Nancy Pelosi has represented the San Francisco area in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1987. In 2007, she became the Speaker of the House, reaching one of the top leadership positions in American government. Her name was heard more often around the country; she was known, she was important, and she had authority. With this book, she dives into the details of the biggest challenges she has faced over the course of her legislative career.

Amazingly enough, Pelosi begins with the most personal and most recent story: the attack on her husband Paul during a home invasion in October 2022. We follow along as she deals with the pain, anger and concern for Paul's long recovery, as well as with the realization of the risks undertaken by people who hold public office. It's an interesting starting point for the book. It serves as an introduction to Pelosi and to her family, as they operate within this crisis situation. Yet it also emphasizes the seriousness of our current political climate.

After a few soundbites covering the first days of the Donald Trump presidency in 2017, Pelosi outlines her biggest legislative initiatives and battles of the past, in chronological order. These include the war with Iraq, U.S. relationships with China, the financial crisis of 2008, crafting and passing the Affordable Care Act, and dealing with the Trump presidency, the outcome of the 2020 election and the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Pelosi explains her leadership role in each instance, and how she aimed to work in a bipartisan manner in order to achieve success. Along the way, we learn more about her and about the processes and procedures of the American government. Pelosi views the Affordable Care Act as her top accomplishment. And we have to wonder: How could one person be as involved and as knowledgeable in all of these issues, as Nancy Pelosi was and still is? She was in the right place at the right time. And she is an intelligent person.

I chose to listen to this book on CD, and to listen to Pelosi tell her own story. I'm glad that I did. Naturally, she is an articulate speaker. At the beginning, you can hear the emotion and soft sadness in her voice as she talks about the attack on her husband, and how she considered it an attack on her and her entire family. Her passion shows up in a different, determined and professional way as she outlines the background discussions and negotiations needed to pass the most important pieces of legislation of our lifetimes.

Nancy Pelosi is obviously committed to serving the American public. The Art of Power reveals the intricacies of her legacy work and of that of her fellow members of Congress.