Know Your Power

As the first female speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi is in a position to offer credible advice to America's female citizens. Simple and unsophisticated, this memoir is most suitable for younger Americans, who can benefit from Pelosi's positive messages (believe in yourself; understand the source of your power) without being distracted by the awkward writing. Pelosi's stilted narration underscores the simplicity of the text and reveals her disdain for those who disagree with her highly partisan beliefs. Her methodical pace and deliberate pronunciation may be appropriate for younger listeners but may sound like an endless stump speech to those more erudite. Pelosi's delivery falls short of peeling back the political veneer to reveal the personal story of this powerful woman. N.M.C. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

August 25, 2008
Pelosi, the first female Speaker of the House, offers her words of wisdom mixed with those from women who helped make her journey possible. Geared toward women both young and old, Pelosi’s message is one of possibility and promise and her encouraging advice comes across clearly in her own inspired reading. With plenty of experience in public speaking, Pelosi displays a slightly different side of her personality and performance ability here, offering an extremely personal and relatable reading that draws listeners in with its honesty and earnestness. The final result is sure to inspire scores of young listeners, and reaffirm what many older listeners have known for a very long time: possibility is not limited to members of a particular sex, age or social class. A Doubleday hardcover (Reviews, June 2).