Going Rogue: An American Life [Hardcover]

Sarah Palin (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 17, 2009

Going Rogue is the #1 New York Times bestselling memoir from Sarah Palin, one of America’s most beloved and controversial political figures. Now with new material, Going Rogue offers plain talk from a true American original about her life, her career, and the future of the country she loves.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

No good deed goes unpunished. Just ask Steve Schmidt, John McCain’s campaign manager and the guy who pushed Sarah Palin as McCain’s running mate. Now, in Palin’s much-hyped book, he’s just a fat, smoking bullet-head who told her to “stick to the script.” The feeling running through Going Rogue is that Palin has been bursting to take a whack at those she believes didn’t do right by her during the campaign. (Katie Couric, we’re looking at you!) Before readers get to that, however, there’s personal biography. We’re introduced to Sarah the reader—loved to read—the basketball player, hunter, wife, mother. Then lots and lots of Alaska politics, which will probably be a little hard even for people from Alaska to plow through. (Scores are settled here, too.) Once Palin gets into the 2008 campaign, the tone is folksy, but the knives are out. Much has been made of her criticisms of Schmidt and another McCain staffer, Nicolle Wallace. But less has been said about Palin’s comments about Barack Obama. For instance, she notes that when she and husband Todd first heard Obama speak, they saw the wow factor but worried that his “smooth” talk would hide his radical ideas. She also implies that Obama wanted to shield only his own children from the press, though, in fact, in September 2008, he told CNN that Palin’s children must be off limits as well. Ronald Reagan’s name is mentioned by page 3 and invoked regularly throughout. There’s no doubt Palin sees herself as heir to his legacy. But many readers will see the Sarah Palin revealed in these pages as much closer to George Bush, someone you’d like to have a beer with. Or perhaps dinner: “I always remind people from outside our state that there’s plenty of room for all Alaska’s animals—right next to the mashed potatoes.” --Ilene Cooper

Review

Truly one of the most substantive policy books I’ve ever read (Rush Limbaugh)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (November 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061939897
• ISBN-13: 978-0061939891
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,425 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,830 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sarah Palin grew up in Alaska towns, from Skagway to Wasilla to Anchorage, while her dad taught science and coached high school sports. She and her future husband, Todd Palin, graduated from Wasilla High School in 1982, and she went on to earn her college degree from the School of Journalism at the University of Idaho. Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council, then two terms as the city's mayor and manager, and was elected by her peers as president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. She then chaired the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. Palin was elected Alaska's youngest, and first female, governor, serving from 2006 to 2009. While serving her state she was tapped as Senator John McCain's running mate in 2008, becoming the first female Republican vice presidential candidate in our nation's history.

The Palins reside in Wasilla with their five children, including a son in the U.S. Army, and one grandson. They enjoy an extended family throughout Alaska and the Lower 48.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 23 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars a somewhat entertaining book about a not-too-likable person November 19, 2012

By Michael Lewyn VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Since I don't have any idea whether Sarah Palin (1) actually wrote this, (2) actually read this, or (3) is telling the truth about all the incidents she discusses, I'm going to take it at face value: that is, to assume that (1) and (2) are correct, and that Palin at least believes her version of the truth. A few thoughts:

*Generally, I thought this was an easy, light read- just entertaining enough that I was willing to finish it, not so entertaining that I couldn't put it down. Mostly it is about Palin's adventures rather than her ideology.
*Palin comes across as a pragmatic, status-quo conservative rather than an ideologue. She recites her allegiance to the usual conservative bromides, but doesn't attack Social Security or any other longstanding government program, and in fact goes out of her way to praise Title IX (a statute mandating equal treatment of male and female school athletes) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (which gets the federal government involved with educating disabled children)- two statutes I doubt a principled libertarian like Ron Paul would support. The only major government programs she seems to oppose are those proposed by President Obama.
*As a religious person, I was interested in her discussion of the collapse of her mother's Catholic faith. She grew up Catholic, but in small-town Alaska, far from the bonds of an urban Catholic community, she found an evangelical church more fulfilling, as did Sarah. I gathered from this that Catholicism, like Judaism, is a team sport, and dies when it is just one of many churches on the frontier.
*Palin comes across as energetic, and bright enough to handle issues intelligently when she focuses on them (e.g. energy).... However, she doesn't seem to have educated herself deeply on national issues other than those relevant to Alaska politics.
*Palin seems to be a person who makes lots of enemies wherever she goes. From Wasilla to Anchorage to the McCain campaign, she dishes about the many people she does not like, and/or who do not like her (all of whom seem to be corrupt or at least jerks, or, as she calls John Kerry, "an elitist loon"). Generally, I sensed very little respect for adversaries in this book.
By comparison, I read President Obama's books a few years ago, and (if my memory serves me correctly, which it might not) he tends to be much gentler in his treatment of politicians he disagrees with. The notion that negative speech or gossip is a bad thing doesn't seem to be part of Palin's makeup.
As a person, Palin sounds like the person who could be a devoted friend, but who is also capable of being pretty vicious. She doesn't come across (to me) as very likeable. Read more ›

220 of 318 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Sarah Palin in her own write January 6, 2010

By M. A. Filippelli VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Review by a liberal

While I disagree with a lot of Palins Political beliefs I read this book with interest. Admittedly in the beginning I wasn't sure If I could make it through the book because of that but the way that she chronicled her life it really makes it an interesting read.

The book really covers the decisions she has made in her life both political and personal. The reader gets to know her as a person and a politician, her motivations in life.

