There has been much written about Sarah Palin. Outside of her own biography Going Rogue there isn’t much that has been written that gives you a real inside look at the former Governor of Alaska, former Vice Presidential candidate, and current Fox News contributor and author.
We may think from all the coverage that we know her, but that simply isn’t the case. I realized this when I received an advanced copy of Our Sarah: Made in Alaska written by her dad, Chuck Heath, Sr. and her older brother, Chuck Heath, Jr. you get an intimate portrait of Palin by people who know her and love her best.
The Hachette Book Group describes Our Sarah as a combination of Going Rogue with the flavor of the Discovery Channel’s Sarah Palin’s Alaska. Reading through the book I felt like I was having coffee with Chuck Sr. as he would tell stories about his childhood, moving his family to Alaska, and the family’s adjustment to Palin’s political career.
You get a better sense of a person when you meet their family, and learning more about Mr. Heath helped me as a reader better understand Governor Palin’s values, work ethic, character and personality. The book is structured around the themes of family, faith, independence, resilience, character, risk-taking and adventure. This isn’t a political book and discussion of her political life is centered around stories and shared experiences with her. There isn’t much discussion of policy, but they wanted to give insight into why she made certain decisions like, for instance, her decision to resign as Governor.
Our Sarah also gives a perspective on how Governor Palin is shaped by her childhood experiences, her faith in Christ, and life in Alaska. As someone who looks at Governor Palin favorably I gained a deeper appreciation of her character and experience. Someone who doesn’t share my opinion I think, if reading with an open mind, will come away with a greater respect for her as a person even if they don’t agree with her policies or politics. The book also renewed my desire to one day visit our 49th state. This book was an easy and engaging read and I highly commend Our Sarah to you when it is released on September 25th.