Jen Psaki on Stephen King, 'War and Peace,' and The Book That She’d Give To a New Graduate

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Welcome to Shelf Life, ELLE.com’s books column, in which authors share their most memorable reads. Whether you’re on the hunt for a book to console you, move you profoundly, or make you laugh, consider a recommendation from the writers in our series, who, like you (since you’re here), love books. Perhaps one of their favorite titles will become one of yours, too.

<p><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Say-More/Jen-Psaki/9781668019856" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Shop Now;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link rapid-noclick-resp">Shop Now</a></p><p><i>Say More</i> by Jen Psaki</p><p>simonandschuster.com</p><p>$28.99</p> — Shop Now
*Say More* by Jen Psaki
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$28.99

The path to White House press secretary wasn’t all that obvious to Jen Psaki, who wanted Barbara Walters’s job (Psaki’s 6-year-old self was a 20/20 fan). She eventually did end up in television as the host of Inside with Jen Psaki on MSNBC after a previous stint as a political commentator on CNN. Now she’s a newly minted author with the publication of Say More (Scribner) on how to be a more effective communicator.

After working for the Iowa Democratic Party, Psaki worked on John Kerry’s 2004 presidential run and went on to join Barack Obama’s 2007-2008 campaign as traveling press secretary, eventually becoming his administration’s deputy press secretary, deputy communications director, and communications director (at 6 months pregnant). She also was spokesperson for the State Department under Secretary of State John Kerry and most recently, President Joe Biden’s press secretary for 16 months, part of the first all-female senior White House communications team, where she was known for her #psakibombs. (At a consulting firm post-Obama, she returned to politics after binging The West Wing.) Her next book, also for Scribner, will be an illustrated children’s book.

The New York-born, CT-raised, D.C.-based mother of 2 majored in English and sociology at the College of William and Mary, where she was a tour guide, admissions office intern, swim team member, and president of her sorority Chi Omega. She met her husband when they were both working for Rahm Emanuel at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee; is a fan of Scandal’s WH press secretary Abby Whelan played by Darby Stanchfield and The West Wing’s C.J. Cregg played by Allison Janney (“the TV press secretary GOAT”); has a sweet tooth (she likes Red Vines and Graeter’s ice cream but her favorite food is chicken wings); was played by Kate McKinnon on “SNL” and a NYT crossword puzzle clue 3 times; worked as a lifeguard and swim instructor for her first job; cries during Hallmark movies and sometimes during commercials; is the eldest of 3 girls (their mother is a family therapist and father a retired real estate developer); and interviewed Chelsea Handler at SXSW.

Likes: Flat whites; Mephisto slippers, mornings; jeans; live music, especially in the summer; Farmacy makeup remover; toaster waffles; anything adventure outdoors and traveling. Currently obsessed with Shōgun.

Dislikes: Being called nice, heels, mayo

Lookalike: Tree Paine (Taylor Swift’s PR guru)

Good at: Competitive sports, remembering stuff like kids’ schedules, gift giving, cocktail making

Bad at: Using a curling iron, directions, cooking a full meal, biking

Zero ambitions to: Compete on “Dancing with the Stars”; run for office. The books below get her vote.

The book that…

…kept me up way too late:

Lauren Groff’s book Fates and Furies is one of my favorites I have read in the last few years. It is sad and at times depressing, but her writing just hooks you in and you feel connected to these characters in a way that is difficult to do in a novel.

…I recommend over and over again:

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo because it weaves together in a surprising way the interconnectivity and commonalities between very different characters which is a reminder of how connected we all are no matter what it seems like on the surface.

...made me rethink a long-held belief:

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd because it made me think about the prism through which we see history and historical events and which players are emphasized. It made me want to learn more about the role of so many women during historic moments who may have been undervalued in the history books.

...I read in one sitting, it was that good:

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin is so addictive because you just want to see how it all plays out as soon as you learn that each of the characters knows their destiny. It made me not want to know my own!

…currently sits on my nightstand:

Adam Grant’s book Hidden Potential is sitting on my night stand and I have just started reading it. I am often drawn to fiction books (in part because I operate in a non-fiction world at work), but I love his podcast and his writing and always learn something from his books.

…I’d give to a new graduate:

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers because it is just a beautifully heartfelt memoir about adjusting to life, and while it won’t directly apply to most recent graduates it does put things in perspective.

…I’d like turned into a TV show:

Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor would be an incredible fast paced, part mob, part romance, part family dynamics TV show. Someone should make it! (Editor’s note: Rights were bought by FX.)

...I last bought:

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese, which kept staring back at me from the book store, and I finally bought it and then just devoured it because the characters are so rich and deep and complicated. And the way the story weaves itself just made me want to finish while also wishing there was more to read.

…broke my heart:

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters completely broke my heart because it highlights how a moment, a decision by one person can change the course of another person’s life. It has this deep complexity surrounding a well-intentioned woman who acted in an irrational way out of desperation and the book is basically about the impact of her choices.

…helped me become a better writer:

On Writing by Stephen King ensured that I never overuse adverbs and that I really think about the value of words in every sentence I write. In fact I am going to stop writing now.

…should be on every college syllabus:

I have two! Win Every Argument by Mehdi Hasan because it has applicable tips for becoming a better debater that can be applied by anyone. And everyone should know how to debate. And On All Fronts by Clarissa Ward because her perspective seeing the world through the eyes of an inquisitive and gutsy journalist for all of its beauty and all of its faults is a powerful perspective to read.

...I brought on a momentous trip:

This is very nerdy, but I read Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy when my husband and I went to South Africa for 2 weeks early on in our marriage. I was expecting to just force myself through it, but I ended up loving it. War and Peace…not as much. Though I read that one too on a different trip.

..surprised me:

Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday was just an absolute twist of a storyline and in a surprising way. I did not anticipate the second half of the book and the turn it takes you down.

...I’d want signed by the author:

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver because I am a super fan of hers and have read all of her books, but this one feels so raw in the current moment and the struggles with addiction that so many families face. I once added her to a luncheon with President Obama simply because I wanted to meet her (and he did too otherwise she wouldn’t have been included).