When you mention the name Hillary Clinton, people tend to have an immediate, gut reaction: They either adore her or despise her, with very little in between. Personally, I am not a fan of her politics and disagree with many of her ideas, but I find her fascinating nonetheless.
Joanne Cronrath Bamberger tackles this subject in her new book, Love Her, Love Her Not: The Hillary Paradox. She did an excellent job editing a compilation of 28 essays that range from the silly (“Worshipping Hillary’s Pantsuits”) to the thought-provoking (“The Responsibility of Privilege”). Each essay is short, making this a quick read for those who have small snippets of time like me. {I read a few chapters here and there, waiting at the doctor’s office, while using the treadmill, etc. I like essays because each stands on its own and you don’t have to worry about continuity.}
While Love Her, Love Her Not is definitely argued from a liberal point of view, not all of the writers are die-hard fans and there is some balance and criticism regarding her perceived phoniness and flip-flopping on key positions. Contributors include one of her neighbors in Chappaqua, a fellow Wellesley college alum, a young Millennial, a Southern writer that’s known her forever, and a Conservative who wants to hate her but can’t.
Bottom Line: Regardless of how you feel about Hillary, she is a force of nature in American politics and clearly will influence women for decades to come. I won’t be voting for her, but I’m very glad to see that a female candidate can succeed at the highest level and possibly become the President of our great country.
