Publishers Weekly
07/30/2018
This revealing memoir from veteran White House reporter Ryan relates “the backstory of some of the major news events of 2017 and 2018.” The narrative ping-pongs between the Trump administration’s jarring policy shifts on issues like healthcare and the episodes, both serious and ludicrous, in which Ryan has faced off with a revolving cast of press secretaries and the 45th president himself about such topics as whether he’s a racist and whether she could help line up a chat with the Congressional Black Caucus. These encounters made her a media sensation—and a target of the right wing. The book takes a sober turn as Omarosa Manigault—the president’s onetime friend, aide, and unofficial black spokesperson (and former contestant on The Apprentice)—attempts to block Ryan’s access to the press secretary, among other things. Although plagued by self-doubt, insults, death threats, dismissals by male journalists, and the president’s characterizations of the media as the enemy of the people, Ryan champions her craft and perseveres amid the chaos. She clearly portrays the unrelenting stress of being one of the few black reporters on the prestigious White House beat, pulling back the curtain on the “emotional taxes” that African-American people endure daily in the workplace. This account will be an inspiration to those who have to fight similar battles. (Sept.)
Thurgood Marshall
"April’s experience, knowledge, and judgment are on full display in this book. She understands the political process at the highest levels and has never been afraid to ask the tough questions off-record or with the eyes of the world on her or when her courage and mettle have been put to the test. All of these skills come together in a compelling volume that blends her insights with the very questions that we should all be confronting at this unique moment in history."
Choice Reviews
Ryan, a veteran White House news correspondent for the American Urban Radio Networks, describes some of her disagreements with the press secretary’s office during the first 16 months of the Trump administration. Ironically, Ryan explains, these battles included criticism of her work in 2017 by then White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, who subsequently published an unfavorable critique of the Trump administration. Ryan notes some of her interactions with officials from the Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama, and Trump eras. She is occasionally critical of policy issues that impact African Americans, such as whether the Trump administration should extensively support historically black colleges and universities. Recommended.
Utica Phoenix
Ryan often asks pointed questions on policies of health care, education, and voting laws and how these affect Africans Americans. The frequent lies, along with personal and institutionally insulting responses by President Trump and his Press Secretaries is unprecedented in her two decades of working at the White House.
BUST
There are times in history when having a government backstage pass might’ve been boring, or academically interesting, or perhaps just pretty cool. But April Ryan, a 21-year veteran White House reporter, is there now, at an absolutely atypical and ever-changing time, with a front row seat to this mess. Well, technically, she sits in the third row, “smack in the middle.” Ryan’s writing is conversational and accessible while also displaying impressive depth of knowledge and access. She provides, for instance, some context behind blundering generalizations made by the 45th president about healthcare, quoting not only from conversations she’s had with a senator the prez said refused to meet with him, but also from scholarly texts about health disparities for different races and socio-economic groups in the United States. Sometimes pointing the spotlight, occasionally in it, Ryan very apparently values truth—seeking it and telling it. This book gives perspective on our most recent presidential election and, though timely, will still be providing valuable insights for years to come.
Senator Cory Booker
"April Ryan is one of the most respected journalists in Washington for a reason — she’s tough as nails, has a wealth of experience, and relentlessly pursues the truth. The qualities that make her a great reporter have also made her a frequent target of the Trump administration. In Under Fire, April Ryan deftly navigates these attacks to deliver a characteristically impartial account of an unprecedented time: she not only documents the chaos, confusion, and turmoil of the Trump era, but speaks to our common values, the enduring and urgent need for truth-tellers, and how the most difficult challenges can bring out the best in who we are. She is a living example of how the fire of adversity often reveals and forges greatness."
Martin Luther King
Journalist April Ryan provides accurate, historic information and perspective for anyone contemplating the 2018 elections and beyond. Under Fire is a must read for truth seekers and those who teach others the difference between media spin, personal commentary and current political facts.
Choice
Ryan, a veteran White House news correspondent for the American Urban Radio Networks, describes some of her disagreements with the press secretary’s office during the first 16 months of the Trump administration. Ironically, Ryan explains, these battles included criticism of her work in 2017 by then White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, who subsequently published an unfavorable critique of the Trump administration. Ryan notes some of her interactions with officials from the Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama, and Trump eras. She is occasionally critical of policy issues that impact African Americans, such as whether the Trump administration should extensively support historically black colleges and universities. Recommended.
CHOICE
Ryan, a veteran White House news correspondent for the American Urban Radio Networks, describes some of her disagreements with the press secretary’s office during the first 16 months of the Trump administration. Ironically, Ryan explains, these battles included criticism of her work in 2017 by then White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, who subsequently published an unfavorable critique of the Trump administration. Ryan notes some of her interactions with officials from the Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama, and Trump eras. She is occasionally critical of policy issues that impact African Americans, such as whether the Trump administration should extensively support historically black colleges and universities. Recommended.
OCTOBER 2018 - AudioFile
Narrator Janina Edwards provides a sincere but tempered voice for author April Ryan, an African-American White House correspondent who finds herself in the thick of dealing with a racist and sexist U.S. president. Ryan reveals the public and personal changes, challenges, and open hostility that she has faced during the Trump administration and articulates how Trump’s war on the media jeopardizes American citizens and their democratic values. Edwards's gentle delivery belies the gravity that arises when Ryan explores particularly tense confrontations between herself and President Trump, his aides, or his sycophantic online and real-world followers. In sum, Ryan points out the implications of a White House accountable to no one. L.E. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2018-06-18
The noted American Urban Radio Networks White House Correspondent and CNN analyst focuses on her experiences as a black woman reporter trying to do her job amid the hostile first year of the Trump presidency.Before Trump entered office, Ryan (At Mama's Knee: Mothers and Race in Black and White, 2016, etc.) covered Republican and Democratic administrations without achieving widespread recognition, reporting mostly for AURN since the late 1990s. Her recognition factor shot up significantly in 2017 due to the combative rhetoric aimed at the author by Trump, his White House press secretaries, and White House staffers, most notably Omarosa Manigault-Newman. After Ryan asked Trump openly about his racism, she became a hero to many citizens (in 2017, she was named Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalist) and a pariah to others (she has received many death threats from Trump supporters). Regarding her seemingly overnight fame, the author notes that she has conducted herself in the same journalistic manner for two decades but that in an era of "fake news" and "alternative facts," ideologues think of her as somehow biased against Trump and Republicans. The writing is mostly clear but is slowed by clichéd language—e.g., "throw in the towel." Each chapter is worthy on its own, yet they are arranged in a puzzling manner. A chapter about health care policy precedes a chapter about Ryan unwillingly becoming the story instead of staying out of the spotlight, and policy-heavy chapters about immigration policy, indifference to historically black colleges, and women in the workplace materialize out of nowhere. Throughout the book, the author clarifies her viewpoint (shared by many) that she respects the office of the presidency but finds Trump and many of his staff members incompetent at best and often mean in petty ways.The narrative is filled with gems if readers are willing to struggle through the disorganization.
