Sự Thật Ta Nắm Giữ - Một Hành Trình Xuyên Nước Mỹ

by Kamala Harris, Khánh Vân (Translator)

Trong một kỉ nguyên mà nhiều cuốn hồi kí chính trị hồi tưởng lại những năm tháng Tổng thống Obama còn tại vị hoặc là cố gắng phơi bày thực trạng bất ổn của chính phủ Mỹ hiện tại, thật tuyệt vời khi cuốn hồi kí Sự thật ta nắm giữ của Phó Tổng thống Mỹ Kamala Harris mang tới cho độc giả cái nhìn sâu sắc về những tác động của cuộc đời bà tới xã hội Mỹ. Đây là một câu chuyện chân thực và có sức truyền cảm hứng mạnh mẽ, chắc chắn sẽ làm mê đắm rất nhiều độc giả!
Được viết bởi một nhà lãnh đạo chính trị quyền lực bậc nhất Hoa Kỳ, nhưng cuốn sách không hề khiến độc giả ngợp trong những vấn đề chính trị khô khan. Như tác giả cũng khẳng định, đây không phải cương lĩnh chính trị, càng không phải một danh sách những điều phải làm, mà là một tập hợp các ý tưởng, quan điểm và câu chuyện từ cuộc sống của chính giả và từ cuộc sống của nhiều người mà bà đã gặp. Cuốn sách mang đậm tính cá nhân của bà Kamala, một phụ nữ da màu đáng kính và quyền lực, con gái của những người dân nhập cư kể lại câu chuyện của chính mình và mang tới hi vọng cho tương lai của nước Mỹ. Nó giúp mở mang tầm mắt cho bất cứ ai đang cố gắng hình dung về Phó Tổng thống Harris, một người phụ nữ thông minh, một công tố viên cứng rắn có tầm nhìn xa để luôn chủ động trong công việc, một người quan tâm sâu sắc đến công bằng xã hội, đam mê công lý và nhanh chóng khẳng định mình là một trong những tác nhân thay đổi mới mẻ nhất cơ quan thực thi pháp luật Mỹ. Bà cũng đã áp dụng cách tiếp cận thực tế dựa trên dữ liệu và đương đầu với một loạt các vấn đề hóc búa, từ vấn đề chăm sóc sức khỏe đến vấn đề nhập cư, an ninh quốc gia, cuộc khủng hoảng thuốc giảm đau opioid và tình trạng bất bình đẳng gia tăng.
Đây là câu chuyện vô cùng thú vị về gia đình, tuổi thơ của bà Kamala, và cũng là câu chuyện về cuộc đời mà bà đã gây dựng từ khi còn bé cho đến nay. Thật bất ngờ, những chi tiết đáng nhớ nhất trong cuốn sách lại chính là hồi ức của tác giả về gia đình, tình bạn và trên hết là về người mẹ của bà. Ở đây, tác giả cũng phơi bày thực trạng bất ổn của chính phủ Mỹ, những thách thức lớn mà người dân Mỹ phải đối mặt. Qua ngòi bút sắc sảo của bà Kamala Harris, cuốn sách sẽ giúp bạn có kiến thức thiết thực về cách giải quyết vấn đề, xử lý khủng hoảng, và vai trò người lãnh đạo trong những thời điểm đầy thách thức.
Cuốn sách cũng gửi gắm một thông điệp rất lớn của tác giả: Nền dân chủ, sự tự do và công lý không thể bén rễ, phát triển và nở rộ giữa lòng căm thù, cơn thịnh nộ. Chúng ta phải phản đối sự thờ ơ, sợ hãi, căm ghét và ngờ vực. Cuốn sách ra đời cũng là lời kêu gọi hành động, “chúng ta phải bắt đầu và kết thúc bằng việc nói ra sự thật”. Có thể khẳng định, cuốn sách có giá trị tuyệt vời trong việc truyền cảm hứng tích cực tới người đọc, giúp chúng ta có tầm nhìn về tương lai, nỗ lực hành động vì mục đích và giá trị chung để vươn tới một cuộc sống tốt đẹp hơn!

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Memoir, Audiobook, Biography, Autobiography, Biography Memoir

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 8, 2019

About the author

Kamala Devi Harris (born Kamala Iyer Harris) is an American politician and attorney who is the 49th and current vice president of the United States since 2021, under President Joe Biden. She is the first female vice president and the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, as well as the first African-American and first Asian-American vice president. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as a U.S. senator from California from 2017 to 2021 and the attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017. Harris is the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2024 presidential election.

Born in Oakland, California, Harris graduated from Howard University and the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She began her law career in the office of the district attorney (DA) of Alameda County, before being recruited to the San Francisco DA's Office and later the city attorney of San Francisco's office. In 2003, she was elected DA of San Francisco. She was elected attorney general of California in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. Harris served as the junior U.S. senator from California from 2017 to 2021; she defeated Loretta Sanchez in the 2016 Senate election to become the second African-American woman and the first South Asian American to serve in the U.S. Senate.

As a senator, Harris advocated for strict gun control laws, the DREAM Act, and federal legalization of cannabis, as well as healthcare and taxation reform. She gained a national profile for her pointed questioning of Trump administration officials during Senate hearings, including Trump's second Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh.

Harris sought the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, but withdrew from the race before the primaries. Biden selected her to be his running mate, and their ticket went on to defeat the incumbent president and vice president, Donald Trump and Mike Pence, in the 2020 election. Harris and Biden were inaugurated on January 20, 2021. After Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election, Harris launched her own presidential campaign with Biden's endorsement. On July 22, 2024, Harris secured enough non-binding support from delegates to become the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party.

Reviews

[Dr. Appu Sasidharan (Dasfill) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary
(01-20-2021) Congratulations, Kamala Harris, for becoming the 49th Vice President of the USA.

Kamala Harris is an American politician and attorney who is the first Black woman and the first person of Indian descent to become the USA's vice president.





What did I learn from this book?

1) The importance of books in a human beings life

Kamala is a person who knew the importance of books and reading right from childhood. That might be the thing which helped her to develop her greatest quality- empathy. The eclectic and undogmatic nature we acquire due to continuous reading makes us develop a gratifying personality.



"When they (Kamala's parents) divorced, they didn't fight about money. The only thing they fought about was who got the books"

She also believes that education is the essential thing needed to make our future safe.

"Like it or not, most people prioritize their own safety over the education of someone else's child. I wanted to make them see that if we didn't prioritize education now, it would be a public safety matter later."

2) The biggest gift that a human being can get is to have an amazing mother
Kamala knows and mentions everywhere that her mother is the greatest gift that God gave her. She is very proud of her and says about her whenever she achieves something in her life (including the victory speech when she became the Vice President-elect of the USA.) Her mother's potential to edify her was exemplary. The next two sentences vividly show how much her mother has influenced Kamala.

"My mother pushed us hard and with high expectations as she nurtured us. And all the while, she made Maya and me feel special like we could do anything we wanted to if we put in the work."

