Staying True

By: Jenny Sanford

Narrated by: Jenny Sanford

Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

In this candid and compelling memoir, the first lady of South Carolina reveals the private ordeal behind her very public betrayal - and offers inspiration for anyone struggling to keep faith during life’s most trying times.

She’s been a successful investment banker, a mother of four, and the campaign manager for one of American politics’ rising stars - her husband, Mark Sanford of South Carolina, once widely hailed as a possible candidate for president in 2012. Yet to most Americans, Jenny Sanford is best known for the one role she refused to play - that of conventional political spouse standing silently by while her husband went before the media and confessed his infidelity. Instead, she stayed true - to herself, to her faith, and to her highest ideals of parenthood and public service. She chose to let Mark Sanford deal with the embarrassment and political fallout from his own actions while focusing her own efforts privately on raising their children to be men of character, even in the face of the lies their father has told.

In Staying True, Jenny Sanford recalls her shock and anguish upon discovering that her husband was having an affair with a woman in Argentina, and the further pain when she learned - just a day ahead of most Americans - that he had not ended the affair when she believed he had. She reveals the source of her determination to be honest and forthright instead of the victim in the tabloid passion play that gripped the nation in June 2009. But her story neither begins nor ends with Mark Sanford’s astounding fall from grace.

Writing with uncommon candor from a deep well of spiritual strength, Sanford shares personal stories and life lessons from before and after she stepped into the public realm. She recounts the many stresses - as well as the myriad joys - that she experienced on a daily basis while living in the governmental spotlight. (Just try keeping four young boys out of mischief in the governor’s mansion!). And she describes the many ways that the seductions of power can drive apart even the most committed couples.

At every step along her journey, Jenny Sanford has made choices: She gave up her career, moved far from her home state of Illinois, even changed her religious practices. Every choice was a glad concession to harmonious married life and, in some cases, to the support of her husband’s political aspirations. But the one thing she never gave up was her sense of self, her inner moral compass. Her remarkable poise and decency make her a role model for men and women alike. Her story will empower anyone who has fought to maintain independence and integrity - within a marriage or elsewhere in life.

©2010 Jenny Sanford (P)2010 Random House

An inspirational, uplifting read

This book Staying True shows courage, heartache, patience, love of family, religious upbringing. Jenny Sanford is such a brave person and a gracious person to write this book to let the world see into her soul and mind during such difficult times. Her love for her sons, and her God was clearly shown throughout this book. Through immense pain and a lot of prayer and soul searching, she remained true to herself. Every woman that has been through a bad relationship or divorce needs to read this. In times like these a woman needs her family and friends. Congratulations Jenny on Staying True!

Gossip at it's best

If you want a sense of the behind the scenes of this marriage, than this is the book for you. It is very "gossipy"---and really you end up wondering why in the world she would marry Mark. He never seemed very interested in her according to the book. But I thought it was an easy and fun listen.

Self indulgent

Over & over no through line - no resolution-
Disappointing - there is no story, no plot, just about herself

Just "OK"

An easy listen--but not a book I can recommend. Jenny Sanford seems like a very nice woman, humble in her accomplishments, kind in her relationships, naive in her marriage, a loving attentive mother, and a woman of great faith. But I would also say, she's portrayed as a woman without spark! Without spunk; without flavor! In a word, "boring." Describes both the book and the woman it portrays. I would have liked to have been able to say, that the book offered inspiration, insight, and hope. It just didn't.