Non-Fiction Pick of the Week: Going Rogue

Going Rogue: an American life
by Sarah Palin 2009

When Sarah Palin disagreed with John McCain's organizers during the presidential campaign, they called it "going rogue". Going Rogue is the title that Sarah Palin chose for her memoirs. This book traces Sarah Palin's life from early childhood in Idaho and her growing-up years in Wasilla, Alaska. She gives a fairly detailed report of her achievements during her political career, first as city councillor, then mayor of Wasilla and finally governor of the state of Alaska and her run for vice-president of the United States. She discusses her family life as well including an explanation of how some of her children got their unusual names. This is not necessarily a book for political "junkies"; her relating of some of the events before and during the campaign are interesting. We get her version of Troopergate and her relations to the media. The last chapter outlines her political philosophy and why she is a Reaganite/Thatcherite. Her writing style is exuberant, liberally laced with adjectives and many quotes from the Bible. An interesting read.