"From my grandparents, my mother learned that it was service to others that gave life purpose and meaning. And from my mother, Maya, and I learned the same."

Kamala says that every time she mentions her mother's name when she achieves something in her life, she finds it extremely difficult to hold her tears and maintain her composure. It shows how much she loves her mother and how her mother was a driving force for Kamala's success





" On January 3, 2011, I walked down the stairs of California Museum for Women, History, and the Arts, in Sacramento for my Inaugural ceremony as an attorney general. But what I remember most vividly about the day was the worry I felt about saying my mother's name in my address while keeping my composure. I'd practiced over and over again and choked up every time. But it was important to me that her name be spoken in that room, because none of what I had achieved would have been possible without her."

Kamala Harris said in her first address to the nation as Vice President-Elect, "I'm grateful to the woman most responsible for my presence here today, my mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris. When she came here from India at the age of 19, she maybe didn't imagine this moment. But she believed so deeply in America where a moment like this is possible,"


3) How can we make a child creative and confident
The passage where Kamala describes Regina Shelton, who ran a nursery school below Kamala's apartment, shows us how one single small act of kindness by a person can strongly influence a child. Let's see that passage in Kamala's own words.

"I will never forget the time I made lemon bars to share. I had spent one afternoon making a lemon bar recipe that I'd found in one of my mother's cookbooks. They had turned out beautifully, and I was excited to show them off. I put them on a plate, covered them with Saran Wrap, and walked over to Mrs. Shelton's house, where she was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping tea and laughing with her sister, Aunt Bea, and my mother. I proudly showed off my creation to them, and Mrs. Shelton took a big bite. It turned out I had used salt instead of sugar, but, not having tasted them myself, I didn't know.

"Mmmm, honey," Mrs. Shelton responded in her graceful southern accent, her lips slightly puckered from the taste. "That's delicious... maybe a little too much salt... but really delicious." I didn't walk away thinking I was a failure. I walked away, thinking I had done a great job, and just made one small mistake. It was little moments like those that helped me build a natural sense of confidence. I believed I was capable of anything."

If Mrs. Shelton had made fun of Kamala or projected her fault of putting salt instead of sugar more than appreciating her creativity, Kamala's confidence and creativity would have taken severe hampering. This simple act of kindness shown by Mrs. Shelton is the most important thing that we should learn to do while raising our kids. It will surely make them a good human being. It will even help them to develop into a great leader like Kamala Harris in the future.

4) The importance of meeting great personalities when we are young
This is the one common thing I observed in the biographies of great personalities. If we read the Encyclopedia of Biography and other multiple memoirs, we will notice a striking similarity that almost everyone had an opportunity to meet great personalities when they were young. In my opinion, all the schools should provide multiple opportunities for the students to interact with great leaders and personalities who are considered to be the best in their sphere of life. One single conversation or even a single handshake might change the kids' future in the best possible way. Kamala also shares her similar experiences in this book. She describes her meeting some amazing people in Rainbow Sign, which was a black cultural center.

"In 1971, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm paid a visit while she was exploring a run for President. Talk about strength! "U bought and Unbossed," just as her campaign slogan promised. Alice Walker, who went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for The Color Purple, did a reading at Rainbow Sign. So did Maya Angelou, the first black female best-selling author, thanks to her autobiography, I know why the caged bird sings. Nina Simone performed at Rainbow Sign when I was seven years old. I would later learn that Warren Widener, Berkeley's first black mayor, proclaimed March 31, 1972, Nina Simone Day, to commemorate her two-day appearance.

I loved the electric atmosphere at Rainbow Sign- the laughter, the food, the energy. I loved the powerful orations from the stage and the witty, sometimes unruly audience banter. It was where I learned that artistic expression, ambition, and intelligence were cool. It was where I came to understand that there is no better way to feed someone's brain than by bringing together food, poetry, politics, music, dance, and art."



If you are a person who read My life by Bill Clinton there is no need to explain the above photo as the photo speaks for itself. But I will still explain for the people who don't know about it yet.

In 1963 Students of Boys Nation, including the young Bill Clinton, gathered in the White House Rose Garden. John F. Kennedy then moved into the crowd to meet the students. Clinton later recalled the moment, saying, "I was about the third or fourth person in, and…I sort of muscled my way up (to the front)." Their interaction was brief, a firm handshake before Kennedy moved on to the next student. But video and photos capturing the event show Clinton's admiration and near disbelief that he was meeting one of his political idols.

The impact of that moment was obvious almost immediately. According to several of his fellow delegates, Clinton spent the bus ride back to the Boys Nation dorms talking about the event. As future Minnesota Congressman Jim Ramstad recalled, Clinton said to him, "Someday, I'm going to have that job."

5) Being a mother is an attitude, not a biological relation
You don't have to be a biological mother to be a great mother. Kamala is a great mother to Cole and Ella and considers them as her own children. The following paragraph from this book shows her sublime opinion of being a parent.

"Nothing makes a child feel more secure than being tucked in by a parent at the end of a day, getting a kiss and a hug, a good-night story, falling asleep to the sound of their voice. Nothing is more important to a parent than talking with tethering child at night before the child goes to sleep, answering their questions, comforting and reassuring them in the face of any fears, making sure they know that everything will be okay. Parents and children everywhere relate to these rituals. They are part of the human experience."




6) Failing doesn’t make you a failure

“What defines us is how well we rise after falling”

It is impossible to live a life only filled with success. Everyone will fail at least once in their life. Some people can't handle the chagrin that might be associated with failing and consider themselves a failure and chastise themselves by even ending their lives. Through her own life, Kamala shows how to deal with such a situation. She shows us that the way we respond when we fail in our life determines how successful we become in the future.

"I finished law school in the spring of 1989 and took the bar exam in July. In the waning weeks of summer, my future seemed so bright and so clear. The countdown to the life I imagined had begun

And then, with a jolt, I was stopped in my tracks. In November, the state bar sent letters out to those who had taken the exam, and, to my utter devastation, I had failed. I couldn't get my head around it. It was almost too much to bear. My mother had always told me, "Don't do anything half-assed," and I had always taken that to heart. I was a hard worker. A perfectionist. Someone who didn't take things for granted. But there I was, letter in hand, realizing that in studying for the bar, I had put forward the most half-assed performance of my life.

Fortunately, I still had a job in the district attorney's office. They were going to keep me on, with clerk duties, and gave me space to study to retake the exam in February, I was grateful for that, but it was hard to go into the office, feeling inadequate and incompetent. Just about everyone else who had been hired along with me had passed, and they were going to move on with their training without me. I remember walking by someone's office and hearing them say to someone else, "But she's so smart. How could she have not passed?" I felt miserable and embarrassed. I wondered if people thought I was a fraud. But I held my head up and kept going to work every day- and I passed on my second attempt. I was so proud, and so honored the day I was sworn in as an officer of the court, and I showed up at the courthouse ready to start the work."



