Posted by
Ron Devito on Sunday, November 29, 2009 7:16:46 PM
by Gary P. Jackson
The Speech: A Time for choosing -- http://thespeechatimeforchoosing.blogspot.com
If you are not one of the nearly one million people who have purchased and read Sarah Palin’s new book, Going Rogue, An American Life, then you are missing out on one of the really great treats and treasures of our time.
One doesn’t actually read Going Rogue,
they experience it. You experience Sarah Palin’s life as she takes you
from a young girl growing in the rugged Alaska wilderness through her
days as a championship basketball player, a city councilwoman, mayor,
oil and gas regulator, reformer, Governor, and vice presidential
candidate. All told in Sarah’s wonderfully enjoyable way.
The book is so much more than just an account of Sarah Palin’s life though. Rush Limbaugh has called it "truly one of the most substantive policy books" that he has ever read, and that it is. However, you won’t find a single chart, graph, or bullet point anywhere in the book. Going Rogue is a book of philosophy, and book of strategy. Going Rogue is a book of great inspiration, and of great triumphs.
If
up to this point you have only relied on reviews from the old, corrupt
Obamacentric media, to tell you about Sarah’s book, then you have been
poorly served. Most of the dishonest media will have you believe this
is some sort of vindictive "tell all" or "score settling" book.
Whatever it takes to sell papers and get ratings, I suppose.
The
truth is, Sarah tells her story, all of her story, but is very
generous, even to those who served her poorly, or caused her grief. If
you buy the book looking for fireworks, or to see her dishing up dirt,
you’ll be sorely disappointed. This just isn’t Sarah Palin’s style.
Frankly we have written more extensively and brutally about those in
Alaska who have attacked her and her family than Sarah herself does.
Sarah
touches on the attacks by the hate bloggers, and she mentions the ties
they have to Barack Obama through his campaign chief-of-staff, now
White House adviser, Pete Rouse. She talks about the fictitious "Troopergate"
affair, and how things completely changed once Obama’s team got
involved. She spends a few pages discussing how Obama’s involvement,
and how Chicago thug politics poisoned the once friendly atmosphere of
Alaska politics.
Sarah also spends some time discussing the
McCain campaign. Again, if you are looking for mud slinging, you are
going to be highly disappointed. Sarah tells her side of the story,
discusses the events in great detail. She takes responsibility for her
errors, and points out where she felt things could have been done
better. Not a vindictive word to be found.
Instead, Sarah takes
you through the process of being chosen as a candidate, and running for
Vice President. It’s a fascinating behind the scenes look at how things
work.
Sarah has nothing but high praise for John McCain in the
book. You know that she has a great admiration and respect for the
Senator and his family. This comes through loud and clear every time
she speaks of John and Cindy.
The same can be said for the much
talked about Katie Couric and Charlie Gibson interviews. She talks
about them, tells you where she went wrong, how she felt they were a
bad idea to start with, then moves on to more important things.
You'll
find Sarah to be frank about things all throughout the book. This is a
woman who is comfortable with herself and has no problem talking about
the way she sees things. This is a strong, determined woman, who is
also very open and candid as she tells her story.
Most of the
book centers on her family and her remarkable life. Sarah takes us
through her pregnancy with her beautiful son Trig. Here she lets us in
on the intimate details, her inner most thoughts and feelings. You feel
the love that Sarah has for all of her children in this book, and her
great love and admiration for Todd as well. You can’t help but admire
Todd as a wonderfully strong husband and father. A real man’s man, who
supports Sarah in every way.
You’ll
also be pleased to learn that Sarah’s wicked sense of humor shows up
all throughout the book, making a good read into a great read.
This
is what you really get with this book, a look at one of America’s most
amazing women, up close, personal, and in her own words. You get a look
at Alaska. You feel Sarah’s great love for her state, of the land, and
of nature. You feel the magnificence of Alaska through her words.
Regular
readers know that my background is not in politics, but in sales and
management. While I’ve enjoyed reading books of all kind, I most enjoy
books dealing with business, written by those great masters like Lee
Iaccoca, Jim McKay, and Bob Lutz. Going Rogue is certainly this type of book. Going Rogue is truly a book on successful management, as well as business and political strategy.
If
you read Sarah’s book, you will find it to be just as Limbaugh
describes it, a substantial book on policy. Oh, she doesn’t go on and
on for pages about how she will do things, there are no charts or
bullet points. No lectures.
Instead, you’ll find that every page
is a lesson in philosophy, policy, and strategy. All of this is
intertwined with Sarah’s accounting of her life.
This is what makes Going Rogue one of those rare treasures of a book:
If
you are a fan, who simply wants to know more about this remarkable
woman, you will come away pleased and fulfilled. Sarah takes you
through her life, and her style of writing makes you really experience
it all. Her words have you visualizing the events as they unfold. You
will come away with great admiration for Sarah and her family. You find
these are truly nice people. Regular folks who you would like to have
as your friends and neighbors.
If you are someone who is more
interested in what makes Sarah tick, politically, well, you are
certainly in for a treat! Again, there are no charts or graphs, but
throughout the book, Sarah’s philosophy on life, and politics comes
through. If you read Going Rogue,
you will learn how she governed in Alaska, and how she would govern as
President. How she looks at the world. What her policies on the
economy, national security, and energy are.
If you are not
already familiar with Sarah’s significant record of accomplishments,
you will be by the time you are through. You will learn why Sarah had
such a high approval rating (mid 80's) among some of the most
independent minded voters in America. You’ll learn why the
democrat/communists, as well as the Republican "elites" fear her, and why millions support her.
You’ll
also learn that Sarah is not some far right ideologue. Instead you’ll
find that common sense is what rules the day. You’ll find someone who
is willing to work with anyone, as long as they are working toward a
common goal, and some good old fashioned common sense is being
employed. You learn that Sarah Palin is someone who knows how to get
things done.
Something else, you’ll learn that Sarah Palin is a
bold leader. Sarah is not someone who is afraid to do big things, or
afraid to do things differently to get results, and her record shows
she gets results.
In the end, if you don’t read another book this year, you should read Going Rogue.
This book is a pure joy to read, and you will find yourself not wanting
to put it down. You will find Sarah to be likable, and inspiring. After
all, this is a woman who was literally raised in a log cabin on the
rugged landscape of Alaska, who has become one of America’s brightest
shining stars.
Going Rogue, like Sarah Palin herself, is a real American treasure.
