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Pretend I'm Not Here
Pretend I'm Not Here: How I Worked with Three Newspaper Icons, One Powerful First Lady, and Still Managed to Dig Myself Out of the Washington Swamp | Barbara Feinman Todd
4 posts | 1 read | 6 to read
An accomplished former ghostwriter and book researcher who worked with Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, Ben Bradlee, and Hillary Clinton goes behind-the-scenes of the nationals capital to tell the story of how she survived the exciting, but self-important and self-promoting world of the Beltway. Barbara Feinman Todd has spent a lifetime helping other people tell their stories. In the early 1980s, she worked for Bob Woodward, first as his research assistant in the papers investigative unit and, later, as his personal researcher for Veil, his bestselling book about the CIA. Next she helped Carl Bernstein, who was struggling to finish his memoir, Loyalties. She then assisted legendary editor Ben Bradlee on his acclaimed autobiography A Good Life, and she worked with Hillary Clinton on her bestselling It Takes a Village. Feinman Todds involvement with Mrs. Clinton made headlines when the First Lady neglected to acknowledge her role in the books creation, and later, when a disclosure to Woodward about the Clinton White House appeared in one of his books. These events haunted Feinman Todd for the next two decades until she confronted her past and discovered something startling. Revealing what its like to get into the heads and hearts of some of Washingtons most compelling and powerful figures, Feinman Todd offers authentic portraits that go beyond the carefully polished public personas that are the standard fare of the Washington publicity factory. At its heart, Pretend Im Not Here is a funny and forthcoming story of a young woman in a male-dominated world trying to find her own voice while eloquently speaking for others.
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Suet624
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Between a pick/so-so. The most riveting chapters have to do with Clinton who initially refused to pay the final installment of Todd's contract and did not give her the contracted credit for writing her book. Todd was so traumatized by becoming embroiled in the Clinton scandals that she didn't look at the finished product for 20 years. When she finally did she found that 75% of the book was her written material. I wonder who wrote her new book?

Kaye I‘m mixed up. I don‘t know a blooming thing about this book. Are you saying Hillary broke the contract for a good reason, or did this author misrepresent her in some way ? Or did Hillary not like how the book was written and backed out ? Sorry for sounding like a dunderhead but I do that sometimes. 🙄 (edited) 7y
Suet624 You're not a dunderhead @kaye. It's probably my writing. 😁 Hillary seemed pleased with the book and it sold well. She used most of Todd's work. It was always unclear to Todd why she was treated so badly. It was never explained to her. It's worth finding the book at the library to check out those chapters. 7y
Kaye Thanks for explaining. I cannot believe it but I saw this today at the book sale and didn‘t pick it up. Dare I go back in there for ONE book ? Good thing it‘s payday. 7y
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Suet624 @Kaye I realize I used a photo that is probably confusing the issue. I just changed the photo. (edited) 7y
Kaye Oh, I saw the 7y
Suet624 @Kaye right. It Takes a Village was the book that Todd ghostwrote. Sorry to be so confusing this morning! 7y
Kaye No problem. I‘m confused most mornings. 7y
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Suet624
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"Besides learning a lot about the book business, I also learned a lot about Washington- some of it positive but much of it negative. It is a town built on secrets, a place where having the capacity for deception is a marketable skill."

A theme that runs through this book is how swampy the swamp is.

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Suet624
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From the prologue entitled "Chameleon". Todd has ghostwritten books for Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, Ben Bradley and Hillary Clinton (among others). Throughout the book she outlines the issues of being a ghostwriter, something I hadn't considered.

ValerieAndBooks I‘m surprised these people needed ghost writers! A TV star maybe, but journalists? Looks fascinating. 7y
Suet624 @ValerieAndBooks many of them don't actually have the time. Research and interviews need to take place to corroborate memories, etc. There are many chapters about her traumatic experience writing Hillary Clinton's first book that were fascinating. 7y
ValerieAndBooks Not having time does make sense, especially the fact-finding stuff. I look forward to your review but have stacked this anyway! 7y
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MrBook
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#TBRtrmptation post! BFT was an accomplished ghostwriter & book researcher. She started as a research assistant in the '80s for Bob Woodward, & then helped him write "Veil", about the CIA. Then she helped Carl Bernstein with his memoir, "Loyalties". Then legendary editor Ben Bradlee with his autobio, "A Good Life". And then Hillary Clinton with "It Takes A Village", for which HC infamously didn't give BFT credit. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook ?

LitsyGoesPostal 😊👍🏻 7y
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