7) Duality of immigrant experience in America
Kamala explains something vital that immigrants might face when they start living in the USA

"On the one hand, it is an experience characterized by an extraordinary sense of hopefulness and purpose, a deep belief in the power of the American Dream- an experience of possibility. At the same time, it is an experience too often scarred by stereotyping scapegoating, in which discrimination, both explicit and implicit, is part of everyday life."

Even though it is a feeling felt by many immigrants, they won't publicly acknowledge it. Even after being a public figure and knowing that her every word will be scrutinized very severely, Kamala is fearless to express her true feelings. She is not ready to project an image telling only the things that the public might love. This shows us that Kamala is unique and genuine, unlike many other politicians.

My favourite lines from this book
"There is something that my (Kamala's) mother used to say that I always held close. "You may be the first. Don't be the last." My mother had gotten to where she was because of the help of mentors. I had gotten to where I was because of mentors, too. And I intended to be a mentor to as many people as I could during the course of my career."

"Black men use drugs at the same rate as white men, but they are arrested twice as often for it. And then they pay more than a third more than their counterparts, on average, in bail. Black men are six times as likely as white men to be incarcerated. And when they are convicted, black men get sentences nearly 20 percent longer than those given to their white counterparts. Latino men don't fare much better. It is truly appalling."

"Tomorrow's generations will suffer as a result of yesterday's folly and greed. We cannot change what has already happened. But we can make sure it never happens again."

"If you want our children to have cures for humanity's most terrible diseases, we should invest in our national medical researches, instead of relying on companies that would rather funnel money to their shareholders."

"The American people have not given up on the American Dream. I know this to be true. But when you can't sleep at night, how can you dream."

Rating
5/5. I loved the experience of reading this book, and I recommend this book to everyone. I want to conclude this review with the lines that inspired me the most in this book.

"Years from now, our children and our grandchildren will look up and lock eyes with us. They will ask us where we were when the stakes were so high. They will ask us what it was like. I don't want us to just tell them how we felt. I want us to tell them what we did.

[Justin Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're an undecided voter hesitant about the guy who gleefully watched TV while his cult tried to murder the Vice President, but are also not yet sold on Harris because you want more policy from her -- good news! She wrote a 300+ page book that is filled with her stance on all the hot issues, including a significant amount of policy proposal.

The book came out in January, 2019, just days before she launched her campaign for the 2020 presidential election. Allegedly this was the time when she was wildly liberal but, as we see here, she has always been level-headed, able to relate to differing perspectives, willing to praise thoughtful Republicans, and all while standing firm in her mission to create a better world.

She gets surprisingly forthright about her vision for a better economy that supports lower and middle-class families, foreign relations, cybersecurity, climate change, abortion, and so much more. In some ways it's better that the book is 5+ years old because there's no dwelling on Covid which, thanks to the Biden/Harris administration, we've largely beaten. This was also pre-insurrection, but the book seems to eerily anticipate the kind of dire atmosphere that was already building in our politics which allowed this to happen.

We also see variations of "We're not going back" and other 2024 campaign catchphrases, showing that the challenges we face today have been on her mind for a long time.

The downside of having so much policy is that the book isn't as riveting as other political memoirs. She has some great anecdotes, and juicy behind-the-scenes perspective during some major events in American politics, but mostly this is all policy all the time. Again, good news for the few people who feel they need more of that from her. If you're in that camp, grab a copy from the library!

If you're STILL on the fence after that, it might be time to recognize that internalized sexism is a real thing. It's not your fault! Women didn't even have the right to vote for 150 years of American existence. It's now been 250 years without a woman president. If you see Kamala Harris and think "she doesn't look presidential" it's because 250 years of sexism has created a world where it's hard to picture a woman as president because we've never seen one before. Not because there's any actual logic to avoiding women leaders.

By the way, it's not just an American thing, or a conservative/liberal thing or even a man/woman thing. The ultra-progressive state of California has NEVER had a woman governor. We may think we're beyond sexism, but we all have to deal with this reality because of the history we exist in.

Don't vote for Harris just because she's a woman, but also don't NOT vote for her just because she's a woman.

Bigger picture, please vote for the candidate who will not declare themselves king and imprison women for seeking healthcare.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Congrats to Kamala Harris ....
Vice President running mate with Joe Biden.

Doing the happy dance!!! I’m pleased!!!


Audiobook...read by Kamala Harris

After listening to Pete Buttigieg’s book,
“The Shortest Way Home”....STILL IMPRESSED and in ‘aw’ of him....
...I consider him a strong important viable candidate for President....
I wasn’t planning on listening to the other major contenders’ books....
But here I am again...
....with many thanks to *Connie* for being an inspiration.... ( who is doing her research and homework learning all she can about our major presidential contenders)...
With so many people running for President,
I, too, am trying to learn all I can.

I respect Kamala Harris....formerly Attorney General of California....and United States Senator from California...
Born in Oakland ... a local girl - like me.

...The very beginning - a personal family/ dinner true story the night of the last election...almost had me in tears within the first 5 minutes. I was really moved.

I doubt anyone would doubt Kamala’s sincerity of what her life is about:
SERVICE and CONTRIBUTING gives her life purpose and meaning....
and Kamala speaks from her heart.

Her life story is absolutely interesting to learn. ‘Mommy’ really did do right by Kamala and her sister.
Their mother was one heck of an inspiring woman.
Yet....
I came away with Questions about Kamala: The big one...
Do I feel she is the best candidate to run against Trump?

After listening to the entire Audiobook....
I’ve concluded - that I like her as a person. I love her compassion - desire - and drive - I’d stand behind her if elected- SHE’S VERY INSPIRING....
but I’m such a fan of Pete Buttigieg....
It’s who I ‘most’ wish would win.
Yikes... was I supposed to share my favorite?

It’s not easy to review a memoir/political book and not have political opinions.

Overall, I’m left feeling Kamala Harris’s intentions are great - especially her perspectives on the current political climate - and core beliefs regarding humanity.

This book itself was listening enjoyment!!!

[Jenna ❤ ❀ ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update 11/08/20:
Congratualations to Kamala Harris, the US' first female, first Black, first Asian-American Vice-President!



____________________________
Original review 3/25/19:

Not being from California, I hadn't heard of Senator Kamala Harris until recently. Because she has entered the Democrat presidential race, I wanted to learn more about her. The first thing I learned in this book was that I was pronouncing her name wrong. It's "Comma-la" not "Kah-MAL-uh. This is what happens when you don't watch tv and get your news by reading it -- you don't know how to pronounce names correctly and when you realise you've been saying it wrong feel rather dumb! Oh well, now I know so that's what is important.

​The Truths We Hold: An American Journey​ is a political memoir but it also talks some about Ms. Harris' childhood, growing up poor with a single mother. I really enjoyed learning about her childhood, but her adult political life is very interesting as well. She started out working for the DA as a prosecutor, then served as the District Attorney for San Francisco. This was followed by being elected Attorney General of California and more recently, elected the 3rd female senator of California (and first of Indian or Jamaican descent).

