NewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorandSouthDakotagovernorKristiNoemtellsherroughandtumblestoryofgrowinguponaranch,andhowablessedlifeoftruegrittaughtherhowtolead.“Wedon’tcomplainaboutthings,Kristi.Wefixthem.“Takingherfather’swordstoheart,SouthDakota’sfirstwomangovernorKristiNoemsharesheartfelt-andheartbreaking-lessonsonmakingthingsrightintheworld,fromherchildhoodonafarminthevastnessofruralAmerica,tothemarbledhallsofCongress,tothenationalspotlightamidaglobalpandemic.Fromhumorousbarnyardbattleswithfeistycattleandrodeohorses,tothetragicanduntimelydeathofherlarger-than-lifefather,toherdecisiontoherdecisiontoreturnandrunthefarmandranchwithherfamily,Noeminvitesreadersintoalifedefinedbywork,faith,andhelpingothers.Noem’sreflectionsareofferedinthefamiliar,unvarnishedvoiceofawomanwholaterdefiedWashington’smostpowerfulpoliticiansandledthepeopleofhersmall,hardscrabblestatethroughnaturaldisasters,thepainofaglobalpandemic,andthefearandturmoilthatgrippedthenationafter.Whilefilledwithplentyofcandidobservationsandrefreshinglyfrankassessmentsofthecountry’sleadingfigures,thememoir’smostpowerfulmomentsneverthelesscomefromhonestglimpsesintomarriage,motherhood,andleadershipinanunpredictabletime.Farfromabookaboutpolitics,NotMyFirstRodeoisthestoryofalifelivedsofar-withcharactersasrichlytexturedastheBlackHills,andreflectionsasgentleandpowerfulasAmericaitself.
