Unthinkable just a generation ago, Hillary Clinton’s run for the presidency and Nancy Pelosi’s ascension to Speaker of the House have cast the spotlight on American political women as never before. In the 230 years of this country’s history, never has a woman–let alone a mother and a grandmother–risen to such a position of power as Nancy Pelosi did when she assumed her role as the first female Speaker of the House, third in line for the presidency.

In Madam Speaker, Marc Sandalow, an esteemed journalist and political analyst who covered Pelosi for decades, offers a richly nuanced portrait of the woman who made history. He charts Pelosi’s political roots, honing in on her father, who spent five terms in Congress and stored hundreds of copies of the Congressional Record under her bed, and goes on to examine how Pelosi, who didn’t run for political office until she was 47 years old, juggled her family life and fought hard to forge a place for herself in Washington, ultimately becoming one of the most influential voices in our nation.

Based on hundreds of interviews with Pelosi’s colleagues, family, and friends–and the Speaker herself–Sandalow culls together insightful anecdotes and political analysis to chronicle Pelosi’s meteoric rise and controversial tenure. Madam Speaker illuminates the inspiring life of a woman who has already made history.