Senator Harris highlights her career achievements, discusses many of the issues facing America today, and details what she has done and plans to do to fix these issues. Ms. Harris comes across as a woman of deep intellect and compassion and I have a lot of respect for her having read this book. Whether or not I will vote for her remains to be seen, as I weigh her against the others who run for the Democratic nomination. She is certainly someone I will be watching, and I recommend this book to anyone wishing to learn more about a brilliant woman who hopes to be the US' next president. (Update 11/8/20 -- Kamala Harris #47!)

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought The Truths We Hold: An American Journey because I'm settling on a U.S. presidential candidate to volunteer for. My mom's experience volunteering for Beto O'Rourke's Senate campaign showed me how rewarding that experience can be (and also got me a rad T-shirt). With California bumping its primary up to March 2020, the Golden State will finally help decide who the Democratic nominee will be and I want to help the candidate who best represents my interests win. Twenty-three have entered the race and I've settled on my top three.

I've voted for Kamala Harris in every election she's been on a ballot--for California Attorney General in 2010 and 2014 and U.S Senate in 2016, all races she won--but there was much about her background that I learned from this spirited memoir, which is as straight-forward and minces few words as most campaign year books do, but takes the reader through Harris's personal, educational and professional life up to her candidacy for U.S. president in January 2019. Her main ideas are there in the title: the value of truth from our public office holders and her unique journey there.

Say It Right

-- First, my name is pronounced "comma-la," like the punctuation mark. It means "lotus flower," which is a symbol of significance in Indian culture. A lotus grows underwater, its flower rising above the surface while its roots are planted firmly in the river bottom.

Second Generation

-- My mother had been raised in a household where political activism and civic leadership came naturally. Her mother, my grandmother Rajam Gopalan, had never attended high school, but she was a skilled community organizer. She would take in women who were being abused by their husbands, and then she'd call the husbands and tell them they'd better shape up or she would take care of them. She used to gather the village women together, educating them about contraception. My grandfather P.V. Gopalan had been part of the movement to win India's independence. Eventually, as a senior diplomat in the Indian government, he and my grandmother had spent time living in Zambia after it gained independence, helping settle refugees.

Rainbow Sign

-- The Bay Area was home to so many extraordinary black leaders and was bursting with black pride in some places. People had migrated there from all over the country. This meant that kids like me who spent time at Rainbow Sign were exposed to dozens of extraordinary men and women who showed us what we could become. In 1971, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm paid a visit while she was exploring a run for president. Talk about strength! "Unbought and Unbossed," just as her campaign slogan promised. Alice Walker, who went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for The Color Purple, did a reading at Rainbow Sign. So did Maya Angelou, the first black female bestselling author, thanks to her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Nina Simone performed at Rainbow Sign when I was seven years old.

Career Day

-- Though the seed was planted very early on, I'm not sure, exactly, when I decided I wanted to be a lawyer. Some of my greatest heroes were lawyers: Thurgood Marshall, Charles Hamilton Houston, Constance Baker Motley--giants of the civil rights movement. I cared a lot about fairness, and I saw the law as a tool that can help make things fair. But I think what drew me to the profession was the way people around me trusted and relied on lawyers. Uncle Sherman and our close friend Henry were lawyers, and any time someone had a problem, within the family or neighborhood, the first thing you'd hear was "Call Henry. Call Sherman. They'll know what to do. They'll know how to make sense of this." I wanted to be able to do that. I wanted to be one of the people called. I wanted to be the one who could help.

Harris tees off on criminal justice reform first, particularly her efforts to reform the nation's bail system, as well as need to rethink the war on drugs and how we address police brutality. She considers herself a progressive prosecutor, representing the people and using discretion to dismiss cases as well as put criminals behind bars. Her contentious negotiations with Bank of America and phone duel with JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon over a settlement award for California is a highlight of the book. Immigration reform, protecting DACA recipients and her opposition to a border wall in the Senate comes in next.

But there is a bigger reason to oppose the border wall. A useless wall on the southern border would be nothing more than a symbol, a monument standing in opposition to not just everything I value, but the fundamental values upon which this country was built. The Statue of Liberty is the monument that defines to the world who we are. Emma Lazarus's words--"Give me your tired, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free"--speak to our true character: a generous country that respects and embraces those who have made the difficult journey to our shores, often fleeing harm; that sees our quintessentially optimistic, can-do spirit in those who aspire to make the American Dream their own. How could I vote to build what would be little more than a monument, designed to send the cold, hard message "KEEP OUT"?

The immigration debate is so often defined by false choices. I remember a town hall I held in Sacramento, where a group of the president's supporters showed up. One man said he thought I cared more about undocumented immigrants than I cared about the American people. It was a false choice. I care deeply about them both. Similarly, the budget debate was offering a false choice: fund the government or oppose the wall. I believed we could do both.

Harris writes what she would do to strengthen the Affordable Care Act, expand Medicare for all and leverage the bargaining power of the federal government to lower prescription drug prices. Without mentioning the acting president by name, she attacks his policy agenda as well as his controversial appointments, which as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Homeland Security Committee, Harris has questioned in public hearings. Her differences with the regime are made very clear.

What's the result of all this? It's been great for the richest 1 percent of American households, who now own 40 percent of the nation's wealth, which adds up to roughly $40 trillion. But it's been a financial nightmare for the middle class. According to research done by United Way, 43 percent of households can't afford basic expenses: a roof over their head, food on the table, child care, transportation, and a cell phone.

And yet with millions of Americans hanging by a thread, the White House reached for scissors. In 2017, the administration cut taxes for people who didn't need it and raised taxes on people who can't afford it. They sabotaged the Affordable Care Act, driving up premiums. They ignited a trade war that could lead to higher prices on things we all buy, from groceries to cars. They nominated judges intent on destroying organized labor. They cancelled a pay raise for federal civil servants--everyone from transportation security officers to food inspectors, park rangers, medical personnel, and more. They even halted the debt relief policy that we put in place to help Corinthian Colleges' victims. And for good measure, they did away with net neutrality, which will allow internet companies to charge a premium for popular websites for the first time, adding an unacceptable new bill to the stack.

If, like me, you're looking for information about the candidates running for U.S. president in 2020, without the media playing gatekeeper, I highly recommend this memoir. Harris offers a progressive public policy agenda, albeit one lacking in details, and her personal history strongly contrasts with the background of the current president. I believe she'd make a tough campaigner and excellent chief executive. Harris would not only be the first female president of the United States, but the first in an interracial marriage. She has two stepchildren from her husband's previous marriage but like me, no lineal descendants, which is also rare for politicians.

Here's a college photo, graduating from Howard University in 1986, with Harris in the center.

[William Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a surface-level, self-congratulatory puff piece. And that's not really a criticism. The book is just exactly what you'd expect from an ambitious politician in the middle of her political rise. 

The prose can be so high level as to be void of meaning. For example: “Democracy just cannot flourish amid fear. Liberty cannot bloom amid hate. Justice cannot take root amid rage. America must get to work. . . . We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred, and the mistrust.”

