Hard Choices

By: Hillary Rodham Clinton

Narrated by: Kathleen Chalfant, Hillary Rodham Clinton

Length: 26 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Hillary Rodham Clinton's inside account of the crises, choices, and challenges she faced during her four years as America's 67th Secretary of State, and how those experiences drive her view of the future.

In the aftermath of her 2008 presidential run, she expected to return to representing New York in the United States Senate. To her surprise, her former rival for the Democratic Party nomination, newly elected President Barack Obama, asked her to serve in his administration as Secretary of State. This memoir is the story of the four extraordinary and historic years that followed, and the hard choices that she and her colleagues confronted.

Secretary Clinton and President Obama had to decide how to repair fractured alliances, wind down two wars, and address a global financial crisis. They faced a rising competitor in China, growing threats from Iran and North Korea, and revolutions across the Middle East. Along the way, they grappled with some of the toughest dilemmas of US foreign policy, especially the decision to send Americans into harm's way, from Afghanistan to Libya to the hunt for Osama bin Laden.

Drawing on conversations with numerous leaders and experts, Secretary Clinton offers her views on what it will take for the United States to compete and thrive in an interdependent world. She makes a passionate case for human rights and the full participation in society of women, youth, and LGBT people. An astute eyewitness to decades of social change, she distinguishes the trendlines from the headlines and describes the progress occurring throughout the world, day after day.

Secretary Clinton's descriptions of diplomatic conversations at the highest levels offer listeners a master class in international relations, as does her analysis of how we can best use "smart power" to deliver security and prosperity in a rapidly changing world - one in which America remains the indispensable nation.

©2014 Hillary Rodham Clinton. All rights reserved. (P)2014 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Worth the listen

Love her or hate her, this is history. I am amazed at how much this woman has done for our country.

Great read if you are interested in foreign policy

A good read if you are interested in American foreign policy. This book goes deep into foreign affairs issues, the decisions, and the rational behind them. In writing this book Hillary Clinton reveals her deep thought into policy and America's place in history.

The most boring book ever!

As a political insider for so many years and interactions with various world leaders, I was hoping for some interesting stories, information about personality quirks, etc. Instead, this is just one very long history lesson. The narrator, while sounding similar to Mrs. Clinton, was very monotone making the book even more painful to listen to. If you are looking for a detailed account of recent history, then this is for you. Otherwise, I recommend you pass on it.

New Narrator, Please

Silly me thought the whole thing was going to be read by HRC but, had I taken a closer look, that would have been obvious to me so that is not my complaint. My complaint is that the main narrator has a voice that sounds much older and could put anyone to sleep. Very little emphasis or tone change. Every word sounds the same. I can’t deal with this. A great story rendered boring.

Insightful and eye opening view of the world

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, because Hillary is able to humanize characters on the world stage that we only get to know by sound bites and shallow reporting.

What did you like best about this story?

Hillary's determination to find the truth, a leader's true motivation and her willingness to pull people forward and challenge their motivations and appeal to their goodness. She is not always successful and her triumphs are rarely complete but she is a true American motivated to live her ideals and protect ours..

What does Kathleen Chalfant and Hillary Rodham Clinton bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Kathleen's inflections are similar to Hillary and I forget sometimes that it isn't Hillary reading. In that moment I am disappointed that it is not Hillary's real voice but understand that it is probably better to have a professional handle the audio.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I felt extremely frustrated with the quagmire that is our involvement in the Middle East. The irrational relationships we are burdened with because of our foolhardy entry into a war that we had no business starting.

Campaign prep but interesting

This is a both a campaign document and a interesting look at her time in office as Secretary of State.

great insight

what goes into the negotiations and decisions of the Secretary of State is true eyeopening stuff. well written, good flow

A terrific current world history book from the eye of former secretary of State .

As I was interested in Hillary as a presidential candidate I thought I need to read both Living History and Hard Choice to learn more about her as a politician and a human being. The Hard Choice taught me so much about the world and The USA, global economy and the leadership required by the USA government. Enjoyed the book immensely.
Hillary is a great writer, an advocate of Human Rights, a savvy politician and business woman.Who could be better suited to be president than Hillary? She will serve our country with distinction. B Zubay, a retired school Head in West Palm Beach

Lots of travel Secy of State

Kind of loved it. She is gutsy to be with presidential materials so unabashedly!Great Lady

Wonky and detailed.

This isn't a juicy book full of gossip. It's a self-conscious book written by someone who obviously plans to run for president. It taught me so much about how the political and economic systems in the world interrelate. It was a GREAT font of information!