First published 2011
Dick Cheney opens his political memoir with personal history. Born to New Deal Democrats in Lincoln, Nebraska, he grew up in Casper, Wyoming, where he played sports and courted his future wife Lynne Vincent. After flunking out of Yale and working on power lines, Cheney redirected his life toward public service. He chronicles his rise through Washington, serving as the youngest White House Chief of Staff under Gerald Ford, then as Wyoming Congressman working with Ronald Reagan. As Defense Secretary under George H.W. Bush, he oversaw Desert Storm and the Cold War's end. Between government roles, he led Halliburton as CEO. Cheney details his vice presidency under George W. Bush during the war on terror, including September 11, 2001, when he coordinated response from the White House bunker. The memoir reveals how personal principles guided his decisions across multiple administrations and crises that shaped modern America.
Genres: history, 20th-century, business, political-science, autobiography, biography-memoir, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: memoir, political-career
Setting: Casper, Lincoln, Nebraska, Washington, Wyoming
Period: Cold War, Desert Storm, September 11, 2001, War on Terror
576 pages · Hardcover · Threshold Editions