In 2008, I accidentally started watching The West Wing, and it changed my life–leading me ultimately to start writing seriously and then to move to DC, where I lived for ten years. I would not have ever guessed that a TV show could have such an impact, but I repeatedly met people in DC who had similar stories. I wrote an essay about the fandom for my literary journalism class during my MFA, and that became the starting point for my anthology. I interviewed dozens of fellow fans, many of whom had moving stories of the show’s impact on their lives. It was a really special experience.
I wrote
Walk With Us: How "The West Wing" Changed Our Lives
If I had to name my one favorite thing about The West Wing, which is nigh on impossible, I would probably, in the end, say that it was the relationship between Josh and Donna, including their more light-hearted shared moments.
This book, written by Al Gore’s daughter (who knows the DC of which she writes), captures some of that flavor in a book that was marketed as Bridget Jones meets The West Wing, which I would say is entirely accurate.
Working as a health-care analyst for Ohio Senator Robert Gary, idealistic young intern and hypochondriac Samantha Joyce struggles to balance her seventy-hour work week, a constantly shifting set of neuroses, and a new romance as she makes her way through the labyrinthine complexities of life in the nation's capital. A first novel. Reprint.
Many of us love the idealism of The West Wing. It’s often been said that one of the things that sets it apart from other shows–and from our more cynical age–is that it’s a show about passionate, (mostly) good people who are (mostly) effective at their jobs.
This anthology of essays by Obama staffers captures some of that same spirit: each of them writes about their path to the White House, the difference they made there, and the issues they fought for, and it demonstrates the life-changing, positive impact that individuals’ devotion to public service can have on all of us.
The Obama White House staff invites us behind-the-scenes of history for a deeply personal and moving look at the presidency and how the president’s staff can change the nation
“West Wingers is exceptional. . . . We have so much to learn from these stories.” —President Biden
When we elect a president, we elect with them an entire team that will join them in the West Wing to help run the country. Each of these staffers has a story to tell, and in West Wingers, Barack Obama’s White House staff reveals how these extraordinary citizens shape the presidency and the…
The Not Quite Enlightened Sleuth
by
Verlin Darrow,
A Buddhist nun returns to her hometown and solves multiple murders while enduring her dysfunctional family.
Ivy Lutz leaves her life as a Buddhist nun in Sri Lanka and returns home to northern California when her elderly mother suffers a stroke. Her sheltered life is blasted apart by a series…
This book was Karin Tanabe’s debut novel based on her time at Politico, and it has made me a lifelong fan of her writing. I enjoyed the press room moments in The West Wing and would have loved to see more behind-the-scenes from the point of view of the journalists, and this was just what I needed.
It’s satirical and funny, so in a different genre to the show, but it was great to get this angle on the DC machine.
From a former Politico reporter, a fast-paced debut novel about a young journalist at D.C.'s hottest (and most cut-throat) political rag who uncovers a scandal sure to turn the Beltway inside out.
Meet Adrienne Brown, a twenty-eight-year-old Wellesley College grad who recently left her glamorous job at Town & Country for a spot at the Capitolist. Known simply as the List to Beltway insiders, it's the only media outlet in D.C. that's actually on the rise. Taking the job means accepting a painful pay cut, giving up perks like free Louboutins, and moving back in with her parents, but Adrienne…
I really enjoyed the later seasons of The West Wing, which features a political campaign from the primaries to the general election and beyond.
This is David Plouffe’s account of Obama’s phenomenal and groundbreaking campaign, just a couple of years after the end of The West Wing, and it has a lot of the same exciting, hopeful vibe.
Enter The Audacity to Win Book Club Discussion Contest
Watch David Plouffe discuss The Audacity to Win on "Meet the Press"
David Plouffe not only led the effort that put Barack Obama in the White House, but he also changed the face of politics forever and reenergized the idea of democracy itself. The Audacity to Win is his story of that groundbreaking achievement, taking readers inside the remarkable campaign that led to the election of the first African American president.
For two years Plouffe worked side by side with Obama, charting the course of the campaign. His is the ultimate…
Tina Edwards loved her childhood and creating fairy houses, a passion shared with her father, a world-renowned architect. But at nine years old, she found him dead at his desk and is haunted by this memory. Tina's mother abruptly moved away, leaving Tina with feelings of abandonment and suspicion.
In my opinion, the character of Amy in The West Wing is vastly underrated. Obviously, I wanted Josh to end up with Donna, but it’s undeniable that Bradley Whitford, who plays Josh, has electric chemistry with Mary-Louise Parker. As well as being a fantastic actor, Parker is a brilliant writer.
This memoir is a collection of letters to important men in her life–from a taxi driver who picked her up on a difficult day to a teacher at drama school, as well, of course, as some love interests. By turns tender, witty, and almost unbearably sad, it’s a beautifully written book.
The bestselling, wonderfully unconventional, “warmly conspiratorial…seriously good” (The New York Times) literary memoir from the award-winning actress that has received fabulous and wide praise. “There is no one else quite like Mary-Louise Parker…Funny, heartbreaking and profound” (Elle).
An extraordinary literary work, Dear Mr. You renders the singular arc of a woman’s life through letters Mary-Louise Parker composes to the men, real and hypothetical, who have informed the person she is today. Beginning with the grandfather she never knew, the letters range from a missive to the beloved priest from her childhood to remembrances of former lovers to an homage to…
This collection of quotes and essays by fans highlights the cultural impact of one of the best-loved television dramas.
The West Wing celebrated its 25th birthday in 2024, but it remains ever relevant–not only to our political discourse and not only as a masterclass in writing, acting, and directing, but also to our lives, many of which have been changed in ways that might not be expected from a TV show.
