What Happened

by Hillary Rodham Clinton
What Happened cover
Good Books rating 3.62
Biography and Memoir
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Paperback • £10.99
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  • ID: 9273
  • Added: 2025-12-23
  • Updated: 2026-01-05
  • ISBN: 9781471166952
  • Publisher: Simon and Schuster
  • Published: 2017-09-12
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 4

In What Happened, Hillary Rodham Clinton provides an intimate look at her 2016 presidential campaign, sharing her thoughts, feelings, and experiences during one of the most contentious elections in history. She discusses the highs and lows, the sexism she encountered, and the unprecedented interference by a foreign adversary. Clinton reflects on her mistakes, the devastating loss, and how she found the strength to move forward./n/nClinton also delves into the broader implications of the election, analyzing the forces that shaped its outcome and offering insights into the challenges faced by women in politics. With humor and candor, she shares what it took to get back on her feet, including the rituals, relationships, and reading that helped her through this difficult time.

Reviews
Writers Bone · 2017-10-19
great 4.00

The book is a personal and unfiltered account of her experiences and opinions. It's a candid and sometimes humorous look at her political journey.

The reviewer finds this memoir to be a personal and unfiltered account of the author's experiences. It's a book that allows the author to express her opinions freely, without the constraints of running for office. The reviewer appreciates the candor and humor in the book, making it an engaging read. However, the reviewer also notes that the book might be more appealing to those who are already fans of the author.

Quick quotes

    This book has freed her to say whatever she wants. She's never running again for political office, and she can do and say about anything.

    She manages to mingle her political observations with deeply personal reflections about her journey.

    It's a book that allows the author to express her opinions freely, without the constraints of running for office.

The Guardian · 2017-09-14
mixed 3.00

The book is more gossipy and entertaining than her previous works, but also more wrong-headed. It offers a candid and blackly funny account of her mood after losing to Donald Trump.

The reviewer notes that this memoir is more personal and revealing than her previous works. It's a mix of political observations and deeply personal reflections, making it a candid and sometimes humorous account of her experience. The reviewer finds it entertaining but also flawed, with some opinions that might be seen as misguided. It's a book that offers a unique perspective on the 2016 election and the aftermath, but not without its controversies.

Quick quotes

    Her new book is more gossipy, it is meaner, more entertaining and more wrong-headed than anything she or her speechwriters have written before.

    It is a candid and blackly funny account of her mood in the direct aftermath of losing to Donald J. Trump.

    It is a post-mortem, in which she is both the coroner and the chief witness.

The New York Times · 2017-09-12
positive 3.50

The book is a candid and blackly funny account of her mood after losing the election. It's a post-mortem that offers a unique perspective on the political landscape.

The reviewer appreciates the candidness and humor in this memoir. It's a book that doesn't shy away from the raw emotions and political observations of the author. The reviewer finds it engaging and provides a unique insight into the mind of a politician who has been through a significant loss. However, the reviewer also notes that the book might be more of a historical artifact than a deeply personal reflection.

Quick quotes

    It is a candid and blackly funny account of her mood in the direct aftermath of losing to Donald J. Trump.

    It is a post-mortem, in which she is both the coroner and the chief witness.

    Ultimately, the book might be a historical artifact most of all — the chronicling of what, exactly, it was like to run for president as the first woman nominee of a major party.

Goodreads · 2017-09-12
positive 4.00

The book is bittersweet and melancholy, offering a desperately needed perspective. It leaves the reader with a sense of hope for the country's future.

This Goodreads review highlights the bittersweet and melancholy tone of Hillary Clinton's memoir. The reviewer appreciates the book's candid and desperately needed perspective, which leaves them with a sense of hope for the country's future. While the book is not without its flaws, the reviewer finds it to be a valuable and thought-provoking read. The memoir's honesty and introspection are particularly praised, making it a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the political landscape of the time.

Quick quotes

    A bit bittersweet, melancholy, and desperately needed.

    When I finished reading it, I did feel like the country would eventually be okay.

    It's a much-needed perspective in today's political climate.

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