Mi vida, del presidente Clinton, es un impresionante y sorprendentemente honesto retrato de un lider global que decidio cuando era joven que dedicaria sus dotes intelectuales y politicos, y su extraordinaria capacidad para el trabajo duro, al servicio de los ciudadanos.

Nos muestra el avance de un americano notable que, gracias a sus enormes energias y su esfuerzo, logro realizar el improbable viaje desde Hope, Arkansas, hasta la Casa Blanca - un trayecto alimentado por su apasionado interes en el proceso politico que se manifesto en cada etapa de su vida: en la universidad, trabajando como becario para el senador William Fulbright; en Oxford, cuando formo parte del movimiento de protesta contra la guerra de Vietnam en la facultad de Derecho de Yale, haciendo campana a nivel de base para los candidatos democratas; y de nuevo en Arkansas, cuando se presento candidato al Congreso, a fiscal general y al cargo de gobernador.

A lo largo de esta obra, somos testigos de como su carrera politica se forjo a partir de su decidida voluntad de mejorar la vida de sus conciudadanos, un compromiso firme con el avance de los derechos civiles, y una excepcional capacidad de comprender los detalles practicos de la vida politica.
Tambien llegamos a comprender las presiones emocionales a las que se vio sometido en su juventud, desde su nacimiento tras la temprana muerte de su padre, hasta la dificil situacion que vivio, atrapado en una relacion disfuncional entre su energica madre que tanto se preocupo de el, y un padrastro maltratador al que jamas dejo de querer, y cuyo nombre adopto. Asistimos a la atraccion que sintio por la brillante e irresistible Hillary Rodham, con la cual decidio casarse, y a la apasionada devocion, desde su infancia, a su hija Chelsea, asi como a toda la experiencia de la paternidad. Y tambien, como lenta y dolorosamente, empieza a comprender que su temprana negacion del dolor en ocasiones le arrastro a pautas de conducta daninas.

El libro del presidente Clinton es tambien la narracion mas completa, matizada y con mas detalles concretos de una presidencia que se ha escrito jamas, abarcando no s-lo los momentos mas destacados de las crisis sino tambien la manera en que la presidencia funciona realmente: el bombardeo cotidiano de problemas, personalidades, conflictos, reveses y exitos.Es un testamento acerca del impacto positivo que su labor y sus ideales tuvieron en Estados Unidos y en todo el mundo.
Es el emocionante relato de un presidente sometido a un asalto implacable y concertado, orquestado por sus enemigos de la extrema derecha, as’ como la historia de como sobrevivo y termino por prevalecer sobre todo ello.

Estamos ante un tesoro de momentos capturados en toda su vivacidad, entre ellos:
* El nino de diez anos contemplando las convenciones politicas nacionales en el nuevo (y primer) aparato de television familiar.
* La montana rusa que fue la campana de 1992.
* Las conversaciones extraordinariamente francas con Newt Gingrich y Bob Dole.
* La delicada manipulacion necesaria para convencer a Rabin y Arafat de que se dieran la mano frente a las camaras, a la vez que debia evitarse que Arafat besara a Rabin.
* El coste, tanto publico como privado, del escandalo que amenaza- a la presidencia.

Nos hallamos frente a la vida de una destacada figura nacional e internacional, que nos es revelada con todos sus talentos y contradicciones, contada abiertamente, con su voz personal y reconocible. Un libro excepcional de un americano excepcional.

ENGLISH DESCRIPTION

1 New York Times Bestseller

President Bill Clinton’s My Life is the strikingly candid portrait of the
42nd U.S. president, a global leader who decided early in life to devote his
intellectual and political gifts, and his extraordinary capacity for hard
work, to serving the public.

It shows us the progress of a remarkable American, who, through his own
enormous energies and efforts, made the unlikely journey from Hope, Arkansas,
to the White House-a journey fueled by an impassioned interest in the political
process which manifested itself at every stage of his life: in college,
working as an intern for Senator William Fulbright; at Oxford, becoming part
of the Vietnam War protest movement; at Yale Law School, campaigning on the
grassroots level for Democratic candidates; back in Arkansas, running for
Congress, attorney general, and governor.

We see his career shaped by his resolute determination to improve the life
of his fellow citizens, an unfaltering commitment to civil rights, and an
exceptional understanding of the practicalities of political life.

We come to understand the emotional pressures of his youth-born after his
father’s death; caught in the dysfunctional relationship between his feisty,
nurturing mother and his abusive stepfather, whom he never ceased to love and
whose name he took; drawn to the brilliant, compelling Hillary Rodham, whom
he was determined to marry; passionately devoted, from her infancy, to their
daughter, Chelsea, and to the entire experience of fatherhood; slowly and
painfully beginning to comprehend how his early denial of pain led him at
times into damaging patterns of behavior.

President Clinton’s book is also the fullest, most concretely detailed,
most nuanced account of a presidency ever written-encompassing not only the
high points and crises but the way the presidency actually works: the
day-to-day bombardment of problems, personalities, conflicts, setbacks,
achievements.

It is a testament to the positive impact on America and on the world of his
work and his ideals.

It is the gripping account of a president under concerted and unrelenting
assault orchestrated by his enemies on the Far Right, and how he survived and
prevailed.

It is a treasury of moments caught alive, among them:

* The ten-year-old boy watching the national political conventions on his
family’s new (and first) television set.

* The young candidate looking for votes in the Arkansas hills and the local
seer who tells him, Anybody who would campaign at a beer joint in Joiner at
midnight on Saturday night deserves to carry one box… . You’ll win here.
But it’ll be the only damn place you win in this county. (He was right on
both counts.)

* The roller-coaster ride of the 1992 campaign.

* The extraordinarily frank exchanges with Newt Gingrich and Bob
Dole.

* The delicate manipulation needed to convince Rabin and Arafat to shake
hands for the camera while keeping Arafat from kissing Rabin.

* The cost, both public and private, of the scandal that threatened the
presidency.

Here is the life of a great national and international figure, revealed
with all his talents and contradictions, told openly, directly, in his own
completely recognizable voice. A unique book by a unique American.