So now that we’ve caught up on most things, let’s do a book review. I wouldn’t be a librarian unless I loved to read! I’ll be honest though, I’ve been in a reading slump lately. I haven’t really found anything that is holding my interest. I checked my goodreads challenge for 2019 and I’ve only read 14 books thus far! So that tells you how much of a slump I’ve been in. Until now. I was perusing my overdrive account and somehow found from the corner of the oval by Beck Dorey-Stein. I say ‘somehow’ because I must have gone down a rabbit hole digging for a book that interests me and then I stumbled upon Beck’s book. And I’m glad I did!
In 2012, Beck Dorey-Stein was just scraping by in DC when a posting on Craigslist landed her, improbably, in the Oval Office as one of Barack Obama’s stenographers. The ultimate DC outsider, she joined the elite team who accompanied the president wherever he went, recorder and mic in hand. On whirlwind trips across time zones, Beck forged friendships with a tight group of fellow travelers–young men and women who, like her, left their real lives behind to hop aboard Air Force One in service of the president. But as she learned the ropes of protocol, Beck became romantically entangled with a consummate DC insider, and suddenly, the political became all too personal. Set against the backdrop of a White House full of glamour, drama, and intrigue, this is the story of a young woman making unlikely friendships, getting her heart broken, learning what truly matters, and discovering her voice in the process–from Goodreads.com
I couldn’t summarize this book better than what was on goodreads. I really liked this book. A lot. I like that it gave a behind-the-scenes look at the Obama White House, but from a personal point-of-view. What was happening in Beck’s life as she was traveling the world. I think it appeals to my sense of looking into people’s lives. And I liked that it was under the Obama administration. You can tell how much everyone admired him (and still does). I really like how Beck talks real life perspectives–she knows she’s not making wise decisions and she owns it. She uses her writing as a form of therapy for herself. She talks about how she’s always writing down what is happening everyday. I have questions about this. I would love to be able to discuss her writing style with her–did she write down thoughts, feelings, what was happening? Word for word? What did those notes look like?
I found this interview (below) with Beck. I think it’s worth watching. You get a good sense of who she is. She’s smart and funny. She discusses how she wasn’t in tune with politics until she took the job. And also how Obama taught her to think about things for herself (politically) and make her own decisions. I was watching My Next Guest with David Letterman and Barack Obama and Obama says something along the lines of: don’t watch FoxNews for your news, tune into NPR to get the full story. So he is a big proponent of thinking for yourself. Making your own decisions and not being influenced by half-truths.
I like things and people that are thought provoking. And I think that’s what Beck has done for me with her book about her life in the White House. Sometimes it seems like I get complacent with the way things are and I need a good book or interview to get me out of that complacency and start taking a good look around. And we get to see a little glimpse into someone’s life and that’s always fun! The only disappointment that I feel is disappointment that the book is done. I want to read more from Beck. Oh! And I’m also disappointed that I don’t know Beck in real life. She seems like someone I’d have fun hanging out with. I give the book two thumbs up and encourage you to head to your local library, bookstore, or online retailer. Whatever you do, get your hands on a copy of from the corner of the oval.