Go and Do Likewise: How We Heal a Broken Country

by Andy Beshear

New York Times and USA Today bestseller! A compelling and insightful book that reclaims faith as a force for good in public life and rebukes those who use it to harm and discriminate, by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear

Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky, is the grandson of Baptist lay ministers, the son of a previous Kentucky governor, and a leading Democratic voice against the cruel, corrupt, and immoral practices of Donald Trump and his administration. In Go and Do Likewise, Beshear will share what his own faith has meant to him, how it has informed his family and his public life—and serves as a rebuke to how faith has been hijacked, profaned, misused, and corrupted by Donald Trump and other public figures. By regrounding faith in compassion and kindness, we can start to heal as a country.

Go and Do Likewise takes its title from the story of the Good Samaritan. In the parable, Jesus describes how the Good Samaritan—a despised “other” at the time—stopped to help a stranger who had been beaten and left for dead and then calls on his followers to do likewise and care for everyone. Organized around the teachings of Jesus—stories of healing, of justice, of forgiveness, of welcome, of moral clarity—Go and Do Likewise transcends politics to remind Americans of the values grounded in service and acceptance. It is a book for everyone who believes in justice and doing right by their neighbor whether or not they support organized religion at all.

Clear-eyed, compelling, and unusually candid, Go and Do Likewise is a hopeful book by one of America’s brightest political lights.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Audiobook, Memoir, History

256 pages, Hardcover

Published September 22, 2026

Reviews

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent combination of memoir and policy advocacy. Andy Beshear makes a compelling case for why making him president could make America kind again. As a non-Christian, I did not find the through line of his faith or the liberal use of scripture off putting. Quite the contrary. I approve of his efforts to remind fellow believers that Jesus’ recorded ideology was fundamentally liberal.

If you’re looking for hope in these troubled times, look no further. It’s a quick read with real substance that had me tearing up from chapter one and smiling as I finished

[Toni Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to get a copy when Andy did an autograph signing event in Lexington. I am an atheist. I don’t believe there is a higher power, but I do believe in a lot of what the Bible teaches. Andy writes a lot of Bible versus and how they help guide him in his actions. He is a Christian of love that loves his neighbors and wants to help all, and not a Christian that hates other people and wants to hurt others because they aren’t the same as him. His heart is in this book and it made me teary eyed reading his convictions with how he would risk it all several times because it was the right thing to do. In a world of hateful politics, it’s soothing to know there is one person out there that follows love and kindness.

[Eve (Also on StoryGraph: eve314) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andy Beshear first landed on my radar when he was attorney general of Kentucky. Yes, I know—how many people can name a state attorney general? But he was suing for (and winning) rights that I care about, and it was clear that this guy was SMART. I was a fan.

After that, he became the governor of Kentucky. I didn’t know what to expect (aside from the fact that he had to be better than the previous guy), but no sooner did he take office than COVID hit. Every day at 5 o’clock, my neighbors and I all stopped to tune in. Some people called it Beers With Beshear. Now we call it hopium. Ever savvy, Andy appealed to the resistant by urging them to be their brother’s keeper. Together, we trembled as he read the daily statistics. We cried together when the first child casualties were announced. We all lit our houses up green at his behest—‘Green is the color of compassion,’ he told us. And then there were the graphs. Sometimes his dog showed up. He was endlessly quotable. It was riveting in a way. And let us not forget Virginia Moore…

Andy is a Democrat, but he knows how to talk to all kinds of people. And politics aside, I don’t know anybody he didn’t win over. (Again, except for the people who hanged him in effigy outside his kids’ playroom. How dare he close the churches in the name of keeping people alive.) Now, with his name being floated as presidential material, our ‘hot Mr. Rogers’ (as someone dubbed him at the time), he seems to tick all the boxes of a traditional dream candidate: intelligent, experienced, empathetic, self-depreciating, a political pedigree (his father was also a governor, years ago), a telegenic family, a calm demeanor, and a commitment to fairness. Not lost in all of this is how vocal he is about his faith. Think Jimmy Carter with a sharper team of advisors.

The title of this book, ‘Go and Do Likewise,’ comes from the New Testament story of the Good Samaritan. After Jesus tells the story of a man who treats an injured stranger others passed by, he says, ‘Now go and do likewise.’ I cannot think of a better title for Andy’s first book. (Second? How about ‘You Can’t Be Doing That’?) Not that he is a doormat. He immediately tears into the bullies he’s experienced in politics and in life. Over and over again, he juxtaposes the cruelty of the current administration with the words of Jesus and the acts of those who go and do likewise—through natural disasters and in everyday life. I can hear the writing in his voice. He’s a soft-spoken Southerner. It’s his secret weapon.