But Harris also makes some good points that are nuanced and fair. For example: “For too long, we’d been told there were only two options: to be either tough on crime or soft on crime—an oversimplification that ignored the realities of public safety. You can want the police to stop crime in your neighborhood and also want them to stop using excessive force. You can want them to hunt down a killer on your streets and also want them to stop using racial profiling. You can believe in the need for consequence and accountability, especially for serious criminals, and also oppose unjust incarceration. I believed it was essential to weave all these varied strands together.”

All in all, the book isn't a bad way to get to know the Democrats’ new champion.

After growing up in the Bay Area, she ascended from San Francisco District Attorney, to California Attorney General, to California Senator. Then, of course, she became Vice President. 

She's more likable, substantive, and cunning than her image on the national stage suggests.

Harris has risen fast and high in a relatively short time. But—turning to today—what does her candidacy mean for American democracy?

She can be defined most clearly by the things she's not. 

First, she's not Barack Obama. She doesn't have his charisma or natural connection with voters. But she is a talented politician. If her campaign stays focused, she will be a strong candidate. 

Second, she's not Joe Biden. She doesn't have his policy background or deep government experience. But she's not a government neophyte either. And if elected, she will put together an experienced cabinet. 

Most importantly, she's not Donald Trump. She’s now his only alternative for the presidency. And given the dysfunction and discord likely in another Trump term, that makes her a compelling candidate.

As this book makes clear, Harris is a traditional politician. She's not a wannabe dictator (like Trump) and she's not way too old (like Biden). If she wins in November, she will give the executive branch what it needs as much as anything else: a reversion toward the mean. 

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was wonderful to listen to this in Kamala's own voice. Her voice is nice and clear, engaging. Her views on criminal justice reform, banks, immigration and other issues, seem somewhat to align with mine. A fairer, more just country for all. Sounds good in theory but socioeconomic problems are so hard to solve. An ongoing struggle of many, many years and many, many people, aid packages, etc. Greed and the wealthy, well good luck with that.

Her background is an interesting one, her career as District Attorney, her struggles in Congress, her personal life are all related. I've become very disenchanted politically, seriously feel that our government has lost its way. A government no longer for or by the people. Can she change this? Probably not, no one has yet though in the last baby steps were taken.

I just wonder if she is as caring and natural as she sounds. I sincerely hope we get the chance to find out.

[Jamie]

DNF @ 24%. Kamala, you know I love you and I'm definitely still gonna vote for you, but I just can't with this book right now. I have a short attention span when it comes to listening to audiobooks and an even shorter attention span when it comes to non-fiction, and I'm beginning to think that the two just don't mix for me. I'll try again when I can get a copy of the ebook from the library – there are a bajillion holds on it right now.

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reading this I felt it was another unscrupulous politician lying all the way to the voting booth. Yet, among all the crap politicians with an unintelligent following, Harris seems to have by far the most aggressive bunch of bullies.

Original review: Another unscrupulous politician lying all the way to the voting booth.

The unpleasant is pushed under the rug, the presumed positive is inflated. Business as usual.

I clearly don't get the US politics. I get the mindless tribalism that make Harris good because she is "ours". But beyond that it's over me. One should not prize a generously paid government bureaucrat for doing their job, the same way I won't give a Senatorial job with all the perks to the dry cleaner JUST for not ruining my leather coat. And one should certainly not take into account "the intention" when people like Harris abuse their powers, the same way I would not be well impressed when the local busybody burns down the neighbor's house because they thought the mosquito they saw was carrying zika and used a blowtorch to hunt it down.

[Brandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Senator Kamala Harris takes a dive into the current state of American politics as well as the policies, legislation, and initiatives Harris has undertaken in her present and previous roles.

The book is a mix of memoir and political observations. I didn’t realize how much Harris has accomplished prior to reading this book but will say the parts about her personal life were more interesting to me.

Harris’ intelligence is obvious and I appreciated her message throughout the book that so many of today’s issues don’t have to have an “either/or” solution:

”For too long, we’d been told there were only two options: to be either tough on crime or soft on crime—an oversimplification that ignored the realities of public safety. You can want the police to stop crime in your neighborhood and also want them to stop using excessive force. You can want them to hunt down a killer on your streets and also want them to stop using racial profiling. You can believe in the need for consequence and accountability, especially for serious criminals, and also oppose unjust incarceration. I believed it was essential to weave all these varied strands together.”

3.5 stars (rounded up) and a book recommended for anyone frustrated with the state of American politics today.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting and informative look at the vice-president's background and career. I learned quite a bit more about her, though I was already pretty familiar with her as a former long-time Californian (voted for her several times). This was written some years ago though, so there is nothing about her being the Veep. Still, it might answer a question or two about her to some folks and help confirm other's choices for those who appreciate & support her (I do!) 💙💙💙 She's not a perfect candidate but she's also not weird and she has always supported and defended our democracy and believed in the promises of America. To those who say "we don't know who she is", this is good start - her very own words, just this morning she posted "Freedom is not to be given. It is not to be bestowed. It is our right. That includes the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body".

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are many ways to have a rich childhood. Having parents who are financially well-off is only one way. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary the second definition of rich is "having high value or quality". By this definition, Kamala Harris had a rich childhood.

Kamala was raised in a loving home by highly educated parents. From an early age they instilled in her the importance of working hard and fighting for her beliefs. She attended marches for justice while still in a stroller. Visiting her Mom's research lab as a young child she experienced the dedication to a belief and the importance of commitment. She also learned that a home is a place of support, shared meals, and most of all, love. The neighborhood where Kamala spent most of her childhood also reinforced this. A community center where neighbors shared meals and children developed skills also nurtured the young Kamala.

These early influences greatly affected her as she grew and accomplished so much. From law school to district attorney, attorney general of California, state senator, and Democratic candidate for vice-president, she has listened to her mother's words; follow what in your heart you know is right and never stop fighting for it.

This political memoir might be self-promoting, but most books of this genre are. I chose to read this book because I wanted to know more about this prominent Democrat. Her intelligence, integrity, compassion, and toughness are characteristics I admire. She should make all women proud.

[Tim Null · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. I have voted for Kamala Harris every time she has been on a statewide ballot in California. She's always had my vote and probably always will.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is difficult to critique political memoirs without seeming to be critical the high-minded ideals these writers espouse. Kamala Harris appears outside the norm for the kind of Washington politician we’ve put up with these past twenty years. Formerly Attorney General of California, she had to find solutions to big thorny problems that plagued governance of that state. If she didn’t “solve” the problems for all time, she always came down fighting for the side of individuals against corporate entities, big business, or thoughtless, inadequate government.

Early on in this memoir Senator Harris speaks with some awe of the work of Maura Healy, current Attorney General of Massachusetts, who has been firm in defending statewide consumer protections in that state unlike any other. She mentions the work now-Senator and presidential-hopeful Elizabeth Warren has done to protect consumers from predatory lending practices and investment scams of big banks, or the greed of big pharma.

