Know Your Power: A Message to America's Daughters is a 2008 memoir

Memoir

A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...

 by House Speaker

Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...

 Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...

, published by Doubleday on July 29, 2008. It is co-written with New York Times bestselling author and Peabody Award-winning writer Amy Hill Hearth. It is Pelosi's first published book.

Background

The book is a personal and political history describing her own youth as the daughter of U.S. Congressman Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr.

Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr.

Thomas J. D'Alesandro, Jr. was an American politician who was a U.S. Representative from Maryland's 3rd congressional district and subsequently the mayor of Baltimore, Maryland...

, being a stay-at-home mom, becoming a Democratic organizer in California, running for Congress at 47 and eventually becoming the highest ranking woman in the history of the United States government. Pelosi also writes about the experiences of other women to serve in Congress and opposition to the presidency and policies of George W. Bush

George W. Bush

George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....

. The book seeks to impart wisdom and re-inforce self-esteem in women of all ages.

The title comes from advice given to her by former Rep. Lindy Boggs

Lindy Boggs

Marie Corinne Morrison Claiborne Boggs, usually known as Lindy Boggs , is a United States political figure who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and later as ambassador to the Vatican. She was the first woman elected to Congress from Louisiana...

.

Publishing history

Doubleday acquired rights to publish Pelosi's memoirs in July 2007, led by Doubleday president Stephen Rubin. Pelosi was represented by the William Morris Agency, including chairman Norman Brokaw, who said, "When I first met Nancy Pelosi twenty years ago, I could tell she was destined to make history. I told her to start taking notes." In a Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...

described the book as "a gentle account from a tough politician."

Publicity tour

Pelosi's promotional tour for the book in July 2008 included appearances on Today, The View and The Colbert Report.

External links

• Know Your Power book listing by Random House
• Know Your Powre by Nancy Pelosi, readers' guide at Doubleday.com
• Nancy Pelosi Airs Some Clean Laundry in 'Power' Washington Post interview.