Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland

by Kristi Noem

Overview

South Dakota governor Kristi Noem tells her rough and tumble story of growing up on a ranch, and how a blessed life of true grit taught her how to lead.

“We don’t complain about things, Kristi. We fix them.” Taking her father’s words to heart, South Dakota's first woman governor Kristi Noem shares heartfelt – and heartbreaking – lessons on making things right in the world, from her childhood on a farm in the vastness of rural America, to the marbled halls of Congress, to the national spotlight amid a global pandemic.

From humorous barnyard battles with feisty cattle and rodeo horses, to the tragic and untimely death of her larger-than-life father, to her decision to her decision to return and run the farm and ranch with her family, Noem invites readers into a life defined by work, faith, and helping others. Noem's reflections are offered in the familiar, unvarnished voice of a woman who later defied Washington’s most powerful politicians and led the people of her small, hardscrabble state through natural disasters, the pain of a global pandemic, and the fear and turmoil that gripped the nation after.
 
While filled with plenty of candid observations and refreshingly frank assessments of the country's leading figures, the memoir's most powerful moments nevertheless come from honest glimpses into marriage, motherhood, and leadership in an unpredictable time. 
 
Far from a book about politics, Not My First Rodeo is the story of a life lived so far – with characters as richly textured as the Black Hills, and reflections as gentle and powerful as America itself.  

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538707074
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	06/28/2022
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	307,920
File size:	32 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Kristi Noem is the current governor of South Dakota. A member of the Republican Party, she was the U.S. Representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district from 2011 to 2019 and a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011. Noem was elected governor in 2018 and is South Dakota's first female governor.

Table of Contents

Prologue 1

Chapter 1 The Tapes 5

Chapter 2 The Rugged Life 17

Chapter 3 Riding with "TR" 27

Chapter 4 Respect 33

Chapter 5 No Herd Mentality 41

Chapter 6 Burning Daylight 51

Chapter 7 Love Is Patient 67

Chapter 8 The Day We Lost Him 79

Chapter 9 The Good Mess 97

Chapter 10 Rookie 109

Chapter 11 Nudges 123

Chapter 12 Outlaw at the Rodeo 135

Chapter 13 Friend of the Farmer 149

Chapter 14 Battling Bureaucrats-and Beetles 163

Chapter 15 Beating the Beltway Mentality 175

Chapter 16 Heading Home 189

Chapter 17 A Hard Year 201

Chapter 18 Tribal Trials 213

Chapter 19 Girl Talk 225

Chapter 20 Principles for a Pandemic 231

Chapter 21 Americas Fireworks 249

Epilogue 265

Acknowledgments 267

About the Author 271