Harris’ own work is strictly in this vein. Criminal justice reform, racial justice, environmental protections, wage equality, regulation of banks and corporation, fair practices for consumers. For a woman who has never served in the military, no one could ever argue this woman doesn’t know what war looks like. She has investigated the heart of drug smuggling from Mexico, immigration, sex trafficking, and other rough criminal ventures that make our hair curl. She knows what government power means and when and how to use it. She’s tough. And disciplined. And principled.

After seeing how the country suffers when the presidency is filled by someone inadequate to the demands of the job, we should ever be grateful that someone of Harris’ gifts stands up to take on the brutality we’ve witnessed in Washington. Harris is the winged goddess Nemesis wielding a sword; she is implacable justice, avenger of crime. It will be bloody but it will be over when she’s done.

Until Donald Trump (and more and more I am convinced that election was not a fair demonstration of the national will), we’ve never elected someone with as little support from the major parties. Democrats now have very little patience left for what is the husk of a Republican Party, and Republicans appear to detest what Democrats stand for. Harris will not be a cross-over candidate. She will be vengeance.

This book is an introduction to Harris and is very good for that. Kamala was born in Oakland in the sixties of a Jamaican-economist father, and a Tamil Indian-endocrinologist mother who’d met at Berkeley during the civil rights movement. She and a sister, Maya, who is two years younger, were brought up by her single-parent mother after the breakup of her parents while she was still a child. She married Douglas Emhoff, a lawyer, in 2014. Emhoff had two children during a previous marriage.

Harris begins her book talking about her youth and the importance of recognizing that our nation has been enriched by immigration. She is proud of her black heritage and chose Howard University for her undergraduate degree and graduated University of CA Hastings College of Law in 1989. She admits to terrible embarrassment at failing the CA bar the first time, but her employers supported her next, successful attempt.

Harris began as Deputy District Attorney in San Francisco, then won the race for District Attorney in San Francisco in 2003. By 2004 she’d begun a program called Back on Track, to help youthful nonviolent offenders to get back into the community through work. The program was considered a success though it had a low graduation rate and was instituted in several other counties and eventually became state law.

When Harris won the election for CA State Attorney General in 2010, the race tally was so close the election results were not announced for three weeks. One of her first successes was against banks liable after the sub-prime mortgage crisis, winning $26 billion from the banks, including $12 million for homeowners. As AG, Harris initiated investigations into sex and drug trafficking, hate crimes, environmental degradation, predatory lending, school truancy and foster care, as well as prison conditions and sentencing reform.

Barbara Boxer announced she was going to retire as Senator to CA in 2016, and Harris was one of the first to announce her candidacy for Boxer’s seat. Harris is generally well-regarded at home in CA and among those who search for and vet candidates for high national office like Supreme Court and Attorney General of the U.S. There has been some grumbling that Harris defends misconduct by law enforcement, but overall these complaints have not hurt her popularity in the state. Harris won the congressional election against Loretta Sanchez with 62% of the vote, winning in all but four counties.

Since being in Washington, Senator Harris has been a hard-hitting and outspoken critic of Trump’s policies and the Democratic Party now considers her a front-runner for president. We learn that her name Kamala (COMMA-la) means lotus, a flower that blooms above the water while its roots are planted in mud. That’s quite a visual for a successful presidency.

I listened to the audio of this read by the author and produced by Penguin Audio. It is a successful sprint through the high points of a career not yet over. We get a sense of her personality, her drive, her family and friends. She is quite an opponent.

[Emma Griffioen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and narrated, this was a great read and I learned a lot! Full review to come 🤍

[Traci Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This genre often leaves a lot to be desired. I loved hear her talk about her life and the work she’s done but it lacks in vulnerability because it’s a companion piece for running for President not a tell all. It’s good for what it is and she’s a wonderful human. Hearing about her work as a prosecutor and her plans for the country was all good. But overall it’s nothing ground breaking or exciting.

[Judith E · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first noticed Kamala Harris during her questioning of a witness in the Trump impeachment hearing. She didn’t grand stand and she didn’t read a statement written by an aide. She searched for the facts and demanded direct answers to her questions. She was formidable.

Her book reveals her strong family values and her connection to the personal struggles and travails of her constituents. She stresses the importance of innovative ideas to solve problems, as in her criminal justice programs of California. She understands the importance of a fair immigration system, the threats of cyber security, and the devastating effects of untethered banking institutions.

I believe Ms. Harris is intelligent, moral, energetic, and the bright shining star in the 2021 White House. The book was written while promoting her presidential campaign and it isn’t a literary feat, but it gives solid information about her background and her political influences.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleased to be finishing this one on MLK day and the day Harris announced her candidacy.

This was an interesting read, a little slow in the middle. The first and last chapters were my favorites, showcasing her origins and her exhortations for the future.

It gave me that little extra insight into a potential (when I started it) candidate that I was looking for.

The threshold question I’m holding for any candidate in the current cycle, beyond the basics of whether I find their values and track record acceptable, and what I think of their platform and agenda, is this: Can he or she go toe to toe with whoever, whatever, whenever, wherever, to get the job done?

If I can get behind what I think they stand for and accept their record of integrity and effectiveness, this will help set the candidates apart. Whatever gender, ethnicity, age or or other demographic, do they have the presence, personal power, displaying to the outside a depth of inner fortitude and grace, to do the job in deeply trying times and far from ideal or supportive circumstances.

Culturally, historically, it can be a tougher standard for some demographics than others to convincingly demonstrate publicly. I’m questioning it for everyone, of every demographic, whether minority or majority, in power suits or jeans, dresses or other cultural garb.

The traditional power signals our culture is used to responding to may be evolving or crumbling, but power signaling remains a reality in leadership. There were some interesting, sometimes unexpected, strong and weak signalers in the midterms. Who will signal clearly, with real strength, authentically and humanely, in this race?

This book didn’t rule out Harris for me in that regard, and made a good case for keeping her in mind as one to watch for having that particular right stuff.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPDATE: 8/23/24: Reading this again. Loved hearing Kamala speak tonight. She is going to be Our Next President! Just too much excitement and energy here. We are tired of all the violence, lies, and corruption.

"Go, Kamala. I am so glad she is going to be our next Vice President. Yes, first woman and first Person of Color. Her Mom is Indian and her Dad African American. That is terrific, but the reason I love her is b/c she fights for what she cares about. Excellent!"

I read this with the book 📚 and also audio 🎧. Found this worked really well. The End of the book had many pictures of Kamala w/her Family. Those were nice to see.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have followed Kamala Harris’ career since she was the District Attorney of San Francisco. When she was Attorney General of California, I impressed with her prosecution of the banks during the mortgage crisis. She has done a good job as Senator representing California.

