Summary and Themes
My Life covers chronologically the life of Bill Clinton, growing up in Hope, Arkansas, moving to Hot Springs, Arkansas where he attended school and had learned the tenor saxophone, which would find its way into a peripheral role in his public appearances. His interest in politics eventually led him to the Governorship of Arkansas, and later, the Presidency of the United States. Along the way, Clinton offers anecdotes of ordinary people he had interacted with over the years.
Early in Clinton's life, he recalls listening to family's stories of others and learning "that no one is perfect but most people are good; that people can't be judged by their worst or weakest moments; that harsh judgments can make hypocrites of us all; that a lot of life is just showing up and hanging on; that laughter is often the best, and sometimes the only, response to pain."
Following his defeat for second term as governor, Clinton remarks, "the system can only absorb so much change at once; no one can beat all the entrenched interests at the same time; and if people think you've stopped listening, you're sunk."
In a political battle, one should wait for an attack from his opponent, then counterpunch as strong and as fast as possible. Early gaffes in Clinton's political career were a result, he believed, of taking too long to respond to attacks.
Read more about this topic: My Life (Bill Clinton Autobiography)
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