READ THIS: Going Rogue by Sarah Palin

Will the real Sarah Palin please stand up?  She has, and that is the short reason why you should read this book.  If you want to have a qualified opinion on Sarah Palin, after 413 pages you will have one, one way or another, but you do not have one until she has had the chance to capture your attention in Going Rogue.

We strongly believe in professions being professional and doing the right thing. We strive for this every day through our journalistic endeavors here on Whom You Know and are disappointed in those that do not.  When Movers and Shakers are profiled, it is the Mover and Shaker that submits their biography to us, and of course we pick the best to send questions to and run.  Our point is that we think people should be given the chance at the very least, to represent themselves.  In Going Rogue, Sarah Palin represents herself and after reading this, we see she really was not given this chance during the Presidential campaign.  One year ago, Sarah Palin burst onto the national political stage as the Republican Vice Presidential nominee.  Now in her new book Going Rogue: An American Life, (Harper, Nov. 17, 2009, $28.99), the former Alaska Governor reveals her life and campaign experiences that have made her one of the most recognizable women in the world.

Going Rogue traces one ordinary citizen's extraordinary journey and unveils Governor Palin's vision for the future and her unfailing hope in the greatness of America and its remarkable citizens.    Aside from learning a lot about Sarah Palin in Going Rogue, you will learn a lot about Alaska-did you know it only cost the USA 2 cents an acre?  Did you know they have the highest pilots per capita in the USA?  (Apparently a huge necessity, given its vastness!)  We would venture to say that many in the lower 48 are ignorant of the realities of living in Alaska and learning about our state to the north is important to our American perspective.  And, perhaps now, with the weather outside you will empathize with Alaskans more than ever.  


What you may not know about Sarah Palin that you should:
*She wanted to be a sports reporter (for any of you that really know Peachy, this should sound familiar)
*She is impatient with politics
*She tried to reinvent the letter E as a child but the nuns would have none of it
*She says being "green" in Alaska is not about wearing Birkenstocks and driving a hybrid: it is about SURVIVAL
*She took her kids to council meetings and bucked the good old boys network as a supermom
*One of her earlier campaigns was "Positively Palin" with a pink and green theme (is this Lilly Pulitzer of the North?)...No one else up there was using pink and green
*She took a pay cut and cut property taxes
*It is more important to her to sleep well than to eat well
*She cares about details, will go through a budget with a keen eye and is not afraid to say veto
*She is accepting of contrasting opinions and in Going Rogue we find her to be hugely tolerant and flexible


As far as fashion goes, you know we at Whom You Know cover it (over 200 posts in Fashion Alert alone), and we do love Ann Taylor!  Sarah Palin had a wardrobe of Ann Taylor black suits before she ran for Vice President, so anyone that says she was fashionably challenged is mistaken.  We also embrace the culture of wearing flags on your lapel or wearing anything patriotic.  You can never be too jubilant about the United States of America, and we have always felt that way.  (See more on patriotism in Patriotic Peachy.)  We do feel that critiques on her style were sexist.  


Our favorite quotes by Sarah Palin:


"Look, we have to work twice as hard to prove we're half as capable as men think they are."


"Should Secretary Clinton and I ever sit down over a cup of coffee, I know that we will fundamentally disagree on many issues, but my hat is off to her hard work on the 2008 campaign trail.  Compared to the guys she squared off against, a lot of her supporters think she proved what Margaret Thatcher proclaimed: 'If you want something said, ask a man.  If you want something done, ask a woman.'"


"Americans with common sense and a passing acquaintance with history do not agree that you can build a strong and sound economy by spending money we don't have and redistributing wealth."


"The best way to avoid a fight is to be ready to fight."


Sarah Palin was change when change wasn't cool.  Sarah Palin is smart, has an excellent head on her shoulders, and we like her.  We look forward to hearing about her future endeavors and when this hockey mom is looking for a new lipstick, we do hope she reads Product Alert as we are always coming up with new ideas!  No one would ever mistake her for a pit bull, but we are so glad she stands up for what she believes in.  We hope it is not true that to be in politics, you have to be either rich or corrupt, and in the future we would not be one bit surprised to see Sarah Palin overcoming that statement in a world that would give her and everyone else not rich and not corrupt the same opportunity.  The legal system in this country needs an overhaul, but that would be another book.  We strongly recommend Going Rogue by Sarah Palin.  And by the way, in this weather, the people in Alaska should know the people in Manhattan, including Peachy Deegan, are wearing their Sorels, even on Fifth Avenue.  Frostbite is never fashionable.  Next time you are in Manhattan Sarah, do look us up!