First published 2017
Alyssa Mastromonaco spent nearly ten years working for Barack Obama, from his Senate days through his presidency as deputy chief of staff. Her political memoir reads like stories from a witty older sister who happened to work in the White House. Mastromonaco chronicles both historic moments and everyday disasters. She met the queen at Buckingham Palace and crashed climate negotiations, but also discovered the Vatican has a bathroom shortage problem. Each chapter mixes policy work with personal mishaps, showing how one woman navigated a world where few looked like her. Mastromonaco shares her strategies for political success, emphasizing confidence without arrogance and the power of preparation. She explains why hard work matters more than connections and why smart women always carry backup supplies. The book combines political insider knowledge with practical advice, all delivered through cat stories and campaign trail adventures.
Genres: politics, contemporary, memoir, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking, witty
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, insider-knowledge
Setting: Buckingham Palace, Vatican, White House
Period: 21st-century
244 pages · Hardcover · Twelve