Rachel Maddow

by Lisa Rogak

[Beth C.]

NOTES: I *adore* Maddow - she's funny, she's smart, and she has a way of distilling complicated information in a way that anyone can understand. She truly is a leader in her field. I also was given an arc of this title by St. Martin's Press. So. Carrying on.

I came into this biography with high hopes, particularly not being aware of much of her back history - the activism, the bouts of depression...so I was not only eager to learn about her past, but was hoping that there would be some recent input from her. Unfortunately, that was not the case here. While the book was interesting, it is literally nothing but quotes from other sources, tied together by the author. There is nothing here that wasn't published previously - and I found that greatly disappointing. When I read a biography, I go into it hoping to learn something new, particularly about one of the top nightly pundits in a world that has gone insane. I do get that Rachel wants her privacy, and has every right to it - which makes me wonder if something like this book should have been saved until she was willing to at least release a statement. For those who have been following Maddow for a while, there will more than likely be nothing new here for them - and that in and of itself goes against everything Maddow stands for with her giant of a show.

Was it interesting? Yes. Did I learn a few new things? Yes. Did I feel like it could/should have been so much more than what it is? Also yes.