Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?

And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House

By: Alyssa Mastromonaco, Lauren Oyler

Narrated by: Alyssa Mastromonaco

Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

If your funny older sister were the former deputy chief of staff to President Barack Obama, her behind-the-scenes political memoir would look something like this....

Alyssa Mastromonaco worked for Barack Obama for almost a decade, and long before his run for president. From the then-senator's early days in Congress to his years in the Oval Office, she made Hope and Change happen through blood, sweat, tears, and lots of briefing binders.

But for every historic occasion - meeting the queen at Buckingham Palace, bursting in on secret climate talks, or nailing a campaign speech in a hailstorm - there were dozens of less-than-perfect moments when it was up to Alyssa to save the day. Like the time she learned the hard way that there aren't nearly enough bathrooms at the Vatican.

Full of hilarious, never-before-told stories, Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? is an intimate portrait of a president, a book about how to get stuff done, and the story of how one woman challenged, again and again, what a "White House official" is supposed to look like. Here Alyssa shares the strategies that made her successful in politics and beyond, including the importance of confidence, the value of not being a jerk, and why ultimately everything comes down to hard work (and always carrying a spare tampon).

Told in a smart, original voice and topped off with a couple of really good cat stories, Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? is a promising debut from a savvy political star.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2017 Alyssa Mastromonaco (P)2017 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"A candid and charming memoir of her unexpected career in government.... The memoir abounds with intimate glimpses of Washington, D.C., celebrities (Biden, Clinton, Michelle Obama, and scores more) and cheerfully dispensed survival strategies. An entertaining look inside the White House." (Kirkus)

An honest, entertaining account of political life

More of a "how to survive working in politics" guide than a political memoir, Alyssa Mastromonaco's recounting of her time with Senator, Candidate and finally President Barack Obama is a must read for anyone contemplating -- or currently struggling through -- a life as a political staffer.
Punctuated by personal stories and poignant advice throughout, Mastromonaco honestly details the difficulty of achieving a work life balance in the fast-paced world of politics. Though I imagine this story will be particularly helpful to women climbing the corporate or political ladder, "Who Thought this Was a Good Idea" should be on the top of any political geek's reading list, or that of anyone who looking to be entertained, informed and inspired.

It Was Just Like I Thought It Would Be

I was so very glad that I gave this book a listen. Mastromonaco's oral reading was easy to follow (rate and volume were perfect and she inflected in such a way that portrayed sincerity). While she revealed her experiences during the Obama presidency she thoroughly answered the questions posed in her title. I realized that this was not the intended outcome the author was going for but nonetheless... I have always admired President Obama and was always grateful for his service and now having "read" Mastromonaco's book I saw that it wasn't enough for there are many unsung heroes working in the White House and the author was one about whom we would have never known. I'm 65 years old and would never be a White House employee but I wanted to know what it was like. Thanks to this book I now know. I consider this to be a must buy.
This is an “AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY” .

Listening to this book is a GOOD IDEA!

Loved that this was read by the author. She makes you feel like she is in your living room telling stories about her time in the white house. She talks about Obama with admiration. I love that she got a tampon machine installed in the west wing restroom. I smiled the entire time I listened and felt inspired after.

Honest, enlightening stuff

This is a no holes barred look at living and working in the high stakes political bubble. Alyssa's unique way of reading brings out the pain and joy to the stories. This felt like the opening credits to a much deeper, wider story about the passion, angst, pain and glory of working for the most powerful person in the world. I wanted Soo much more and had a hundred questions after each chapter. She didn't peel back the layers of influence, power, control, or discrimination that she felt and saw. Who are the women presidential candidates she would leave it all to work for? I trust her gut instincts and want to be part of that campaign!! Mindy Kahling already bought the rights to this and plans to make it into the next "West Wing"! YES!!

Must listen

I'm a college professor and I think this book should become part of the curriculum. The messages of being prepared, resilience, and how scary change is are the same messages but far more compelling than any I usually make. I've recommended this book to my colleagues. It's entertaining and a peek behind the Obama administration curtain, but mostly this book is solid advice for people trying to establish a professional life.

political memoir for unpolitical people

I don't enjoy engaging in conversations about politics with other persons. I must say I do have a really hard time following everyone's stance on issues and their agendas. Also I was not an Obama supporter before reading this book. However, now I would like to know more about him. I'm a little unhappy that I didn't know as much as was presented in this book.
I gave the overall performance five stars however the story itself only four stars. There were a couple of times that the author flip-flopped between stories and timelines that left me a little confused as to where we were in the overall storyline.

Kitsch Worth Trying

The writing here is okay, and it does pain me to say this because I do think Alyssa is a person I’d like to spend a day with.

The writing is awkward, with good stories strewn in strange places for vague reasons which I think involve morals. Some anecdotes are way overcooked with explanation and exposition, while others which seem to have real West Wing grit end up annoyingly dry.

The final chapter is actually titled “Conclusion.”

So a lot (though not all) of these chapters read like the front flap of a book in an airport newsstand, but, yes, I do think they are worth reading.

It’s a good book, with good stories, and proves that every confident and inaccessibly dream-achieving person is dealing with the same anxiety, annoying dietary restrictions, dying cats, and requests to get other people Diet Coke that you are dealing with yourself.

funny and relatable

Fun book to get a first hand pov on working inside the white house and the struggles/sacrifices you have to make. Narration was smooth. really liked the structure of the book...lessons learned vs. straight timelime.

Loved it!

I'm 37, so close to the author's age and I found her very relatable. I loved her point of view and her witty take on situations. And, I also love Mindy Kaling and cats :)

A personable & well told narrative of an insider.

What made the experience of listening to Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? the most enjoyable?

Having the author read the book so that you get the emphasis and emotions she intended. A very well told narrative of being not only a part of the political world, but also a human being who, unlike movie characters, actually has to live in the real world.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Alyssa Mastromonaco. She did a great job of taking us inside her world.

Which character – as performed by Alyssa Mastromonaco – was your favorite?

Her, relaying her personal life while trying to do this job.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

Interesting from beginning to end. Too hard to pick!