Along the way, Andy has been instrumental in bringing investments and jobs to Kentucky. He has stood with teachers cheated out of their pensions and increased funding for education across the board. He has worked to make the commonwealth a welcome place for LGBTQ folx. However, during Senator Mitch McConnell’s long absence (during which EVERYONE was sure he was dead), Andy got a lot of heat for not personally investigating his whereabouts. Many called him weak. But the fact is, he was biding his time. He knew exactly what he was doing. Wherever he winds up in 2028, I hope people realize that. At the very least, this book perhaps may win over some people craving sincerity and in a scriptural language they can understand. If Beshear can go anywhere in the state and be warmly greeted by his first name, even by people who did not vote for him, there is hope. It may be too lofty to hope for the White House, but attorney general? You CAN be doing that.

I implore everyone to read this book. Andy is the best of an America we too easily forget is all around us.

[Katie Bromm · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book for Beshear’s focus on faith and politics, which isn’t as common of a topic for the Democratic Party. As a Kentucky resident it was inspiring to read about the contribution’s Beshear has made during his career in politics thus far for the state of Kentucky. That being said, the book constantly goes back to Donald Trump and immoral practices by the Trump administration. While I agree with most of the points made my Beshear, I think constantly referencing Trump diminishes his message and all the work that he has done in his career. His messages are so much bigger than Donald Trump. Especially as we are in the second term of Trump’s presidency, I think the attention pointed to Trump in this book is unnecessary knowing that Trump will not be able to seek a third term.

[Madeline Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this book as a free giveaway when he spoke at a book tour event in Bowling Green hosted by the library! As a Kentuckian, nothing was really NEW. I have lived through and heard discussions about and witnessed firsthand in the case of the tornadoes the major events of his governorship. However, in a world of ugly politics and hateful politicians, this book stood out as a glimmer of hope that maybe politics doesn’t always have to be so messy and mean; maybe it can be as simple as making each decision through the filter of “does this love my neighbor well?” Proud to have him as my governor :)

[Crystal-Rain Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny how he's been called "Little Andy" as some sort of insult in the past and Dolly Parton has a song called "Me and Little Andy"...because when I think of "Christians" who actually care about other people and truly live by the teachings of Jesus, two names always pop into mind: Dolly Parton and Andy Beshear. I hope to see him as president. He's a fixer, not a false promiser, and Lord do we need someone to fix this absolute trainwreck this country has become. More importantly, we need someone with actual love for ALL people.

[Henry Reed · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh, Andy. What a disappointment.

After you benefited from my 2019 vote against the criminally terrible incumbent, I voted FOR you in 2023—FOR YOU, not merely against your opponent. And I’ve been proud to have you as Kentucky’s governor.

You’ve done a remarkably good job navigating a political reality in which your national party demands fealty to ridiculous progressive orthodoxies while the opposing party (both nationally and especially in Kentucky) responds with its own increasingly ridiculous anti-progressive crusades.

You haven’t always escaped the gravitational pull of national Democratic politics. You’ve made choices that seemed designed more to preserve your party's furthest-left credentials than to serve Kentuckians. But, on balance, you’ve walked the tightrope well and have found workable solutions, choosing productive paths and usually putting constituents ahead of partisan theater.

So when I saw you had written a book—even one whose obvious primary purpose is to check another box on the I’m-running-for-President list—I expected something inspirational. Maybe even aspirational. A case for what comes next.

This is not that book.

Instead, half of GO AND DO LIKEWISE is devoted to polishing your own halo so vigorously I’d be shocked if there’s any gold leaf left on it. I sincerely hope some of the more syrupy passages of self-congratulation came from a ghostwriter, because otherwise you appear to regard yourself as a man who could offer Jesus a few pointers on compassion, courage, and moral leadership.

The other half of the book is spent staring backward.

Matt Bevin occupies an astonishing amount of space for a politician most Americans have never heard of and most Kentuckians would probably be perfectly happy to forget. Your telling inflates him into a figure of national consequence he never was and historical importance he never earned.

Then there is Donald Trump. Let me be clear: I agree with your assessment of him; if anything, you undersell his depravity. But Trump will not be on the ballot in 2028. If this book is supposed to explain why you should be, eventually you have to stop telling me why other men were awful and start telling me what makes your future compelling.

