Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?, Alyssa Mastromonaco
Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?, Alyssa Mastromonaco
17 Rating(s)
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Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?
And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House

Bestseller

Author: Alyssa Mastromonaco, Lauren Oyler

Narrator: Alyssa Mastromonaco

Unabridged: 5 hr 58 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Twelve

Published: 03/21/2017

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

If your funny older sister were the former deputy chief of staff to President Barack Obama, her behind-the-scenes political memoir would look something like this . . .
Alyssa Mastromonaco worked for Barack Obama for almost a decade, and long before his run for president. From the then-senator's early days in Congress to his years in the Oval Office, she made Hope and Change happen through blood, sweat, tears, and lots of briefing binders.

But for every historic occasion -- meeting the queen at Buckingham Palace, bursting in on secret climate talks, or nailing a campaign speech in a hailstorm -- there were dozens of less-than-perfect moments when it was up to Alyssa to save the day. Like the time she learned the hard way that there aren't nearly enough bathrooms at the Vatican.

Full of hilarious, never-before-told stories, Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? is an intimate portrait of a president, a book about how to get stuff done, and the story of how one woman challenged, again and again, what a "White House official" is supposed to look like. Here Alyssa shares the strategies that made her successful in politics and beyond, including the importance of confidence, the value of not being a jerk, and why ultimately everything comes down to hard work (and always carrying a spare tampon).

Told in a smart, original voice and topped off with a couple of really good cat stories, Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? is a promising debut from a savvy political star.

About Alyssa Mastromonaco

Alyssa Mastromonaco served as assistant to the president and director of scheduling and advance at the White House from 2009 to 2011 and as assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for operations at the White House from 2011 to 2014. She is the New York Times bestselling author of Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? with Lauren Oyler and a contributor to Crooked Media.


Reviews

Goodreads review by emma on May 11, 2017

Because I cannot do anything earnestly, I'll preface this review by saying that I really, really hate the title of this book. It's a blatant play on Mindy Kaling's first book, but it doesn't stick in the memory. In fact, I couldn't remember the title well enough to look it up, and had to go by the a......more

Goodreads review by Fred on April 07, 2017

I am stopping at page 159. This book is too annoying. I love political anecdotes, but this woman thinks she is funny (she is not), and I have read enough about her menstrual cycle, digestive problems, and love life. She has not kept my interest nor entertained me. Not recommended. Moving on.......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on April 28, 2017

2.5 stars. What to say about this one? The writing itself is not very good. And it feels extremely derivative of Mindy Kaling's work and style (even going so far as to basically copycat Kaling's own book title, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)). Mastromonaco is pretty open abo......more

Goodreads review by Jean on May 26, 2017

This is the autobiography/memoir of Alyssa Mastromonaco. She starts off telling about growing up in a small town in New York. While attending the University of Vermont she did her summer internship with Bernie Sanders. After college she worked for Senator John Kerry then obtained a job with Senator......more

Goodreads review by Katie on May 29, 2017

I work in library IT and have no desire to work in a different industry, especially the private sector, and I'm finding these stories of powerful woman who work in public service really valuable and inspiring.......more


Quotes

"Always fascinating and very funny, Alyssa's book is full of juicy stories from one of the world's most glamorous jobs."—Mindy Kaling, New York Times bestselling author of Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) and Why Not Me?

"WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA? is everything we've come to know and love about Alyssa over the decade we worked with her: brilliant, funny, grounded, and inspiring. Anyone who's interested in politics - especially young people - should read this book."—Dan Pfeiffer and Jon Favreau, former communications director and speechwriter for President Barack Obama

"Few people have had as much access and influence over national events over the last decade as Alyssa Mastromonaco. No matter how serious the crisis or hard the problem, Alyssa took care of it with great skill and professionalism, and even greater humor. This book tells the story of a young woman succeeding under extraordinary circumstances, and throughout it all, never taking herself too seriously."—Stephanie Cutter, former deputy campaign manager for President Barack Obama

"I've often wondered how a woman can be so many things wrapped up in one dynamic package. Alyssa is my fairy godmother: she's wise, resourceful, insanely smart, and makes me laugh in a very special way. Her stories - from the front line of the White House to her kitchen - will entertain, inspire, and humor you for a long time to come."—Amanda de Cadenet

"Alyssa is a force: whip-smart, humble, and funny as hell. Her writing is as fearless as she is."—Sophia Amoruso, founder and CEO of Girlboss

"A candid and charming memoir of her unexpected career in government...The memoir abounds with intimate glimpses of Washington, D.C., celebrities (Biden, Clinton, Michelle Obama, and scores more) and cheerfully dispensed survival strategies. An entertaining look inside the White House."—Kirkus

"When imagining working in the White House, many picture meaningful meetings, glamorous dinners, and high-stakes decision making. It can be all of those things. But as Alyssa Mastromonaco writes in WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?, the reader gets a real and raw peek behind the curtains where Alyssa experiences the good, the bad, the distressing, and the often hilarious. Alyssa has real grit and grace, and her book is her story very well told."—Dana Perino, New York Times bestselling author of And the Good News Is... and Let Me Tell You About Jasper...

"A combination memoir and compendium of very good suggestions about how to get ahead -- very far ahead -- at an early age."—The Washington Post

"[WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA] is brimming with...humorous, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, as well as up-close-and-personal moments with Obama that shed new light on who he is as a leader, man and friend."—People.com

"A moving, funny, and sometimes heart-wrenching look back at the years [Alyssa Mastromonaco] spent in politics and by [President Obama's] side."—PopSugar.com