Letter from the Publisher: In Other Words, Leadership "Imagining a politics of care..."

In Other Words, Leadership by Shannon A. Mullen is now available

for the first time in paperback.

Dear Islandport reader,

Campaign season always rattles my nervous system—the clutter of yard signs, the strident ads, the ever-present toxicity. It's tempting to tune it all out. But we can't, because we know what's at stake. We vote hoping our elected officials will represent our values and protect our collective well-being. We may disagree on what that looks like, but the participation, the showing up—that's democracy.

Most often, when we write to our representatives it’s from a place of frustration or disappointment, asking for change. But how often do we express gratitude or shared humanity?

That sensibility of shared humanity is what struck me in Shannon Mullen's extraordinary journalistic account, In Other Words, Leadership. It looks back at the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic—a year that challenged all of us with health concerns, fear, anger, and loss.

During that year, something small but powerful happened here in Maine. Ashirah Knapp, a young mother in Central Maine, picked up her pen and wrote a handwritten letter to Governor Janet Mills to say thank you. Thank you for showing up, for working on our behalf, for doing the best you can when information was limited and confusing. Thank you for remembering the humanity of your constituents.

You may or may not have agreed with the choices made during that first pandemic year. The decisions were inevitably difficult, polarizing, and impacted people unevenly. But this book gives us a remarkable glimpse into the thought process, private journals, and correspondence of Governor Mills that show thoughtfulness, empathetic grief, and compassionate intent. It's an incredible look at the demands of leadership in times of great duress.

Why does this book matter now? As author Shannon Mullen would say, that year changed us. It changed our perception of what the government can and should do, how we take care of ourselves and our communities, how we establish trust after it's been shattered.

We find ourselves in uncertain times again. No matter your political beliefs, this book serves as a reminder of the power in staying connected to community. It shows us that when we connect to the humanity of our neighbors and elected officials, we can endure—and emerge stronger for it.

KJ Grow

Publisher

"A remarkable story of work, worry, art, faith, community, life, and hope.

An instant classic." — Heather Cox Richardson

This edition includes a new foreword from Dr. Nirav Shah and discussion questions for reading groups.

Photo credit: Anna Chadwick | Morning Sentinel

Shannon A. Mullen is a journalist, author, screenwriter, playwright, podcast host and film producer. She grew up in New Hampshire and has been reporting for national programs on public radio for more than two decades.  Her journalism has also been published by The New Yorker and The Atlantic, among others.