That is the opportunity GO AND DO LIKEWISE squanders. You have a pulpit here—an even more apt word than for other Democrats, because you deliberately ground your public life in your Christian faith and present that faith as the moral source of your politics. Fine. Then preach.

Tell us what a better Kentucky taught you about building a better America. Tell us what government should do, what it should stop doing, what obligations citizens owe one another, what decency looks like when translated from Sunday morning into public policy. Tell us what you learned by governing people who often disagree with you. Tell us how a nation this angry becomes less angry. Tell us how Americans who no longer trust one another learn to share a country again.

You had an entire book in which to make that case. Instead, you used much of your pulpit to enumerate the sins of other politicians. And that is not merely disappointing. It is a spectacular waste.

It also set you up to fall into a familiar Obama-esque political trap: condemning the politics of grievance, obsession, and predecessor-bashing while practicing a remarkably similar version of it yourself.

That contradiction becomes especially glaring when you criticize Trump for his fixation on the people who came before him. Andy, you have written an entire Presidential-audition book in which two of the principal supporting characters are a former Kentucky governor and an outgoing President you despise.

You cannot credibly complain that another politician spends too much time looking backward while writing with your head turned over your own shoulder. The comparison that kept occurring to me was President Obama, whose national rise was built entirely on promising a politics less bitter, less personal, and less partisan while simultaneously, relentlessly, soullessly, disingenuously, and dishonestly making George W. Bush the explanation for everything wrong with the country.

Whatever one thinks of that strategy, Obama possessed extraordinary political gifts—most obviously a degree of charisma you simply do not have. That is not an insult but a strategic reality. Obama could make contradiction sound like transcendence. He could package hard-edged partisan politics in soaring language about national reconciliation and persuade millions of people that the wrapping paper was the product.

You cannot. Which means you need another path. And that is what disappoints me most about GO AND DO LIKEWISE. I thought your potential national appeal was obvious precisely because you seemed capable of offering something different: a center-left governor from a (still-fairly-recently) deep-red state making a credible pitch to independents, moderate Republicans, disaffected Democrats--the ordinary voters who are exhausted by ideological blood sport and would simply like the Oval Office occupied by a sane, decent adult.

That is a constituency begging to hear a positive case. You had the experience to make it. You had the credibility to make it. You had the pulpit to make it. And you chose instead to give Democratic primary voters another recital of the people and forces they already dislike. Not the November electorate. The February electorate. This is red meat for 2027 and early 2028: partisan villains, familiar grievances, moral certainty, carefully curated virtue, and repeated assurances that you were the decent man standing bravely against all the indecent ones.

Maybe that wins a primary. But probably not: Your path through a Democratic primary depends on convincing die-hard Democrats--the ones who show up for caucuses and primaries--that a moderate can win in November, not in out-lefting a field of opponents who are already darlings of the far left. And if this book is supposed to be the opening argument of an eventual Presidential campaign, it makes me substantially less enthusiastic about your candidacy.

Because here is the frustrating part: If you become the Democratic nominee in 2028, you will almost certainly have my vote. The likely Republican field contains--as far as I can see in October 2026--no candidates I would consider sane, principled, morally serious, or remotely willing to confront the damage Donald Trump has done to their country.

But before reading this book, I could imagine being excited to vote for Andy Beshear. After reading it, I’m much less sure.

GO AND DO LIKEWISE should have been the place where you explained what you are for. Not merely the policies on a campaign website, but the larger argument. What kind of country do you think we can become? What have 12 years in Frankfort taught you that America needs to hear? What does your faith compel you to build rather than merely condemn? What would you ask Americans to do likewise? Those are the questions worthy of your pulpit. Instead, you use it to tell us who sinned.

If GO AND DO LIKEWISE represents the tone, purpose, and governing “Why” of a Beshear Presidential campaign, then my 2028 vote may still have your name beside it. But it will be a vote against your opponent more than a vote for you. And, Andy, you had already earned better than that.

[Price Wilborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a very well done book that lays out exactly what Beshear believes and why he believes it. It was a great balance of political memoir and policy advocacy.

Throughout the book, Beshear grounds every belief he has in his Christian faith, a faith I share. I’m a Kentuckian and a big supporter of Andy’s, so I’m familiar with much of what he wrote about already, but the way he did it gives me hope. I think it shows that he and his political philosophy is exactly what we need. Yes, at times it sounds a little juvenile — “love your neighbor,” “treat people with kindness,” and “stop doing mean things.” But the truth is that, just as Beshear says, today’s government is using governmental mechanisms to do cruel things that are against basic human decency. I absolutely agree with Beshear when he says that decency needs to be brought back into government. I hate living in a world where I have to wonder where it is.

