What Happened (Clinton book)
| Company type | Memoir |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | September 12, 2017 |
| Founder | Hillary Clinton |
| Products | Book |
| Owner | Simon & Schuster |
What Happened is a 2017 memoir authored by Hillary Clinton that recounts her journey as the Democratic Party's nominee and candidate in the 2016 presidential race. Released on September 12, 2017, it marks her seventh publication with Simon & Schuster.
In September 2018, a paperback version featuring a new afterword was issued, alongside a Spanish edition titled Lo que pasó.
Development and initial promotion
News of Clinton’s upcoming book first emerged in February 2017, initially described as a collection of essays showcasing her favorite quotes and some campaign reflections. Although financial details were not revealed, the advance was anticipated to be significant. By July 2017, the book’s title and focus were publicly disclosed, generating extensive attention and widespread parody across social media platforms.
According to The New York Times, the book aims to offer a candid and personal insight into Clinton’s experience as the pioneering female major-party presidential nominee during a tumultuous election cycle. This memoir follows her previous works Living History (2003) and Hard Choices (2014). Early promotional efforts presented it as her most intimate narrative yet, emphasizing unprecedented openness. In her introduction, Clinton stresses her decision to be more vulnerable, providing an honest reflection on the 2016 defeat. The book also incorporates elements intended to guide readers through overcoming adversity.
Synopsis
What Happened presents a first-person narrative dedicated to "the team that stood with me in 2016," structured into six thematic sections: Perseverance, Competition, Sisterhood, Idealism and Realism, Frustration, and Resilience. Each section contains between two and five chapters.
The memoir begins with Clinton attending Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration, contemplating the significance of upholding democratic strength despite the disappointing result.
In the chapter titled "Get Caught Trying," she articulates her reasons for pursuing the presidency: confidence in possessing the most pertinent experience, substantial achievements, and the appropriate temperament necessary for leadership in Washington. She regarded the presidency as a platform to effect meaningful change, particularly addressing economic disparities and national security challenges.
Clinton defends her campaign’s financial management, highlighting strict controls over travel expenses and office supplies. The typical donation amounted to $100, predominantly from female supporters. She recounts campaigning in difficult areas such as Mingo County, West Virginia, illustrating profound voter discontent that extended beyond isolated incidents.
She evaluates various factors that contributed to her electoral defeat, including interventions by James Comey, interference from Vladimir Putin, obstruction by Mitch McConnell, coverage by major news organizations, actions by WikiLeaks, pervasive sexism, racial resentment among white voters, opposition from Bernie Sanders and his followers, competition from Green Party candidate Jill Stein, and controversial remarks she made about coal miners and a "basket of deplorables."
Clinton mentions President Obama’s concerns regarding an extended transition period following Trump’s victory and his counsel to concede promptly and graciously for the nation’s benefit.
The book details Clinton’s policy initiatives aimed at combating climate change and protecting voting rights. While recalling the optimism surrounding Obama’s 2008 win with enthusiasm, she characterizes the current political climate as one of "battle-hardened hope," underscoring continued dedication.
She also shares personal methods for managing defeat, including practicing yoga and immersing herself in diverse literature—from mystery novels by Louise Penny to spiritual writings by Henri Nouwen and poetry by Maya Angelou.
What Happened closes with an address at Wellesley College where Clinton urges readers to "Keep going."
Domestic sales
Released on September 12, 2017, the hardcover version swiftly ascended to the top of bestseller rankings at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and USA Today. It entered The New York Times Best Seller List at number one for both hardcover nonfiction and combined print and e-book nonfiction categories, maintaining the leading position for two weeks before slipping to second place in its third week. By November, the book had remained within the top four spots for six weeks and continued to appear on the list for sixteen weeks as of January 2018. Additionally, it debuted at number one on Publishers Weekly’s "Top 10 overall" and "hardcover nonfiction" bestseller charts, with sales reaching 311,982 hardcover copies by its third week.
What Happened achieved 300,000 copies sold during its initial week, representing the most successful hardcover nonfiction launch since No Easy Day in 2012. Its first-week hardcover sales totaled 167,000 units, and Simon & Schuster reported it surpassed all nonfiction titles since 2010 in e-book sales during that period. By December 10, 2017, hardcover sales had reached 448,947 copies. Upon release of the paperback edition, the book entered The New York Times "Paperback Nonfiction" list at number nine.
International sales
Globally, What Happened also demonstrated strong sales performance. In the United Kingdom, it debuted at the summit of The Sunday Times bestseller list. In Ireland, it attained the top position on Nielsen BookScan’s hardcover non-fiction chart and debuted at number ten on the overall chart, climbing to fourth place by its third week before dropping out of the top ten by week seven.
In Canada, the book launched at number one on The Globe and Mail's hardcover non-fiction best sellers list and sustained that ranking for six consecutive weeks. It also appeared on New Zealand’s Nielsen BookScan "International Non-fiction - Adults" chart at number eight and was listed among Australia's bestsellers in Books+Publishing.
Critical reception
Reception of What Happened was notably divided.
Jennifer Senior from The New York Times characterized the memoir as a complex blend: an honest analysis of Clinton’s election defeat, a feminist statement, a critique targeting political opponents such as James Comey and Vladimir Putin, alongside an in-depth narrative of Russian interference.
David Weigel of the The Washington Post observed Clinton’s fluctuating tone between self-criticism and assertive defense throughout her account.
Heidi Stevens from the Chicago Tribune remarked that portions describing Russia’s meddling read with the intrigue of a spy thriller.
Thomas Frank writing for The Guardian criticized the work as more focused on justifying Clinton’s loss than thoroughly explaining it but conceded that some insights emerge amidst extensive attribution of blame.
Ezra Klein of Vox highlighted Clinton’s advocacy for a political approach centered on operating within established institutions despite its waning appeal.
David L. Ulin from the Los Angeles Times described the memoir as a necessary yet occasionally awkward reflection revealing clear regret but limited self-examination regarding her own contribution to defeat.
Sarah Jones of The New Republic argued that the book appeared tailored more toward Clinton’s supporters than those seeking rigorous campaign critique or strategic lessons for Democrats.
Jeff Greenfield in Politico Magazine suggested that the memoir reinforces Clinton’s long-standing image of authenticity in politics.
A 2019 analysis published in Perspectives on Politics assessed Clinton’s explanations for her electoral loss, finding most claims substantiated but little evidence supporting significant impact from either the email controversy or James Comey’s actions.
Awards and honors
Time recognized What Happened as the best nonfiction book of 2017. NPR included it among its selections for "2017's Great Reads," and it received the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Memoir & Autobiography.
Book tour
Announced on August 28, 2017, Hillary Clinton embarked on a North American tour starting in September to promote both What Happened and a new edition of her picture book It Takes a Village. The tour featured over thirty events across the United States and Canada through December 2017. She also conducted a UK tour where events sold out rapidly, followed by appearances in New Zealand and Australia in May 2018.
Her series titled Hillary Clinton Live attracted audiences filling venues with capacities in the thousands. General admission ticket prices ranged from $30 up to $125. Tickets frequently sold out quickly; for instance, Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena experienced its fastest sellout ever when tickets were claimed within ninety minutes.