Twice as Good: Condoleezza Rice and Her Path to Power
by Marcus Mabry
Rodale Books, HK$220
Six-and-a-half years into the life of the Bush administration and virtually all of his top officials have worn out their welcome with the public. The lone exception appears to be Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who still is widely admired.
On the face of it, she has achieved the American dream. Raised in the segregated south, she grew up to be incredibly driven and intelligent, and is probably the most powerful African-American woman in history.
Yet, it is clear that while Americans know who Rice is, they don't know what she is. For all the adoration she receives, she remains an enigma to the public. She is notoriously private and greets most inquiries about her personal life with a steely silence.
It is this challenge that Marcus Mabry attempts to overcome in his biography Twice as Good: Condoleezza Rice and Her Path to Power.