by Katie Porter
First published 2023
Katie Porter never planned to run for office. She was teaching law in Orange County and raising three kids alone when she decided to challenge the political establishment in 2018. Porter won her congressional seat in historically conservative territory as a progressive Democrat. In Washington, she brought her signature whiteboard to congressional hearings and began grilling CEOs and government officials with pointed questions about corporate misconduct. Her videos went viral and made her a frequent guest on news shows. Porter writes about juggling motherhood with political life, from campaign fundraising to the January 6 Capitol attack when she lent Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a pair of sneakers. She explains how Congress really works, why corporate accountability matters, and what happens when politicians give press conferences instead of solving problems. Porter shows readers where their campaign donations actually go and how to fight companies that cheat consumers. Her book reveals the gap between political messaging and the reality of serving in office as a parent without household help.
Genres: family-life, business, american, feminism, biography-memoir, 21st-century, current-affairs, activism
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, underdog
Setting: Orange County, Washington DC
Period: 2018, January 6
304 pages · Hardcover · Crown