I like closing my reviews with quotes that stuck with me, particularly ones near the ends of these books. Aside from the entire chapter about the 2023 mass shooting in Louisville, I think what stuck with me most were the closing lines of the last chapter before the epilogue:

“The only hope we have is to stop seeing people through the lens of suspicion and hate and begin to see one another as neighbors. That’s what the Good Samaritan did when he helped a stranger lying in a ditch, beaten half to death. Now it’s up to us to go and do likewise.”

[Ben Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's your straightforward "I might be running for President soon so here's what I've done as governor" book. I wanted to read it because Andy is my governor and I like him. After reading it I like him the same amount, no more no less, and continue to hold my belief that Andy is a kind and genuine person.

My major gripe with the book: his decision to exclusively refer to his predecessor Matt Bevin as "Trump Lite." It was funny the first few times, but after approximately the 74th time I start to feel like you're insulting your readers' intelligence thinking they can't remember who Matt Bevin is.

[Don · Rating 3 out of 5]

I live across the Ohio River from Kentucky and have watched Andy Beshear handle major weather disasters, bring new business into the state, and improve education; things the Indiana governor does not do well or only does for political gain. I was disappointed that this book did not improve my knowledge of Beshear’s beliefs beyond spiritual, but mostly because of the dominance of talk about Trump. I get and know how awful Trump is, time to get moving on to solutions. Also, repeatedly calling the previous governor Matt Blevins “Trump Lite” is just as sophomoric as Trumps asinine nicknames. I respect Beshear as I do the governors of Michigan and Illinois and would hope all three would continue to rise above the level of the Brauns of the country.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for choosing me to read and review this book. I look forward to receiving my copy. Governor Beshear sounds like just the kind of man that we need in politics today.

[Martin Hensley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please read this book! I worked at a public health department in Kentucky throughout the COVID pandemic. Every day, people stopped to hear the daily update from Governor Beshear and other members of his government. Folks, this book is not just another politician trying to set himself up for his next office; this is Andy. What you read in this book is how he acts every day, even when being viciously attacked by critics and his heavily Republican legislature. I’m proud to call him my Governor and look forward to supporting him when he decides to run for a national office.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is commonplace to hear that Republicans are religious and Democrats are not religious. It is true that polls suggest that a large share of Democrats, especially younger ones, describe themselves as being non-religious. Whether or not that means they don't believe in God or even in Jesus is hard to say. Nevertheless, I can vouch for the fact that many Democrats are quite religious (me included). What is interesting in the 2026 election cycle, a White Mainline Protestant pastor is running for the US Senate in Kansas, while a White Seminarian is running for Senate in Texas. Now, it is true that Republicans, including the sitting VP, have attacked them, suggesting they're not really Christians because they support things like gay rights. That is, they're purveyors of "woke" Christianity. Apparently, some folks can't believe Christians can be Democrats. Another Democratic politician who has been open about his Christian faith and the role it plays in guiding his own governing principles is the second-term Governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear. Although a Democrat who supports gay rights and even reproductive rights, he has won in deep red Kentucky. It would seem that his faith is a key to that success.

Andy Beshear speaks to the role his faith plays in his political life in his recently published book "Go and Do Likewise: How We Heal a Broken Country." The title of the book draws from Jesus' statement to the lawyer who asked who his neighbor was. Jesus responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan, a parable that serves as the grounding for this political memoir. For Beshear, if we are to heal a broken country, we will need to do as the Samaritan did and care for the neighbor. As for his own faith, Beshear, whose father was governor before him, has Baptist preachers in his ancestry, a grandfather and a great-grandfather. They taught him the basics, but his adult faith has been formed in the context of his membership at Bear Grass Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This is my own denomination, so I am a bit biased when it came to wanting to read and review the book. Oh, and it is rather clear that the term-limited Beshear is looking seriously at running for President. Thus, the book functions as a means to share Beshear's governing principles and his opposition to much of what Donald Trump is doing, as well as in contrast to his predecessor, whom he calls Trump-Lite.

