First published 2005
Donna Brazile chronicles her three decades navigating American political campaigns and strategy. At nine years old in New Orleans, she successfully campaigned for a city council candidate who promised her neighborhood a playground. The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. the following day cemented her commitment to political activism. Raised as one of nine children in a working-poor family, Brazile learned cooking from her mother Jean and absorbed her love of politics from grandmother Frances. Her brothers Teddy Man and Chet became early allies in voter registration drives and political schemes. The memoir traces her ascent through Democratic politics, culminating in her appointment as Al Gore's 2000 campaign manager. This role made her the first African American to lead a major presidential campaign, though the position brought significant personal and professional challenges. Brazile details her innovative strategies and relationships across party lines, including her exchanges with Republican operative Karl Rove. Her narrative weaves together family recipes and political wisdom, showing how her New Orleans upbringing shaped her approach to coalition building and campaign management.
Genres: family-life, african-american, political-science, politics, biography-memoir, cooking, activism, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, underdog
Setting: New Orleans
Period: 20th Century, 21st Century
368 pages · Paperback · Simon Schuster