Synopses & Reviews
The most powerful woman in American political history tells the
story of her transformation from housewife to House Speaker--how she
became a master legislator, a key partner to presidents, and the most
visible leader of the Trump resistance.
When, at age forty-six, Nancy Pelosi, mother of five, asked
her youngest daughter if she should run for Congress, Alexandra Pelosi
answered: "Mother, get a life!" And so Nancy did, and what a life it has
been.
In
The Art of Power, Pelosi describes for the first time what it
takes to make history--not only as the first woman to ascend to the most
powerful legislative role in our nation, but to pass laws that would
save lives and livelihoods, from the emergency rescue of the economy in
2008 to transforming health care. She describes the perseverance,
persuasion, and respect for her members that it took to succeed, but
also the joy of seeing America change for the better. Among the
best-prepared and hardest working Speakers in history, Pelosi worked to
find common ground, or stand her ground, with presidents from Bush to
Biden. She also shares moving moments with soldiers sent to the front
lines, women who inspired her, and human rights activists who fought by
her side.
Pelosi took positions that established her as a prophetic voice
on the major moral issues of the day, warning early about the dangers of
the Iraq War and of the Chinese government's long record of
misbehavior. This moral courage prepared her for the arrival of Trump,
with whom she famously tangled, becoming a red-coated symbol of
resistance to his destructive presidency. Here, she reveals how she went
toe-to-toe with Trump, leading up to January 6, 2021, when he unleashed
his post-election fury on the Congress. Pelosi gives us her personal
account of that day: the assault not only on the symbol of our democracy
but on the men and women who had come to serve the nation, never
expecting to hide under desks or flee for their lives--and her
determined efforts to get the National Guard to the Capitol. Nearly two
years later, violence and fury would erupt inside Pelosi's own home when
an intruder, demanding to see the Speaker, viciously attacked her
beloved husband, Paul. Here, Pelosi shares that horrifying day and the
traumatic aftermath for her and her family.
The woman who has been lauded by her opposition as "the most
powerful Speaker" ever shows us why she is not afraid of a good fight.
The Art of Power is about the fighting spirit that has always animated her, and the historic legacy that spirit has produced.
About the Author
Nancy Pelosi was elected the 52nd Speaker of the House in 2007--and
served as the first woman Speaker for eight years, off and on until
2023. She came to Congress in 1987 for the children and to fight
HIV/AIDS. Under Pelosi's leadership, Congress enacted transformative
legislation, most notably the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act. A defender of democracy, she directed House efforts to investigate
the January 6th insurrection and has spoken out forcefully for human
rights globally. Pelosi continues to represent San Francisco in the
House, a privilege she has treasured for thirty-seven years. Pelosi and
her husband, Paul, have five children and ten grandchildren. They live
in San Francisco, which they consider heaven on earth.