The book is well written. Harris reveals her early life and career. She also points out that she was tossed into the civil rights problems from the beginning because her mother is a Tamil Indian and her father is a black and both were active in the civil rights movement. Her mother immigrated from Madras, India and her father from Jamaica. Both her parents are highly educated: her mother as a breast cancer scientist and her father as an economics professor at Stanford University. The book follows the usual type of memoir of a new politician in that it is part personal memoir but mostly an outline of her beliefs, positions, and goals. Instead of being written in chronological order, the chapters follow various key topics. Harris is a young highly educated woman of color and fits the diversity requirements this country needs of its politicians to better represent the country. I plan on continuing to follow her career and her writings.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is nine hours and twenty-six minutes. Harris does a good job narrating the book.

[Vanessa M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning more about Kamala's family, values, career and life as she narrated her own book.

[Eric Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not someone naturally inclined to read memoirs by politicians, but the tumultuous “leadership” in America over the past four years has been so horrendous and upsetting to witness I wanted to do something more to celebrate and engage with the inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris rather than just following the news. Also, other than knowing the professional roles Kamala Harris has held as a senator from California and attorney general as well as the policies she spoke about in the vice presidential debates, I had little knowledge about her background or beliefs before reading her memoir “The Truths We Hold”. So it was wonderfully engaging to read in her own words how her convictions have been shaped by her experience of working on tough political battles concerning everything from crime to health care to same-sex marriage to climate change to immigration to education to the economy. This was not so much about ticking through a list of hot-topic issues but proving she intimately understands the numerous challenges facing the country. And what America sorely needs now is knowledge and experience to guide it!

One of the most heartening things about reading the accounts of her professional work is how Harris knows the day by day effect that political decisions have for countless people and the consequences of not taking action. She feels the urgency. She cites specific examples of cases she's been both instrumentally involved in and others she's engaged with as part of a much larger process. Additionally, she proudly writes about her personal background as the daughter of a biologist born in India and a professor of economics born in Jamaica. That a woman of mixed heritage has now reached one of the highest political positions in the country is so encouraging and important. We follow how she met and married her husband and became the mother to two step children as well as the emotional rollercoaster of her election campaigns. She explains why having Sunday dinner with her family is so important to her. She gives an intimate view of both the personal challenges she's faced and how setbacks have only fuelled her to work harder. It's inspiring to read how her values and sense of justice drive her to enact real progress.

There was a somewhat snippy review of this memoir which appeared in the Guardian when this book was first published in early 2019. True, this might not be the most artful work of literature ever created and might serve as an extended political campaign pamphlet. It's narrative is controlled in a way to be personable without tipping into anything too revealing or risque. But so what? This book is full of heart and sincerity. It gave me a close understanding of Harris' point of view and her convictions. I fully understand that in entering the vice presidency she might have to make compromises and that she won't entirely fix every problem in America. But something she asserts towards the end of the book is that “words have power.” As we know all too well from recent events, when a political leader speaks carelessly and purely out of self interest the integrity and security of the entire country is at risk. I believe this book is filled with pledges and promises Harris will do her best to realise, but even if this book is filled with nothing more than campaign promises – and I don't think that's all it is – she says the right things here. It fills me with teary-eyed optimism to know that these are the words which will lead the nation for the next four years alongside the new president.

[Ross Blocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Truths We Hold is a great opportunity to get to know Kamala Harris, which I was eager to do after she was chosen as Joe Biden's running mate. I'm glad I did. This gave me a lot of confidence in Harris's priorities and personal compass, and I'm a lot happier with the ticket knowing she's on it. The book was released in January 2019 in conjunction with her own bid for president, so it's interesting to hear some early echoes of the present. In the preface, she describes "a battle for the soul of our nation", straight out of Biden's campaign slogan. She highlights her collaboration with Beau Biden as fellow state attorneys general, both fighting to get a bigger decision against predatory lenders in the wake of the 2008 foreclosure crisis. She remembers Joe Biden swearing her in as a senator in 2017. There are sadder echoes as well, such as her recounting stories of Philando Castile (shot 7 times in the back in 2016 while his kids were in the car) and Eric Garner (pleading "I can't breathe" in 2014) that could be ripped straight from this year's headlines about Jacob Blake and George Floyd, making her case for policing reform all the more urgent.

This follows the format (if not particulars) you might expect from a political memoir. Harris is the daughter of immigrants raised by her cancer researcher mother in Berkeley to care about science and political action. She gets her education at Howard University, a historically Black college. Her path into politics leaps from deputy district attorney in Alameda to district attorney of San Francisco, to attorney general of California, and now California senator. We are also treated to her budding relationship with blind-date-and-awkward-texter-turned-husband Doug. There are a few illustrative setbacks offered (failing her first bar exam, running scrappy early campaigns as an unknown, fighting to balance all-consuming work and home life), but this is not the place to get Kamala's direct responses to critics about specific crime policies or dirt about her relationship with Willie Brown. She highlights career successes, such as the "Back on Track" program that expunged criminal records and reduced recidivism from 50% to 10%. Or her fight against truancy, which provided resources such as laundry services and dramatically increased school attendance. As attorney general she negotiated banks' initial settlement offer of $3 billion up to north of $20 billion. She took part in the fight to legalize gay marriage and got to perform one of the first ceremonies herself. In the Senate, she has argued on behalf of DACA recipients, victims of the opioid crisis, victims of police violence, and makes the case for taking climate change seriously a security threat.

As she addresses these and many other issues, Harris presents her positions with passion, knowledge, and a penchant for data- and science-driven policy. She has a deep understanding of America's promise and where it has fallen short with past persecutions, prejudices, suppressions, internments and supreme court decisions. Along the way, we get a sense of Harris as a person: her love of cooking, her relationship with her stepchildren (who call her "Mamala"), and her friendship with her sister Maya. She has warmth, good humor, and a desire to keep learning and growing. Kamala reads the audio version, which I highly recommend. Writing in early October 2020, I can't wait to see this new administration elected into office. They'll have their work cut out for them.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

7/29/2024 addendum: I'm all in for Kamala 2024. I can honestly breathe a sigh of relief since Joe Biden dropped out. And I actually liked Biden. As for Kamala's qualifications, do yourself a favor and look up what she has done as Vice-president. It's rather impressive. Just because FOX News or MSNBC doesn't report her every move, doesn't make her irrelevant or unqualified. I have no qualms giving her my vote in November...

I don’t care what the pundits say, Kamala Harris won the debate. Hands down.

If ever there was proof that Mike Pence was a zombie, too, it was that damn fly. Underneath Pence’s pasty-white flesh is something rotten and dead. The fly could sense that.

Seriously, though, Kamala was brilliant. She is brilliant. And tough. And exactly what this country needs. She’s the best part about Biden’s run. I’m voting for Biden simply because I love Kamala.

I read her 2019 memoir/campaign manifesto, “The Truths We Hold” simply because I felt obligated to do so. I suppose since I’m voting for her, I should hear where she’s coming from.

It’s not wonderful, but it does the job competently, which is exactly what one should expect from an elected official.

