From the Hood to the Holler: A Story of Separate Worlds, Shared Dreams, and the Fight for America’s Future

In this earnest campaign memoir, U.S. Senate candidate Booker reflects on his youth in the West End of Louisville, Ky., and his political career. Though his mother sometimes had to forgo her own dinner in order to feed Booker and his cousin, he describes life in the West End as “a true testament to the power of family and the resilience of community.” After working in low-level government positions in Washington, D.C., and Kentucky, he became director of administrative services at the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. There he learned that the people of Appalachia had similar problems—including food insecurity and drug addiction—as people from the West End and began to question his assumption that middle-aged white guys in “overalls and boots” with “a deep Kentucky twang” harbored racist views. Though he finished second in the 2020 Democratic primary, Booker vividly recounts how his campaign came to national attention and effectively excoriates Kentucky senator Mitch McConnell for failing to act against the opioid crisis and gun violence. Copious details about Booker’s early career slow the pace, but his optimism and broad-mindedness shine through, making it clear why Democrats are hopeful he can unseat Rand Paul in the 2022 midterms. Liberals will be inspired. Agent: Melissa Flashman, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Apr.)