Ghosted: An American Story

by Nancy French Narrated by Nancy French

Overview

Read by the author.

A riveting look inside a life of poverty, success, and the inner circles of political influence--from the foothills of Appalachia all the way to the White House.

New York Times*bestselling ghostwriter Nancy French is coming out of the shadows to tell her own incredible story.

Nancy's family hails from the foothills of the Appalachians, where life was dominated by coal mining, violence, abuse, and poverty. Longing for an adventure, she married a stranger, moved to New York, and dropped out of college. In spite of her lack of education, she found success as a ghostwriter for conservative political leaders. However, when she was unwilling to endorse an unsuitable president, her allies turned on her and she found herself spiritually adrift, politically confused, and occupationally unemployable.

Republicans mocked her, white nationalists targeted her, and her church community alienated her. But in spite of death threats, sexual humiliation, and political ostracization, she learned the importance of finding her own voice--and that the people she thought were her enemies could be her closest friends.

A poignant and engrossing memoir filled with humor and personal insights, Ghosted is a deeply American story of change, loss, and ultimately love.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

04/08/2024

Ghostwriter French (co-author with of Home and Away) turns her gaze inward for this candid memoir. A lifelong conservative who collaborated on the biographies of such high-profile right-wing figures as Sarah Palin, French found herself “at odds with own community” in 2015 when she and her husband, political commentator David French, refused to support Donald Trump. The decision was especially personal for French, who’d survived sexual abuse and spoke out about the willingness of the supposedly pro–“family values” Republican party to excuse Trump’s admissions of groping women. An “ever-widening gap” between the author and the Republican establishment grew into a chasm as she was alienated from her church community and frozen out by former clients. After her husband publicly criticized the president in the National Review, the couple was warned by the FBI that they might be a target of domestic terrorist Cesar Sayoc, who mailed pipe bombs to prominent Democrats ahead of the 2018 midterms. Realizing that “my unwillingness to bow the knee to an unsuitable president was the most American thing I’d ever done,” French “quit” the GOP and decided to tell her story of witnessing Trump’s ascent and the ensuing transformation of the Republican party from the “outskirts of the powerful.” French balances her frank, up-close political analysis with an uplifting message about the faith that sustained her: when she was “ghosted by political friends, spiritual allies, and even some neighbors... showed up and occasionally took my breath away.” This will resonate with never-Trumpers dreading the former president’s next run. (Apr.)

From the Publisher

'Ghosted is an incredible story of a woman facing abuse and betrayal with courage throughout isolation who comes out strong as steel on the other side. Nancy French is a role model for every woman who strives to stand by her convictions even when times get tough. This book is for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider yearning for the truth and what's right.' Gretchen Carlson, acclaimed journalist; bestselling author; female empowerment advocate; cofounder, Lift Our Voices

'A great read for anyone trying to make sense of cultural whiplash over the last few years, Nancy French's journey from poverty-stricken mountains to a presidential-campaign plane is a joy. Ghosted tries to understand this tumultuous, strange world and finds a beautiful peace amid the chaos.' Jake Tapper, CNN anchor and chief Washington correspondent

'I didn't know writing could be this haunting and hilarious, heartbreaking and exhilarating all at the same time. I did not want it to end. This tour de force of storytelling and sense-making is one of the most gripping and beautiful memoirs in a generation. In these pages, Nancy French takes us beyond this confusing American moment right into the soul of our shared human condition, full as it is of gore and glory. You will not close this book the same as you were when you opened it.' Russell Moore, Christianity Today

'I picked up Ghosted only once, not putting it down until I had read every page. This is a captivating account of a child, a girl, and then a woman buffeted by unthinkable betrayals who withstood despair and surrender and remained true to her values. Her uncommon character and integrity educate and inspire.' Mitt Romney

'The world Nancy French introduces us to is so unfamiliar that it reminds me of my collegiate study-abroad experience in Japan. The young girl we meet at the beginning of the book's journey and follow over the years captured my heart and imagination. Through tears, sighs, prayers, laughter, fears, and cheers, I eagerly devoured every page of Ghosted until there were no more.' Sybil Jordan Hampton, Ed D, president emeritus, The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation

Product Details

BN ID:	2940159365217
Publisher:	Zondervan
Publication date:	04/16/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	652,200

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