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- Title: What Happened
- Author: Hillary Rodham Clinton
- Narrator: Hillary Rodham Clinton
- Length: 18:35:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 12/09/2017
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
- Genre: Biography & Memoir, Politics, Law & Politics, Public Policy
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
It reminds me of a time when I was weaving through the dusty roads of Oaxaca, the sun dipping low, painting the sky with hues of fire and gold. I’d just plugged into an audiobook, letting the narrator’s voice wash over me like a warm breeze. That’s the kind of intimacy I crave in a listening experience, and it’s exactly what I found when I dove into “What Happened”, narrated by Hillary Rodham Clinton herself. This isn’t just a political memoir – it’s a raw, unfiltered journey through one of the wildest elections in modern history, delivered straight from the source. You can almost feel the weight of her words, the gravel in her voice, as she unpacks the 2016 presidential race.
The story unfolds like a long, winding road trip – full of unexpected detours, breathtaking highs, and gut-punching lows. Hillary doesn’t hold back. She takes us behind the curtain of her campaign, exposing the chaos of running as the first woman nominated by a major party in a contest drenched in sexism, Russian meddling, and a rule-breaking opponent. It’s a tale of resilience, sure, but it’s also a candid reckoning with failure. I couldn’t help but think back to those evenings in Oaxaca, sitting with a family as their grandmother spun tales of triumph and loss. Her pauses, her cadence – they carried the weight of lived experience. Hillary’s narration has that same quality: an oral storytelling masterclass where every sigh, every shift in tone, tells you she’s been through the fire.
The audiobook experience here is something special. At just over 18 hours, it’s a commitment, but the duration feels earned. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio, the production is crisp – none of that muffled nonsense you sometimes get with lesser recordings. And Hillary’s voice? It’s not polished or performative in that overly rehearsed way some narrators lean into. It’s real. You can hear the exhaustion when she recounts election night, the quiet resolve when she talks about picking herself up. There’s a moment where she describes staring out at the crowd after her concession speech, and you can almost taste the bitter tang of that memory in her delivery. It’s the kind of narration that pulls you in close, like she’s sitting across from you at a weathered kitchen table, coffee in hand, spilling her soul.
The content itself is a tapestry of personal reflection and political analysis. She digs into the mechanics of the election – how misogyny shaped the narrative, how foreign interference tilted the scales – and she doesn’t shy away from her own missteps. There’s a bracing honesty when she admits to underestimating Trump’s appeal or misjudging the mood of the country. As someone who’s spent years chasing hidden histories and human connections, I appreciated how she connects the dots between the personal and the systemic. It’s not just her story; it’s a warning about the fragility of democracy. The new epilogue, added post-Trump era, hit me particularly hard – her fears about authoritarianism ringing true as I recalled protests I’d witnessed in cities from Santiago to Lisbon, where people marched against the same creeping threats she describes.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. There’s a thread of hope woven through, especially when she talks about the women who ran for office in droves after 2016, or the young activists taking to the streets. It reminded me of a night in the Atacama Desert, listening to “One Hundred Years of Solitude” as the stars blazed overhead. That narrator’s voice had carried me through a family’s rise and fall, and here, Hillary’s does the same for a nation’s. Her rituals for coping – yoga, wine, time with friends – felt like mile markers on her road to recovery, and they grounded the story in something deeply human.
That said, the audiobook isn’t flawless. At times, the political analysis can feel dense, like a lecture hall detour on an otherwise scenic drive. If you’re not a policy wonk, some sections might drag – especially when she dives into the minutiae of campaign strategy or voter data. And while her narration is authentic, it’s not always dynamic. She’s no professional voice actor; there are moments where a bit more energy could’ve lifted the text. Compared to, say, Brené Brown’s “Daring Greatly” – another audiobook I’ve devoured – Hillary’s delivery lacks that extra spark of warmth or theatricality. But maybe that’s the point. This isn’t a performance; it’s a confession.
For me, “What Happened” resonates because it mirrors the messy, beautiful complexity of the stories I chase as a travel writer. It’s about a woman navigating uncharted territory, much like the winding paths I’ve trekked across continents. I think of that grandmother in Oaxaca again – her voice steady even as it cracked with emotion – and I hear echoes of that in Hillary. The strengths here are undeniable: a firsthand account of history, a feminist lens on power, and a narration that feels like a conversation. The limitations? A touch too wonky at times, and a delivery that won’t win any awards for flair. But if you’re drawn to biography, memoir, or political deep dives, this is a must-listen.
I’d recommend this audiobook to anyone who loves a story that’s equal parts heart and grit – thinkers, activists, or just folks who want to understand 2016 beyond the headlines. It’s not light listening, but it’s rewarding, like a meal of mole negro after a long day on the road: rich, complex, and worth savoring. And if you can snag it as a free audiobook – say, through a trial on Audiobooks.com – it’s an even sweeter deal.
Reflecting on it now, “What Happened” feels like a companion to my own journeys. It’s a reminder that the best stories – whether told by a campfire or through earbuds – come from those who’ve lived them. Hillary’s voice lingers with me, steady and unbowed, a testament to the power of speaking your truth, no matter the odds.
Until the next story unfolds, amigos,
Marcus Rivera
