Despite moments of frustrating caution, her memoir Something Lost, Something Gained is revealing about Bill and exhilarating on her feminist mission.
Hillary Clinton is one of my political heroes. In the times when I shouldered the responsibilities of leadership, I often looked to her for inspiration. Running for and holding public office is tough for anyone – rightly so – but it is harder for women. We are held to different standards. Less likely to be given credit for our successes, more likely to be crucified for our failures.
There is no female politician in the democratic world who has suffered more vilification – or shown more resilience in the face of it – than Hillary Clinton. So on any occasion when I might have felt beaten down, it was Hillary I looked to. I still do sometimes. If she can withstand everything that has been thrown at her over the years and keep going, so can I.
Clinton’s memoir Something Lost, Something Gained offers a complex portrait of a woman who has been both the victim of immense public scrutiny and a shrewd, strategic political player. While the book is at times frustrating in its caution – particularly in its reluctance to fully confront the darker sides of her political career – it is also a powerful testament to her enduring feminist mission.
The memoir digs into Clinton’s personal and political journey, offering an intimate look at her life with Bill, their shared history, and the immense pressure she has faced throughout her career. In many ways, Clinton’s narrative is one of resilience in the face of systemic gender bias. She has navigated decades of public life while being held to higher standards than her male counterparts, often painted as too ambitious, too calculating, or, conversely, too weak.
Yet, for all its revelations, Clinton’s book is not entirely free of the caution that has characterized much of her public persona. Her tendency to avoid full transparency, particularly in terms of some of her more controversial political decisions, leaves gaps in her story that might otherwise have offered a fuller portrait of her legacy.
But it is her feminist mission that stands out in this memoir. Clinton has long been a champion for women’s rights, and her book reinforces this commitment. Her message is clear: women must continue to push back against the obstacles they face, whether they are political, personal, or societal. Despite the setbacks, she remains a beacon for those who believe in the power of women to lead, persevere, and succeed, no matter the odds.
