Book Review: From the Corner of the Oval by Beck Dorey-Stein

Purchase on Amazon! $12.99 Kindle | $16.80 Hardcover

Published: 7/10/18

Pages: 352

My Copy Came From: The publisher Spiegel & Grau

Read Via: Hard copy

My Like Level: 3.5 out of 5

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Publisher’s Summary from Amazon:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “[This] breezy page turner is essentially Bridget Jones goes to the White House.”—The New York Times

“Obama administration memoirs are rolling in, but in a refreshing twist From the Corner of the Oval swaps policy for good old-fashioned workplace drama.”—Entertainment Weekly

Recommended for summer reading by theSkimm • Jane Green on NBC’s Today show • Entertainment Weekly • Refinery29 • Bustle • PopSugar

In 2012, Beck Dorey-Stein is working five part-time jobs and just scraping by when a posting on Craigslist lands her, improbably, in the Oval Office as one of Barack Obama’s stenographers. The ultimate D.C. outsider, she joins the elite team who accompany the president wherever he goes, recorder and mic in hand. On whirlwind trips across time zones, Beck forges friendships with a dynamic group of fellow travelers—young men and women who, like her, leave their real lives behind to hop aboard Air Force One in service of the president.

As she learns to navigate White House protocols and more than once runs afoul of the hierarchy, Beck becomes romantically entangled with a consummate D.C. insider, and suddenly the political becomes all too personal.

Against the backdrop of glamour, drama, and intrigue, this is the story of a young woman making unlikely friendships, getting her heart broken, learning what truly matters, and, in the process, discovering her voice.

Praise for From the Corner of the Oval

“Who knew the West Wing could be so sexy? Beck Dorey-Stein’s unparalleled access is obvious on every page, along with her knife-sharp humor. I tore through the entire book on a four-hour flight and loved reading all about the brilliant yet hard-partying people who once surrounded the leader of the free world. Lots of books claim to give real insider glimpses, but this one actually delivers.” —Lauren Weisberger, author of The Devil Wears Prada

“Ms. Dorey-Stein . . . writes with wit and self-deprecating humor.”—The Wall Street Journal

“Addictively readable . . . Dorey-Stein’s spunk and her sparkling, crackling prose had me cheering for her through each adventure. . . . She never loses her starry-eyed optimism, her pinch-me wonderment, her Working Girl pluck.”—Paul Begala, The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)

My Thoughts:

I finished this book along the banks of the Payette River in Idaho. It was certainly interesting to read a book about a Democratic Presidency while living in a notoriously Republican State. I generally make it a rule of mine not to read any books which are politically and/or socially motivated. It isn’t that I’m not interested in reading about other peoples perspectives or lives, I just feel like reading is my only chance at an escape from the constant barrage of politics and social issues we face in everyday life. I want to read stories that take me away from all of that. When I was sent a copy of this book, I was challenged to read a book I wouldn’t normally have picked up on my own.

And THAT is why I LOVE being a book reviewer.

I really enjoyed Beck’s book. All politics aside, it was so interesting to have a fly on the wall perspective inside a Presidential Team. Beck was interesting, relatable and fun to go along the journey with. I rooted for her, but at the same time I felt myself so frustrated with her at times, much like I’m sure she felt with herself too. That “Jason” guy, who ever he is in the real world, is a piece of work. I could not understand why a smart woman like Beck would fall for such an a-hole. There must have been quite a bit of “good reasoning” that was left out of the book. Because in my opinion, Jason never seemed worth it. All the heartache, embarrassment and demoralizing situations Beck was in didn’t seem worth what she was getting out of the relationship. I got a bit tired of the back and forth, the will she or won’t she let Jason into her hotel room on each trip.

Speaking of trips, let’s talk about that sweet travel log Beck racked up traveling with POTUS. Cuba, Vietnam, India, the list goes on and on. Wow! On Air Force One none-the-less! Fun Fact: On Air Force One, you pay for your own food and drinks, but you get a “per-diem” for each trip. The White House employees get paid this per-diem to compensate for any money they spend traveling! The group of coworkers Beck was traveling with became a sort of dysFUNctional family and I looked forward to their interactions almost as much as the little moments she had with the Leader of the Free World. They got to experience things no one else in the world gets to do. Traveling with Secret Service protection, visiting places no one else has access to, and at the end of the day staying out late to watch the sunrise in different parts of the world.

This book was a really enjoyable experience even during the tough parts. It doesn’t shy away from the tough events that occurred during the Obama Presidency. Beck treats each event with the respect it deserves, and doesn’t use any of it to promote her story.

One side note: I like the cover of the copy I received (see above) a lot better than the final cover. Sorry guys!

Exciting news about this one…

Universal Pictures and Anonymous Content have purchased the movie option for this book! Look for this on the big screen in the next couple of years. 🙂

Thank you to the publisher Spiegel & Grau for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.