Far from home An Alaskan senator faces the extreme climate of Washington D.C

The Republican senator from Alaska offers a candid reflection on her toughest decisions and biggest electoral battles in her debut memoir. Murkowski charts her unique senatorial career, from her hesitant entry in 2002, appointed by her governor father ("people don't believe me when I say I didn't want an appointment"), through her historic 2010 write-in victory. Though her independent-mindedness had already been well-established as a member of the Alaska legislature (she was a pro-choice Republican), Murkowski traces her developing position in the Senate--"so often in the middle, standing up to the extremes"-- through some of her most contentious votes, including against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and in opposition to calling witnesses during Donald Trump's first impeachment trial. However, the memoir is most illuminating when Murkowski reflects on her commitment to addressing the distinctive needs of Alaskans, particularly destitute rural Native communities, and on the "cultural chasm" between Alaska and Washington, including the latter's shockingly overt misogyny and "bubble of affluence" in which elites are insulated from "the poverty of the city's majority people of color." Murkowski pegs the widening division between left and right as only offering "rhetoric" and "failure," an argument strengthened by her own mea culpa over her embrace of divisiveness as a young senator, when she "call every environmentalist an extremist." As a warning against the hazards of partisanship, this feels notably sincere. (June)

Between conscience and service: the Alaskan senator on ethical leadership. In this incisive and thought-provoking memoir, moderate Republican Murkowski dives directly into her Senate career, beginning with her controversial 2002 appointment by her father, followed by four hard-won terms--including her historic 2010 write-in campaign victory against Tea Party candidate Joe Miller. Throughout, Murkowski offers shrewd insight into Washington's complex and often shadowy political machinery, exposing power grabs within both parties. Stating her particular position as a Republican from the outset, she's careful to delineate how her values often stand apart, and she also reflects her disdain for our current two-party system as being a somewhat forced construct that doesn't necessarily reflect the views of the people, Alaskans in particular: "I am a Republican because I believe in personal responsibility, limited government, and individual liberty, but my party comes after my country, and Alaska is always first in my heart." She crafts a nuanced portrait of Alaska's uniqueness: a diverse population of approximately 700,000 spread across vast, challenging terrain, with substantial dependence on federal funding. Without excessive criticism of party colleagues, she does draw meaningful contrasts with figures like former Gov. Sarah Palin, who, she notes, "betrayed a weak command of issues and a shaky ability to connect sentences." Addressing Alaskans' "best interests," she writes, "This cultural and political chasm between Alaska and Washington is the central challenge of my service. Alaska really is different. And I am different because I am Alaskan, to my core." Murkowski touches on key decisions reflecting moral conscience over party allegiance--notably her votes against Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation and to convict Donald Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. Murkowski positions herself as a bridge between two worlds--Washington politics and Alaska's distinctive needs. Her message is both instructional and inspiring, subtly positioning herself as a role model for aspiring public servants, emphasizing that serving constituents transcends partisan victories and personal popularity. An engrossing political testament from a uniquely independent voice. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.