…thorough and evenhanded…Blumenthal…is part of a current wave of narrative nonfiction authors who write for teenagers with such directness and clarity that adult readers, too, may gain a deeper understanding. Teenagers—many of them soon to vote in their first presidential election—are capable, after all, of comprehending the sordid parts of history, and have a right to be presented with the whole picture.

★ 10/19/2015
After decades in the public eye, Hillary Rodham Clinton is still an enigma, as Blumenthal (Tommy: The Gun That Changed America) emphasizes in this compelling portrait of the former U.S. Senator and Secretary of State’s journey from budding activist to presidential aspirant. Ticketed from an early age for great things—her college commencement speech was covered by Life magazine—she baffled mentors by joining then-boyfriend Bill in Arkansas, rather than pursuing her own high-profile career. Blumenthal hits the highlights—becoming First Lady of Arkansas and then the nation, winning a Senate seat, joining Obama’s cabinet—and the lowlights, including Whitewater, Bill’s infidelity, and the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi. The most engrossing chapters give context to Hillary’s choice to marry her fate with Bill’s, and chronicle the tense weeks leading to the assassination of Osama bin Laden while she headed the State Department, yet the sense that Clinton still struggles with being a public figure dominates. B&w photographs and political cartoons appear throughout. Ages 12–up. (Jan.)

"Thorough and evenhanded. . . . Blumenthal, a longtime Wall Street Journal reporter, is part of a current wave of narrative nonfiction authors who write for teenagers with such directness and clarity that adult readers, too, may gain a deeper understanding. . . . Providing nuanced but clear explanations for the ways Hillary’s personality and personal history have shaped her political career is where Blumenthal’s method really pays off." —The New York Times

"After decades in the public eye, Hillary Rodham Clinton is still an enigma, as Blumenthal (Tommy: The Gun That Changed America) emphasizes in this compelling portrait of the former U.S. Senator and Secretary of State’s journey from budding activist to presidential aspirant." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A richly detailed study that is as perceptive as it is engaging." —Kirkus Reviews

"An in-depth portrait that gives teens a real feel for the woman behind the politics." —Booklist

“For young people who are just beginning to be interested in politics, or any of us who want a better understanding of Hillary Clinton, this book is an excellent place to start.” —Bob Schieffer, CBS News

"More objective and even more comprehensive than Cynthia Levinson's Hillary Rodham Clinton: Do All the Good You Can (HarperCollins, 2016), this volume covers many aspects of Hillary Clinton's life and achievements. . . . Clinton is presented as an intensely private person in a public life, and Blumenthal objectively discusses the contradictions between Clinton's beliefs and some of her actions and examines the many controversies and scandals that have been a part of the Clintons' lives since their early years in public service. . . . Small photos supplement the text, and "Drawn and Quartered" sidebar reproductions of negative and positive editorial cartoons illustrate public perceptions of Clinton's personality, life, and work." -School Library Journal

12/01/2015
Gr 10 Up—More objective and even more comprehensive than Cynthia Levinson's Hillary Rodham Clinton: Do All the Good You Can (HarperCollins, 2016), this volume covers many aspects of Hillary Clinton's life and achievements, from her Illinois childhood to the early days of her current presidential campaign. Blumenthal focuses on the formative experiences that shaped Clinton's beliefs and how those principles have guided her actions throughout her life and influenced her choices about her education, work, marriage and family life, and political career. Clinton is presented as an intensely private person in a public life, and Blumenthal objectively discusses the contradictions between Clinton's beliefs and some of her actions and examines the many controversies and scandals that have been a part of the Clintons' lives since their early years in public service. Blumenthal’s bibliography includes a wider spectrum of sources than the Levinson title and includes Clinton’s books and statements, papers and memoirs from the Clinton archives, and sources critical of Clinton. Small photos supplement the text, and "Drawn and Quartered" sidebar reproductions of negative and positive editorial cartoons illustrate public perceptions of Clinton's personality, life, and work. With 36 dense chapters, this book reads more like an adult work than a YA title and is occasionally dry. Its primary audience will be report writers and students who are highly interested in Clinton or politics. VERDICT A good option for libraries that need advanced research material about Clinton.—Mary Mueller, Rolla Public Schools, MO

2015-10-06
Like Cynthia Levinson's Hillary Rodham Clinton: Do All the Good You Can (2016), Blumenthal's biography covers Clinton's childhood to her current campaign to become the Democratic candidate for president in 2016 but, written for an older audience, goes into greater depth and detail. Particularly notable is Blumenthal's consistent focus on how, throughout her public life, Clinton has been held to sexist double standards. No man would ever be subjected to the scrutiny and criticism she has endured for things as mundane as hairstyles and fashion choices or for her decisions to pursue a professional career in Arkansas and policy roles in her husband's administration. Blumenthal also offers a sympathetic and especially poignant discussion of Clinton's emotional struggle during the Monica Lewinsky scandal and her determination to make her love for her husband and commitment to her marriage prevail over his betrayal and her anger. As astounding as Clinton's many accomplishments are, readers receive a balanced, wholly human portrait with all the flaws it entails. A richly detailed study that is as perceptive as it is engaging. (photos, timeline, bibliography, chapter notes) (Biography. 12-18)