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Rodham cover art

Rodham

By: Curtis Sittenfeld
Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin

WHAT IF HILLARY RODHAM HAD TURNED DOWN BILL CLINTON'S PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE?

‘Awfully opinionated for a girl’ is what they call Hillary as she grows up in her Chicago suburb.

Smart, diligent, and a bit plain, that’s the general consensus. Then Hillary goes to college, and her star rises. At Yale Law School, she continues to be a leader— and catches the eye of driven, handsome and charismatic Bill. But when he asks her to marry him, Hillary gives him a firm No.

The rest, as they say, isn’t history. How might things have turned out for them, for America, for the world itself, if Hillary Rodham had really turned down Bill Clinton?

With her sharp but always compassionate eye, Sittenfeld explores the loneliness, moral ambivalence and iron determination that characterise the quest for high office, as well as the painful compromises demanded of female ambition in a world ruled by men. 

Uncannily astute and witty in the telling, RODHAM is a brilliant reimagining – an unmissable literary landmark and truly a novel of our times.

©2020 Curtis Sittenfeld (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

‘Startlingly good. One of my favourite writers.’ Kate Atkinson

What listeners say about Rodham

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    5 out of 5 stars

Fanciful re-imagining is "Hillarious" fun

This book re-tells the life story of Hillary Rodham based on fact up a "Sliding Doors" moment in 1975 when, instead of marrying Bill Clinton she decides to make her own way in politics. The story is written in the first person and we hear of Hillary's early life where is a confident and self opinionated nine year old from Chicago.

At Yale where she is the brightest year in her year she meets Bill Clinton for the first time and is lured by his water melons. Although Bill is not her first lover she falls for him despite his philandering even in these early years. "Male urges have made a fool of me" says Bill as he is caught by Hillary with yet another woman.

The majority of men run for power because they want to, the majority of women run because someone suggests they should. In the re-imagined story, Hillary takes several years to reach her potential driven by a wish to talk truth to power.

In the somewhat fanciful re-telling of the Hillary story, she runs against Bill Clinton for the Democrat nomination and, as you would expect by now, wins following an endorsement from, of all people Donald Trump. We are entering the world of complete fantasy as Hillary Rodham (she never marries) becomes the first woman President of the United States beating Jed Bush. Some of the imagined "facts" are hilarious, eg Hillary's 23 minute acceptance speech and a strange episode where she asks one of her advisers to shave her legs in the back of a car.

It is no surprise that a book of this type has been published in the year of the US Presidential elections. Apparently the author has penned a similar story based on First Lady Bush. Although strange, it is more entertaining that I expected.

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9 people found this helpful

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Felt authentic and written with love

Brilliantly narrated. As for the writing, I felt I really got to know and like and care for Hillary. Made me think about equality and privilege.

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7 people found this helpful

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A very good listen

I really enjoyed listening to this book. It’s based on ‘what if?’ but contains more than enough facts to navigate us through different events. As a novel, it works really well, and it’s read with warmth and personality.

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5 people found this helpful

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  • 27-05-21

One of the Best Books I've Listened to for Years

This is a wonderful, wonderful novel. The poignancy of the life not lived is so perfect, and the history that so nearly might have been you can almost taste it. Brilliant clever and what a shame for Hillary. If only everyone had read this before the election she lost to Trump, I think she'd have won. Fabulous.

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3 people found this helpful

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Smart and compelling

Initially I thought what a strange idea to fictionalise an alternative narrative for real, living characters but this is very cleverly done. I loved this book. Hillary is likeable because she is so intelligently aware of how she is perceived as a disarmingly intelligent and honest. As in American Wife, the narrator is compassionately self-aware and compellingly reflective. Curtis Sittenfeld is a great writer whose creative imagination and no-nonsense style are hugely appealing.

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3 people found this helpful

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Brilliant

Had to keep reminding myself this was fiction and not an autobiography, so detailed! Imagination fabulous!

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2 people found this helpful

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Mesmerising - loved it

I devoured this book in days (and For almost of that I was looking after demanding kids in lockdown). I couldn’t stop listening and several scenes were jaw dropping. One time I actually was listening at work and gasped out loud so shocking was the story.

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2 people found this helpful

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Incredible!

I loved this soooo much, what a wonderful emotional journey. Curtis I hope you read this - you are my favourite author and your ability to take me to another world has gotten me through so many difficult times in life.

I cried so much at the end of the book!

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2 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars

Rushed the ending

Great book, a bit too much sex at the start and then fast forwarded the ending. Who doesn’t love election night?

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2 people found this helpful

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A great book 📚

I really enjoyed the alternative reality of Hillary Rodham’s journey to the White House, and all the adventures on the way. I bet Bill and Hillary have also read this with interest and amusement. The delivery by Carrington McDuffy was very well suited to the personality of the protagonist. I listened to the entire book twice over and loved it. Five stars ⭐️

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1 person found this helpful