It Takes a Village by Hillary Rodham Clinton Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of It Takes a Village
Book Review: Disappointing -- I expected better
Summary: 2 Stars
I didn't actually read every page of Hillary Clinton's book, but I read the first half and the majority of the second, and I can tell you--- don't bother. There was one chapter near the end, "Every Business is a Family Business" that I thought was pretty good, but for the most part I was completely uninspired. Its a hodge podge, anecdotes from her own life, pats on the back for little good things that people are doing, nostalgia for old values, pointing out all the evils and dangers in the world, lots of religious references. There wasn't that much I didn't agree with, but it was all obvious stuff, and if it wasn't someone of Hillary Clinton's stature writing it, it wouldn't have held my interest.
All in all, a disappointment. I was hoping at least for some amusement.
Book Review: Finding it difficult to get through
Summary: 1 Stars
I decided to read this book because if Senator Clinton becomes president, I needed to know what we would be dealing with. I must admit that I am finding it difficult to get through, as I am only 1/3 done.
First, I find her words disingenuous about her care, concern, and love for children because I can't help thinking about her stance on abortion. It just doesn't make sense. How could someone adore children this much, and yet disregard those babies in the womb?
Second, Senator Clinton reveals many ideas in regards to caring for babies and children that will fall under the responsibility of the taxpayer. Her ideas include: teaching parents how to care for their baby or child, how to talk to him, how to feed him, how to discipline him, and the like. She highlights programs in Europe and Asia where health care representatives make house visits for 10 days after the birth of a baby, as well as one that makes visits monthly for up to five years to check on the family. Talk about losing our privacy!
Senator Clinton brings up good points, that the family is broken down, and many do not have good intentions when it comes to children. However, govenment stepping in is not the solution. It never is. So many of these issues are already being addressed through government, hospitals, schools, and private organizations to help teach child care, but when people's hearts are not right in the first place, God is the only solution.
In the end, though, I think we can look forward to a lot of these ideas being implemented under the guise of Universal Healthcare, which she is making her number one priority. Besides that caring for children should not be government's job, it scares me very much to know she just may get what she thinks is so important.
Book Review: Hillary Rodham Clinton's How Tos: Parenting, Policy and Politics
Summary: 2 Stars
The premise is a good one (p 317), "Each of us...has the opportunity and responsibility to protect and nurture children." And it would be hard to argue with her contention that (p 16), "Whether or not you are a parent, what happens to America's children affects your present and your future." But the book's subtitle, "And Other Lessons Children Teach Us," is a misnomer, as it is more about lessons Ms. Rodham Clinton wants to impart on readers than those provided by children. The real deal, supposedly, is this (p 17): "It is a statement of my personal views, a reflection of my continuing meditation on children."
Although many topics are touched on, including personal histories of both the Rodham and Clinton clans, and her personal parenting experiences (like six-year-old Chelsea role-playing her father's negative opponent during a reelection campaign), most of the book concerns child-related policy and politics. She shares what the husband and wife team have achieved on the issue: (p 49) "To prevent these children from languishing in foster care, my husband signed legislation...," (p 90) "The Family and Medical Leave Act, the first bill my husband signed into law as President...," (p 137) "The Brady Bill, which my husband signed into law in 1993...," (p 200, 201) " As my husband said in his 1995 State of the Union address:...," "(p 210) "As I said in my speech at the United Nations Fourth World Conference...," (p 237) "On October 31, 1995, I hosted an event at the White House...," (p 244) "I began to work on behalf of education reform in Arkansas in 1983...," and (p 265) "In 1994, the President, again with bipartisan support, signed the School-to-Work Opportunities Act." She sites research: (p 72) "Two in five American teenage girls become pregnant by the age of twenty...," (p 132) "Three times as many children die each year from preventable household accidents than from murder," (p 133) "Nearly half of all American households have guns...," (p 271) "...every year the average American child watches more than a thousand stylized and explicit rapes, murders, armed robberies, and assaults on television," and number four of the Goals 2000 list (p 261), "United States students will be first in the year [by the year 2000] in science and mathematics achievement." And she includes recommendations: (p 82) "Radio and television stations could broadcast child care tips...," (p 120) "Brisk walking, hiking and bicycling are all good exercise and are great ways to spend time together as well," (p 144) "Adults should practice counting to ten and taking a deep breath before contributing to the climate of incivility and insecurity that surrounds us," (p 172) "If more parents introduced their children to faith and prayer at home...I am sure there would be fewer calls for prayer in schools," (p 188) "Standing up for tolerance and respect in front of children gives them models for how to confront bigotry on their own...," and the biggee (p 127) "A reformed health care system that guarantees all children the medical care they need." But overall, it's a bit disjointed and unfocused. While she makes some excellent points, her writing is somewhat stiff and awkwardly overfilled with words and phrases in quotes ("the way things used to be," "come naturally," "upsized," "your turn"). It would have read better if, instead of meandering, she had stuck to the apparent issue: U.S. policy on child-related issues. Better: Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder, There is No Me Without You by Melissa Fay Greene, Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, and Dreams of My Father by Barack Obama.
Book Review: Hope Knows No Boundaries
Summary: 5 Stars
A delightful delve into the tortured soul of HRC. This book is a lipsmacking good time. Let me tell you, you will be thankful when you finally finish this. Your soul will be uplifted and your future will seem all the brighter knowing that you can get through anything, if you can get through this book.
On a personal note, I salute Hillary for her good sense and the fact that she's been a Yankee fan all her life. And growing up in suburban Chicago, who can blame her? The New York Yankees are an ingrained part of every suburban Chicago child's life ... like Green River soda and the Empire carpets guy from TV. And for all the naysayers out there who say that it's common knowledge that suburban Chicago children follow the Montreal Expos and not the New York Yankees, I say, there is NOT even a team in Montreal anymore. So put that in your pocket and walk away, buster!
Book Review: Inherently Dishonest and Deceptive
Summary: 1 Stars
As far as I am concerned, this book is another outright attempt to edge our society from democracy to socialism. This process has been happening under our noses bit by bit and the book shares Hillary's belief system that is geared toward socialism. Our children have textbooks written to draw the concepts of socialism and create a society that will eventually want it. The writers have stated that if they are to succeed, the children need to begin school earlier so that the ideals of their parents, such as attending church and the close knit unit the family has, can be stopped or lessened before it gets too embedded. There are many reasons for that; one is that with religion, for example, socialism will not work. This approach to create a socialistic society where we have a large government and they control pretty much everything, is the undertone for this book and I find it a backhanded way for Hillary to nudge us further in the direction of what she feels the nation must "progress to". Hillary attempts to look the part of a concerned `mother' type who wants what is best for OUR children, however you do not have to be a genius to figure out her goal has little to do with our children and more her own personal beliefs and goals. I find it appalling that this book is out there under a disguise of a helpful manual type guide created by a women who deeply cares about children in America when it is clear that her reasons for it are really more left wing extremist and to teach us to be socialist - eventually to be controlled by the government. Just for the fact that this book is inherently dishonest and its motives hidden under a "care and compassion" label, it's a horror. I recommend that whoever read this review, find another more credible and honest book written by an author who actually does care and doesn't have the compassion of cold stone and the motives of a snake in the grass.
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