She was fairly unknown outside of Alaska, thrust into the middle of a Presidential campaign that was already floundering. While she did breathe some life into the McCain campaign it wasn't enough. She was put in a tough situation. Clearly she felt that she didn't receive the kind of support that she needed to be an effective Vice Presidential candidate and she discussed that in this book. We get to read about all of the things we suspected were going on in the McCain camp that she wasn't able to talk about during the race.

She sacrificed a lot and her family sacrificed a lot from the demands of campaign from criticism on her political beliefs, the innuendo that the only reason McCain selected her as a running mate is because she is attractive, to the personal attacks about her decision to have her challenged son. She was criticized a lot during the campaign of nearly everything. She talks about the criticisms in the book in detail. She loves her State and tried to make it a better place. She loved it enough to resign thinking that someone else could do a better job running it with out all of the distraction that was heaped upon her by media following her every move both on the local and national front....

Palin talks about life under the media microscope, how it effects to this day her and her family. While most of us including me can't imagine the pressure she was under during the campaign, she lays it out on paper.

This is Sarah Palin speaking her mind, She talks about everything. While she didn't change my mind on the political issues that I disagree with her on. She did change my mind about the type of person she is. In her personal life. In writing this book she has subjected herself to more criticism. I applaud her for her strength and conviction. Regardless of your political beliefs you should read this book. Read more ›

349 of 523 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A British perspective on a controversial American December 26, 2009

By Peter Durward Harris HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Prior to reading this book, I knew little about either Sarah Palin or Alaska and I was interested to learn more about both, especially the book's author. Brits normally only take any notice of American politicians if they become president. There are exceptions such as Al Gore and Hillary Clinton, but they are rare. Contrast the number of reviews of this book posted in Amazon USA with the number posted in Amazon UK for confirmation of the lack of British interest.

I realized early on in this book that I was going to enjoy reading it because Mrs Palin's story is both interesting and well-written. She makes summer in Alaska sound wonderful, although acknowledging that the winters are long and harsh. She discusses many aspects of her life and it is clear that she has strong views on a number of issues.

Although not directly relevant to her political career, perhaps the most intriguing question about her beliefs concerns her stance on the origin of species. At first glance, Mrs Palin appears to be a full-blooded creationist, but she denies this. Apparently, she accepts what she calls microevolution, in which species change and evolve over time, but not that people are related to apes or monkeys. Her stance is interesting, but I prefer to accept Darwin's theory, despite the proof of it still being incomplete.

Not having studied the American political scene closely, I'll leave others to judge the accuracy of the main story, but the politics as described here is explosive stuff. Corruption in Alaska, tales of in-fighting within the Republican party and dirty tricks played by some Democrats - all rather sad, but I'll say straight away that similar things happen elsewhere in the world including Britain.... Hey, the summer of 2009 was dominated by the expenses scandal at Westminster, while all British political parties of any significance have had their internal fights at one time or another, in between playing dirty tricks on each other. So in one form or another, most of the political stuff here doesn't surprise me, but some of it is shocking nevertheless.

An unconventional politician in many ways, Mrs Palin nevertheless appears to have brought about significant changes in a number of areas in her home state of Alaska, which may seem to many people (especially in my country) like a frozen wasteland, but which is rich in natural resources and occupies a vast land area, approximately equivalent to France, Spain, Italy and the UK combined. So being governor of Alaska is not equivalent to running a small local council in Britain even though it is sparsely populated (fewer people live there than in the county of Leicestershire in which I live). I suspect that the position of state governor may be equivalent to being leader of the Welsh assembly. The biggest Alaskan story by far in my adult lifetime was the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, which Mrs Palin covers briefly; she later had plenty of political fights with the oil companies (including BP as well as ExxonMobil and others) in her time as state governor.

Mrs Palin has drawn plenty of criticism from a variety of sources and uses the opportunity that this book affords to hit back at those critics, often explaining how things have been distorted by the media. Having had my own relatively minor experience of being in British national newspapers, I have sympathy with victims of media distortion, so I don't blame Mrs Palin for hitting back via this book, but I can see that others will react badly. At least my story was a one-day wonder with no lasting consequences, but things are different for those who go into politics, sport or showbiz.

Mrs Palin clearly isn't impressed by the way the Republican presidential campaign was handled, and clearly feels that she wasn't able to contribute effectively to the campaign, but the aftermath was even worse. While some Republicans were happy to cast her as the scapegoat, some Democrats launched a sustained campaign against her that exploited freedom of information laws. Ultimately, this created problems for the legislative process as well as personal difficulties for the Palin family, all described in detail, causing Mrs Palin to decide that she had to quit as governor with a year still to run, even though she was never found guilty of anything. As she acknowledges, that decision to quit may kill her political career, but Mrs Palin says that she did what she felt was right for Alaska. Inevitably in such situations, people will believe whatever they choose to.

I expect Mrs Palin will return to public life in some capacity eventually. That might be as a presidential candidate, but it might alternatively be as champion of a cause dear to her heart. Her vice-presidential campaign generated enormous hope among disabled people, while her love of Alaska makes her passionate about environmental issues. So there's two obvious issues, but I'm sure there are others.

Would I vote for Mrs Palin, given the chance? I don't know because I'd need to know more about issues not discussed in this book, but I'd like the option.

I can see why this book - and the author - are so controversial. Fans of Mrs Palin will love this book, while critics will be furious. Both are likely to have their opinions reinforced by reading this book. Coming from a position of ignorance, I'll just say that I found this book to be compulsive reading. Read more ›