Reviews for Off The Sidelines

by Kirsten Gillibrand

Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

There's a tendency for political memoirs to have the kind of metric tonnage a freighter would envy, but Gillibrand takes a lighter, albeit still serious, tack in this book. The first-term senator from New York delves into her political origins, which she traces to hearing Hillary Clinton highlight the importance of citizen involvement in politics, particularly by women. As Gillibrand is the daughter and granddaughter of two pioneering female political activists, Clinton's words fell on receptive ears. Two years after the corporate lawyer won a seat in the U.S. Congress, she was appointed to a vacancy in the Senate, a post she won outright in the 2012 elections. Gillibrand has a young family, and it's the wife-and-mother aspect of her story that might resonate with women who face their own challenges balancing personal and professional lives. This blend of politics and family life makes for an enjoyable listen. Gillibrand's somewhat earnest delivery doesn't harm her narration; it's the upstate New York version of homespun. Actor Susan Denaker delivers a throaty introduction written by former secretary of state Clinton. VERDICT Recommended.-Kelly Sinclair, Temple P.L., TX (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.