I love it ... a delightful, digestible nosh of useful tips from Mastromonaco's long career in politics ... full listicle book classification. Attempting this format is not for the faint of heart, but Mastromonaco's writing style—a hybrid of conversational yet organized—thrives in it. The book is like a personable note became a book (and the note was written by Alyssa Mastromonaco).
Behind-the-scenes moments from [Mastromonaco's] career provide insights into the hectic work of campaigns and the White House. In addition, she reflects on the current state of politics and on operating in the internet age. Mastromonaco’s stories are interspersed with interviews with Susan Rice, Monica Lewinsky, and others. Footnotes create the feel of conversational asides within each chapter. The book’s structure can feel inconsistent at times, but readers will enjoy the relaxed tone that Mastromonaco and coauthor Oyler set throughout—like chatting with old friend, who just happened to have Mindy Kaling set up her Twitter account.
A merry gloss on politics, campaign work for John Kerry and Obama, her stint in the White House, dating and breaking up, watching Friends and Sex and the City, the health problem—irritable bowel syndrome—she wrote about in the previous book, how social media has changed politics, and many other topics, including Donald Trump ... The brief conversations are as frothy as the essays ... Most pieces are funny and many, insightful ... An entertaining miscellany by a sharp-eyed observer.