Beshear was first elected as Attorney General, winning a close election while the Republican gubernatorial candidate won his race, which often put the two leaders at odds with each other. After four years, Beshear decided he could do more good if he ran for governor, which he did. He narrowly beat the incumbent. We learn about these elections but more importantly, we learn how a Democratic Governor of a state this overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump not only won but, drawing on his faith, sought to serve the entirety of the state, even though he had to deal with a hostile legislature. In the course of the book, Beshear shares stories of the ups and downs of governing, including dealing with the COVID pandemic, poverty, destructive storms, and more. What he believes is key to his success is authenticity. That is, being true to his convictions.

The danger that a book like this one poses is that the author/politician can manipulate his faith, including scripture, using faith and scripture as a means to an end. One might quibble with how he reads some of the passages of Scripture, but overall, I think he was fair in his usage. He understands that central to Jesus' message was and is one of compassion. The Good Samaritan passage illustrates what it means to be a good neighbor. Whether he ends up becoming President or Vice President, Andy Beshear has shown us how a politician can live and serve so as to honor God and care for one's neighbor. I would encourage people to read, whether they are Republican, Democrat, or independent, so as to discover how one might bring one's faith into public life without becoming coercive.

[Kellie Irmick · Rating 5 out of 5]

At times this book could get “preachy” but as faith could lead Andy he does not shy away from logic and humanity. A breath of fresh air as I realize what a leader can do for our country. This is a leader that can heal a dismantled nation. Any stance Andy has is backed up by morality rather than politics. I choose to be optimistic and beg for an administration that makes me proud to be an American. This is so much more than a book to me- this is a glimpse of hope and what light at the end of the tunnel can look like

[Rachel Rains · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a true testament to how faith can be used for good in the political sphere. Nowadays Christianity (and religion in general) is wielded to further hate and division, but Andy shows us that it doesn’t have to be that way. His philosophy is simple. It stems from the story of the Good Samaritan. Treat others how you want to be treated, and look out for your neighbor. It’s really not difficult. I have a bit of renewed hope now, knowing that there are likely others out there who share Andy’s mindset. Many of the anecdotes in this book made me tear up, but also gave me hope for the future.

I got a signed copy of this book when Andy did an event in Lexington for its release. Hearing him speak about it in person only added to the reading experience, in my opinion!

[Jenny Stice · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an avid listener of Andy’s podcast, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Go and Do Likewise. So many of the moments and references in this book are things Kentuckians lived through, yet we show up, care for their neighbors, and prove over and over again what community looks like when people need it most. What I loved most is that Andy’s call to action isn’t complicated or performative, it’s compassion. Pay attention. Care about people. Help when you can. The book feels hopeful without ignoring how hard life can be, and it reminds you that kindness and service still matter.
And, yes, I’m still firmly in the “Andy Brasher for president” camp.

[Ariana Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this quick read overall. I’d say it has three parts: explaining his governorship, critiquing current administration, and sharing how his faith impacts his beliefs and choices.

[bob · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Andy Beshear is good man. I appreciated his insight and enjoyed this book. I think he would be a strong contender for a higher office.

[Ian Kayanja · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Andy Beshear’s argument as to why he should be the next president of the United States. Throughout the book, he presents his argument through the lens of his faith and how it calls him to service.

[Melissa Wermeister · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I found it so uplifting and it gave me hope. I have always loved and appreciated Andy and now I do even more. The things he did for people that he knew didn’t even vote for him shows the kind and genuine person he is. I truly hope he runs for president.

[Kathrine Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading for anyone in need of a dose of hope for the future, especially people of faith. Andy paints a beautiful picture and has the receipts to prove that it is possible to heal division with what he has done in Kentucky. Using scripture as his guiding compass, Andy's story is more blueprint, less memoir. As a Kentuckian myself, I am proud of our Governor. May more leaders follow his credo.

[Maggie Damron · Rating 5 out of 5]

My governor 💙 thank you for this book. Regardless of political affiliation and religious beliefs, I urge everyone to read (actually listen to it because his voice is like serotonin). He did a really great job reminding us what it means to truly be American and how we should use our talents to help others. Some chapters were so sad that, yes, I cried. Some were so inspirational, I clapped like I was at church.

Here’s to hoping we see you in the Oval Office as our next president, Governor Andy!

[Emilee McCubbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

i hate matt bevin 💛

[Gina Schade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be biased because I was already a big fan of Andy Beshear, but this book made me love him even more. When the world we live in today is full of hatred and dismissiveness towards our fellow man, Andy shows us they way things should be throughout our country. I hope that whoever our next president is (fingers crossed for Andy), they will take this message to heart and try to heal the hate and division in the USA.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a leader who I can support - one who puts all of those he serves first!