It outlines her views clearly: her experience as a prosecutor and district attorney has given her a very tough but compassionate perspective on crime and criminals; her experience as a woman of mixed race (she is half Indian and half black) has helped shape her uniquely sympathetic views of movements such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter; her work as a Senator---and especially as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee---has sharply honed her knowledge of foreign and domestic policy.

The book may be dry---it’s full of statistics and facts that one would expect from someone who works constantly with statistics and facts---but every once in a while a rare glimpse of Kamala, the human being, appears, and it is refreshing to see a politician that seems down-to-earth and, well, actually human, even if it is politically choreographed to an extent. A sycophantic zombie that attracts flies she is definitely not.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite enjoyed getting to know this interesting woman a bit more!

[Byvynyl · Rating 1 out of 5]

It seems both ironic and contradictory that Kamala Harris would use the word "truth" in the title of her book considering that truthfuleness is a quality that seems to escape her. The truth is also not on display in her writing.
It would be easy to slut shame her for her affair with Willie Brown while he was married, but considering that we have a serial rapist in the White house, Ms. Harris' indiscretion seems to pale in comparison.

However she was given a seventy thousand dollar a year position because of that indiscretion and launched her political career. This was a case of her giving head to get ahead and she has gotten ahead, as a horrible prosecutor who withheld evidence that could have exonerated an innocent man. This isn't the mark of someone upholding the law and making sure the rule of law is in play. This is the mark of someone adding to the cheap prison labor provided to the state of California.

This woman is cunniving and paints a portait of herself as someone who has endured many hardships, when in fact she had a very good upbringing, being the child of two esteemed professionals. Then there is the brilliant legal mind of Ms. Harris at work when she passed that groundbreaking law to imprison parents for their children's truancy. What exactly did she hope to accomplish there.

In debates she never really answers questions but skirts around the issues and takes a solemn tone before claiming that all the horrors she's seen as a prosecutor has prepared her for a hardline approach if she is elected president. What she needs is a practical approach to her current duties since she lacked it in her past duties as a prosecutor. To be honest, I don't even know why I read this fucking book. It's nothing but a fluff piece and an obvious attempt to cash in on her moment of popularity. It's not a deep penetrating read like " The Autobiography Of Malmcom X".

Her healthcare proposal is an attempt to garner votes while remaining loyal to her coporate donors, a proposal that straddles a line that would allow private insurance companies to still call the shots with the pricing of medication.

Also she never mentions banning lobbyist, but to be fair the only candidate who mentions it is Elizabeth Warren and I think Bernie Sanders. Kamala Harris at best is simply another political cog that continues to help the wheels of corruption in American politics steemroll over the people. At worst she's still fucking here.

Also no one seems to mention how she never brought up charges on Steve Mnuchin when he was illegally foreclosing on homes in California but she managed to get a campaign contribution from him when she was running for office at that time.

If the Californian people, or anyone for that matter see her as a strong candidate you're no better and no smarter than the idiots who voted for Trump. Tulsi Gabbard called her out on her horrible record as a prosecutor and she has yet to answer. Ms. Harris' response was to simply point out that she was a top tier candidate and Tulsi Gabbard wasn't. And to all those who think Ms. Harris is "badass", just stop it. Eddie Van Halen was badass. Mike Tyson in his prime was badass.

If Ms. Harris was so badass she wouldn't have Cory Booker running interference for her when people start to question her her motives. Hillary Clinton was investigated multiple times and basically shit on in public by the press, voters, and the FBI, not to mention Trump. Let little Kamala stand on her own.

Please stop giving these politicians rock star status when the current crop of musicians don't even get it themselves. Republican voters give their masters Godlike status and Democrats do that by bequeathing their favorites with that rock star status, when in fact both parties are just absolute shit.

To quote the late great George Carlin " This is the best we can do:shit in, shit out" Kamala Harris is part of that shit. The truths she holds, she holds close to her for fear that those truths might be found out.

I might just erase this to keep people from finding out I read that fucking book.

[Obsidian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad memoir, but felt like the guts of Harris were left out. I was glad to read about what led her to become a prosecutor and run as DA, then AG, and finally the Senate. But I do wish we had gotten into more things. I have seen her online and watched her interviews, she's so engaging, but in print I found myself slightly bored. I do think the parts that talk about her mother, sister, father, and extended family were beautifully done though. I wanted to hug her during those sections.

I will say, it drives me batty the press and others had the nerve to say she slept her way to the top and is not smart. Reading about the elections and the people she had working for her on the ground and the qualifications she has, everyone sounds really dumb to me right now. Plus, I know, as a Black woman you have to be 10 times as good to even be seen as equal to someone who is not Black.

Full Review:

I did enjoy getting to know Kamala (comma, la) Harris in her memoir. This does not include her being selected as President Biden's Vice President. It tells about her first few years as a Senator and her time as a prosecutor, DA, and then AG of California.

Things I loved:

-Anything to deal with her family.
-How she met certain people like Elizabeth Warren, Beau Biden, etc.
-Her thoughts and feelings about the criminal justice system and why she was focused on making sure people who committed crimes were locked up while also looking at the ways the justice system was failing people and to improve it.
-Policies under the Trump Administration and her anger at officials testifying in front of the Senate and lying about them.
-Just what moves her in general.

I thought this was very good and I enjoyed it, but if I compare it to Obama's and Hillary's memoirs, I would put this one third. Not because it was bad, I just wanted more information.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am proud to call Kamala Harris my Senator. As a San Fransisco native I have watched her career and have now had the pleasure to vote for her a few times. It was nice to read about her family history, to read about where she came from and how she worked her way up to her current position. I also really enjoyed reading about things that I remember occurring in real life and seeing it from her perspective. I liked reading about how she fought for criminal justice reform, how she negotiated during the mortgage crisis, and how she fought for the laws and brought about change through her positions within government. I also enjoyed her perspective on the gay rights/gay marriage issue in SF. It was cool to read about it from her side. Such an amazing time in our city, state, and country. I obviously think Kamala is boss but I really did think the book was well written and a very informative view from the inside. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kamala Harris grew up in California, the daughter of immigrant parents. Her father came to the United States from Jamaica and her mother came from India. Her parents were active in the civil rights movement and passed on to her a concern for social justice.

In this book, Kamala writes about her early life, her education, her career as a young lawyer, deputy district attorney and then district attorney for San Francisco, Attorney General of California, and finally, life as a United States Senator. She writes movingly about the profound influence her mother exerted on Kamala’s life. She writes extensively about the issues she champions and the need to never give up working for the betterment of others.

It is no wonder that Joe Biden chose her to be his vice president. The issues Kamala writes about are the issues which concern many people. Her determination, experience, and never ending concern for the welfare of others will be an asset to the new administration.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

She did not grow up in Oakland but Montreal. She never mentions this. She never mentions her association with Willie Brown and how he mentored her throughout California politics. If one believes her, she just stepped in sh*t and voila was successful because of strong ultra left politics. No connections, it's all her. I don't think so.