American Wife/Primary Colors

Disclaimer: These book choices were made apolitically and will be discussed as apolitically as possible.

I picked up American Wife as part of the "Buy 2, get a 3rd free" promotion at Barnes and Noble (along with Netherland and Stumbling on Happiness).  When I read the back, I thought it sounded kind of like Laura Bush.  Turns out the similarity is more than coincidental, and it's essentially a fictional memoir of the former first lady (and our current "neighbor," if you consider people living in much fancier neighborhoods two or three miles away to be your neighbors).

A few months ago I picked up and read Primary Colors.  It was only $1 at Half Price Books and a book I'd wanted to read.  I think it's been well-established by now that it's about the Bill Clinton campaign.

In an attempt to kill two birds with one stone and save some typing, I've made a helpful reference guide comparing the two books.  Please remember that any observations are about the fictional characters, not the real life people they are depicting, even if I decided not to bother with their fictional names. (Click to enlarge)

 

I'll let you decide which one seems like more fun.  Both books are about a character who compromises because he or she thinks it's for the best.  Both will make you feel pretty cynical about politics and politicians--but who doesn't feel that way anyway?  American Wife is certainly more a relationship drama than a novel of political intrigue but is not for prudes, despite its seemingly wholesome protagonist, while Primary Colors is about the thrill and mudslinging of the campaign trail.  Finally, if you are a huge fan or critic of the main characters' real life counterparts, I would recommend you stick to non-fiction.  There's no need to get riled up by praise or condemnation of a fictional character.