Always More to Read

I picked up Capitol Hell at our neighborhood Barnes & Noble, while my husband and I were still in Vegas, before we headed out full-time in the RV.

One of the authors was there, standing behind a small table near the front, talking about the book.  I always like meeting authors in person and supporting their efforts by buying the book.  This one appealed to me beyond that because of the trendy cover and the fact that I've worked in government, for the State of Nevada.  I also have a girlfriend who works for a congressman. 

This is essentially a "small town girl has adventures in the big city" story with the big city, in this case, being Washington, DC, particularly the Senate.

The main character, Allison, is Pollyanna to the extreme; everything she says is punctuated with exclamation marks.  At first, you think it's bad writing.  But, slowly, as the book progresses, things change.  Allison's enthusiasm for her work as scheduler to the (fictional) newly-elected and rising star of the United States Senate, Senator Anders McDermott III, wanes.  She is overworked and subject to the wacky whims and foibles of the political staff.  All of this is reflected in the way her dialogue is written.  What started out as grating became an excellent mechanism for communicating the characters' evolution.  Plus, given my experience and that of my girlfriend, the antics ring disturbingly true.

I recommend this book as a fun read and an engaging glimpse into the inner workings of Washington.