Lessons Learned the Hard Way - Hardcover
My Fellow Americans,
The past 30 months have been very eventful for our country and for me. I'm proud of the strides we have made to accomplish the vision that I described in To Renew America. As the leader of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, I have been privileged to play a role in many legislative and political struggles. My tenure as Speaker has been marked by both unprecedented accomplishment and unprecedented conflict. We have endured unrelenting media scrutiny, and I have learned some difficult lessons that will shape my outlook forever.
This new book is a summation of these lessons, many learned in public, some -- perhaps the most difficult -- learned behind closed doors. It is my personal report to all of you: the millions of voters, volunteers and activists who have helped us survive during the past few years, and the millions of interested citizens who may not always have agreed with or supported us but who are curious about what has happened to their Congress and their country during these years.
To be useful, this kind of report must be candid. And, indeed, in it I recount some of the most challenging, even painful, moments of my career, including the controversial effort that led to the resignation of Speaker Jim Wright, my difficult encounter with the House Ethics Committee, public blunders such as my comments about Air Force One and my personal reaction to the so-called coup efforts within the House Republican majority.
In writing about these and other topics, it is my intention to clear the air, to update Americans on the truth behind the headlines and to give readers a much fuller understanding of who I am as a person and what I stand for.
Most important, I cherish this opportunity to convey to millions of you the potential we have to develop a better world for our children and grandchildren and to share with you the excitement I feel about America in the 21st century.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review:
Part memoir, part manifesto, Lessons Learned the Hard Way by House Speaker Newt Gingrich discusses the triumphs and failures of the Republican Congress. Gingrich is surprisingly frank in admitting the mistakes he has made over the last four years, including his regret over foot-in-mouth remarks about President Clinton snubbing him on Air Force One. He also provides detailed accounts of the government shutdown, budgetary battles, and the ethical charges made against him. Most insightful political comment: "We were to learn the hard way that there was a difference between having a Republican majority and having a conservative majority." Most unexpected book recommendation: "On my bookshelf is a copy of Franz de Wahl's Chimpanzee Politics, which is a wonderful study of the social and political interactions of the chimpanzee colony at the Arnhem Zoo." Unfortunately, Gingrich doesn't draw a connection between Chimpanzee Politics and Washington politics. Still, this book is highly recommended for political junkies who want to hear Gingrich's account of the last several years unfiltered through the media. --John J. Miller
About the Author:
Newt Gingrich is the representative from Georgia's Sixth District; he has served in the U.S. Congress for 19 years and has been the Speaker of the House of Representatives since 1994. He is the author of several novels as well as the nonfiction book Window of Opportunity. He has two daughters, Kathy Lubbers and Jackie Cushman, and currently resides in Washington, DC, and Marietta, Georgia, with his wife, Marianne.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherHarperCollins Publishers
- Publication date1998
- ISBN 10 0060191694
- ISBN 13 9780060191696
- BindingHardcover
- Rating
(No Available Copies)
Search Books: Create a WantIf you know the book but cannot find it on AbeBooks, we can automatically search for it on your behalf as new inventory is added. If it is added to AbeBooks by one of our member booksellers, we will notify you!
Create a Want