent a lot of time rolling my eyes at the hyperbolic rhetoric.