[Lisa Hoppe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t read much nonfiction, particularly anything political, but this was fascinating. I don’t have a party affiliation, so I honestly can’t remember if I voted for Andy for governor. But after reading this, I think a run for higher office is in his future, and I should pay better attention .

[Delilah Gibbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. I liked the premise of this book, but felt that a lot of it was a rough selling point for me. There were times when it felt like Andy was letting people get under his skin, something he claims he doesn’t do, and letting them dictate his decisions. I love Andy, don’t get me wrong. But some of the things he wrote about in this make me question why he wrote it in the first place.

[Sheryl Woolverton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am partial to Andy as he is my Governor; but this book was what I needed as a reminder that good humans continue to be in the world and try.

[Jonah Stephens · Rating 1.75 out of 5]

Go and Do Likewise, or Physicians Don't Need Healing

I'll admit, I hate-read this book. Not because of any particular dislike for Andy, who is my governor, but rather because the most irksome person in my life suggested it and said to me, "Read the book. You will change your mind." On what topic he thought it would change my mind, I do not know. I don't know if he even knows my political stances. Because I knew the kind of book that this was going to be and that it would very likely, in fact, not change my mind on anything, I read it out of pettiness towards the person that suggested it. Probably was the wrong thing to do. This was the first time I've done that, and I conclude that hate-reading is a waste of time. And, if you are like me, reading books by politicians is probably a waste of time too. I'm almost willing to say it's a waste for anybody. Even so, I tried giving it a fair shake and deliberately tried writing a commendable thing about each chapter in my notes.

I am a Catholic. I affirm the dogmas of the Church. I submit myself to the Magisterium. I actually believe the social teaching of the Church. I do enjoy thinking about and discussing politics, but my approach is always through the lens of my Catholic Faith. I have severe moral, economic, and social criticisms of both the Democrat and Republican parties. There are areas in which I agree with either, and there are areas where I believe both miss the mark. I have many irreconcilable theological differences with Andy, who attends a progressive Disciples of Christ church, and theology informs ethics, which informs politics.

This book is a political memoir written by one of Kentucky's most progressive governors, who defeated a Trump-like figure in the 2019 gubernatorial election, has stood firm under pressure and multiple crises, and who is eyeing up a run for president in 2028, all wrapped up into a neat package in which his progressive Christian faith affirms his progressive politics. Therefore, it does exactly what you think. It lays out grievances against Trump and Matt Bevin (the Trump-like figure who was elected governor in 2015); it stands by many major Democrat policy positions (except our response to global warming, the one place where Beshear apparently slightly dissents from the party platform); and it paints the author in the most saintly and righteous light imaginable, as someone who truly abides by the teachings of Jesus (Who is never once stated to be God in this book, which one would imagine to be important to a Christian). Nothing unexpected. Nothing surprising. Nothing new. If you already agree with Andy on policy and/or his disdain for Trump, you will read this book and continue agreeing with him. If you have sharp disagreements with Andy on policy or theology, even if you share many of his criticisms of Trump, your mind will be unchanged. If you are somehow truly politically neutral, well, read and judge the book for yourself, I guess. And remember that "He who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him," (Proverbs 18:17).

[Pat Hollingsworth · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

I first learned about Andy Bechear from a very personable guide we used while touring Lexington. The guide referred us to a YouTube video where Andy talks about the horse racing industry and what it means to Kentucky. Well, I was intrigued! It seems that I had a very different, and incorrect, view of Kentucky. Andy is a rare individual who takes his faith seriously and applies it to his life, his career and especially his role in governing. His memoir is a recap of his political journey, and how his deep faith has guided him to “go and do likewise”. He faced incredible challenges in Kentucky – the opioid crisis, disappearing pension funds, available health services, jobs, coal industry demise, tornados and floods, Covid and the book takes you through all that. Republican opposition was very effective in undercutting him with missinformation, often stoking hate not dissimilar to what we experience nationally. If you want insights it how these tactics are used, this is a great source. Andy Beshear is an admirable guy. How he keeps his faith through all the political drama and nonsense is truly impressive.

Political memoirs are never my “cup of tea”. I just want to know more, especially about younger leaders. Andy gives you a very honest view. I did a fair amount of speed reading to get to the finish, as there was quite a bit of repetition and “Yay me, Yay Kentucky” that became a bit tiring. Nonetheless worth reading, especially if you are a person of faith.