What Really Happened

John Edwards, Our Daughter, and Me

By: Rielle Hunter

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

The John Edwards - Rielle Hunter affair made headlines for years. "One of the biggest political scandals of all time", "a fall from grace", "a modern day tragedy"—it’s a story that has been reported, distorted, and spun over and over again by the media, by political aides, by the US government, and by supposed friends. There is, however, someone who actually knows the truth, someone who lived it from day one—the woman at the heart of the story itself: Rielle Hunter.

In What Really Happened, Hunter offers an extremely personal account of her relationship with John Edwards: the facts of how they actually met; how their accidental love started and escalated; what it was like to fall in love with a married man who decided to run for president; the surprise of becoming pregnant during the campaign; how the affair became public; the extensive coverup, and finally, what happened in the years after Edwards publicly admitted to being the father of their daughter, Frances Quinn.

Meet Edwards’ political players and get an intimate look at how they really operated. Learn about the evolution of friends, enablers, and do-gooders, their involvement with the affair and Edwards' 2008 presidential campaign, and where the money from Rachel "Bunny" Mellon and Fred Baron actually went. This book doesn’t spin the truth to achieve a prettier picture or a better story. It isn’t about changing anyone’s mind. It’s simply the facts, the truth of what really happened.

Rielle Hunter has been writing since 1993 and has studied meditation, yoga, and Eastern philosophies. What Really Happened is her first book. She has one daughter, Frances Quinn.

©2012 Rielle Hunter (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Another fascinating side of a bizarre drama

What would have made What Really Happened better?

Cutting out the "life coach" psychobabble in Hunter's distorted interpretations of the motivations of everyone involved would have been good.

If you’ve listened to books by Rielle Hunter before, how does this one compare?

Rielle Hunter doesn't appear to have anything else to write about

What about Cassandra Campbell’s performance did you like?

I thought Cassandra Campbell did a fine job with this mostly dopey material---her delivery and pace were good. At times, I felt like as though the author herself was speaking. This doesn't happen very often in listening to audiobooks.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

It's an essential part of a trilogy that also includes Resilience and The Politician.

Any additional comments?

This book needed a lot more editing.

What a waste of time

What would have made What Really Happened better?

Less description of uninteresting moronic detail: "I had the Cesar salad and Johnny had a steak."

What was most disappointing about Rielle Hunter’s story?

She has nothing of interest to say. Oh, except when she's trashing her married lover's now dead wife. Nice one.

How could the performance have been better?

The performance was fine.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

All of the above.

Any additional comments?

The author proclaims to be new age-y and into karma, honesty, etc. Yes she's having an affair with a married man, gets pregnant by him, lies to everyone, trashes her lover's wife, calls her a 'witch on wheels' and talks about how horrible the wife was and she is dead and cannot defend herself. I think that's lousy.

The slimefest I thought it would be and more

Would you try another book from Rielle Hunter and/or Cassandra Campbell?

I bought this book interested in 'her' point of view. It was as low class as I expected. She's a delusional target with father issues.

Have you listened to any of Cassandra Campbell’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

She ozed self importance and emphasized words that made her seems clueless.

What character would you cut from What Really Happened?

Rielle. A grown woman with no morals, self esteem or insight.

Any additional comments?

She wants to be worldly and self aware. She needs to pick up a book on Narcissistic Personality Disorder and explore her (FOO) Family of Origin issues.

Not worth the time to read

What would have made What Really Happened better?

The whole book felt like she was trying to make herself look justified for her actions. I expected her to have some kind of compassion.

Has What Really Happened turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

How did the narrator detract from the book?

the narrator was good

Any additional comments?

Just wish I never read this book because I find it so hard to believe there are people out there like Rielle.