True Gretch: What I’ve Learned about Life, Leadership, and Everything in Between by Gretchen Whitmer

 

Title: True Gretch:  What I’ve Learned about Life, Leadership, and Everything in Between

Author:  Gretchen Whitmer

Narrated by:  Gretchen Whitmer

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 3 hours and 21 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio.  Thank you!

Do you do any research before you vote?  I like to read up on various candidates on their positions on topics and their lives if available.  I don’t vote straight party ticket and like to evaluate each person individually.  Gretchen Whitmer is the Governor of the state of my birth, Michigan, and she has been mentioned as a potential vice-presidential candidate.  I’ve already read Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance, so I decided it was time to learn more about other potential vice-presidential candidates.

True Gretch by Gretchen Whitmer is a short, interesting memoir where Whitmer discusses her leadership experiences as a governor and her life. 

My thoughts on this memoir:

·       This was a very personal memoir.  Whitmer talks about being raped in college and how she used that experience to fight for reproductive health for Michigan’s women.

·       I enjoyed that Whitmer narrates the book herself.  The audiobook also has clips from her speeches and news clips.  This makes it an enjoyable audio experience.

·       Whitmer narrates some stories from her youth and how she entered politics.

·       I also enjoyed learning that she was named after her Grandmother and the origin of the nickname “Big Gretch.”

·       A lot has gone on during Whitmer’s term as a governor including COVID, protests, a school shooting, and a plot to assassinate her.

·       There was also an interesting look into sexism Whitmer faces as a female governor.  News interviews focused on her looks, size, breast size, etc., and people also commented on these items to her to her face.

·       It was scary thinking about being the governor with a family and having people protesting outside your home armed with AR-15s.

·       Whitmer keeps a gratitude journal and calls for more civility in public conversation.

Overall, I liked learning more about Gretchen Whitmer and her philosophy on life and being in politics.