The Country's Best Governor Wrote a Book

Politicians tend to write biographies when they are running for a new office and want to present a sympathetic view of themselves to their potential future constituents. I’m sure you can think of a number of books written by presidential candidates (or their ghostwriters) that fit that mold.

Gretchen Whitmer’s True Gretch is not one of those, at least from a timing perspective. It came out last summer, halfway through Whitmer’s second term as Governor of the state of Michigan. The timing coincided with President Biden’s dropping out of the presidential race, when Whitmer was mentioned as a potential Vice-Presidential nominee for Kamala Harris - but that timing could not have been foreseen by the Governor or her publishers. She is term-limited for her current position, and at least as of this writing doesn’t seem like she’s trying to position herself for another political office.

She has declined to throw her hat in the ring for either of the state’s Senatorial seats (one campaign in 2024 and now another Senate seat opening for 2026). But there are persistent rumors that she may run for President in 2028 (see this “horse race” article from just this week in The Hill), so maybe she’s just being pragmatic and thinking ahead…

This book is more personal and autobiographical than political. It’s structured as a series of chapter-length advice columns. The book’s 10 chapters each focuses on a piece of advice she offers readers, illustrated by incidents in her own life. Advice ranging from “Don’t let the bullies get you down” to “seek to understand” to “be a happy warrior” and more. Taken all together they paint a picture of Whitmer as a person as well as a politician.

There is a lot of humor in this book which may surprise some people. Especially for a book that deals in some heavy topics, including the plot to kill her during the COVID crisis. But if you’re a Michigander who has followed the Governor during her time in office you’ll be familiar with the tone she takes here.

Especially if you listen to the audiobook as I did. Gretchen Whitmer narrates the book herself, and her voice and sense of humor seem familiar to anyone who has seen her on the campaign trail or in the Michigan news for the last several years.

Whitmer has managed to make a lot of news in her time in office. From her handling of the COVID crisis, to the kidnapping / assassination plot against her, through her time over the last couple of years with a “trifecta” of Democratic control in Michigan (Governor’s office and both houses of the legislature). She has been recognized both within the state and at the national level as a pretty darn successful governor (as she herself might say), one who “gets shit down” as she definitely would say (though maybe not always so explicitly.)

The tone the Governor strikes in this book, familiar to Michiganders like me, is one of humor, pragmatism, compassion, and perseverance. Those are qualities that would suit her well should she run for the Presidency. So maybe this is a political book after all.

RATING: Four Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

RATING COMMENTS: A short autobiography of one of the nation’s most successful currently serving governors. Full of humor and compassion, and an interesting read for a political biography.

WHERE I GOT MY COPY: I listened to the audiobook downloaded from my local library through the Libby app.