Lisa Murkowski, Far from Home An Alaskan Senator Faces the Extreme Climate of Washington, D.C., Penguin Random House Christian publishing | Forum books, June 2025.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

My immediate interest in this book arose from Senator Lisa Murkowski’s vote on the recent ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ adopted by the Senate on the Republican 50/51 vote with Republican Senators, Susan Collins, Rand Paul, and Thom Tillis voting against. Senator Murkowski, having won benefits for her constituency, Alaska, supported the Bill. The fluidity of American voting patterns was an important part of political activity on the fictional The West Wing and has been apparent throughout the time I have been observing American politics via television. These patterns are very different from the Australian process, where an election would not be complete without policy statements, demands about ‘where is the money coming from,’ close media observation of how policies might be implemented and how they compare with alternative party policies. Having voted for a successful party, the Australian electorate understands that the promised polices will usually be implemented by the incoming Government. This underpins most Members of Parliament loyalty to their party and its promises during an election. The American context, however, is remarkably different and Senator Murkowski’s adherence to her constituency and its requirements, even when the bill was so manifestly egregious, is perhaps understandable. That three of her fellow Republicans did not support the Bill, and in my view her support was unacceptable, her decision made me to want to understand more about Murkowski.

Lisa Murkowski has a political background, although the early part of the autobiography is an enlightening story of her life in Alaska, eventually going to law school, and then as a wife and mother, concerned with community issues. In juxtaposition with this is her father’s role as a Senator. She suggests that she was reluctant to enter politics but was a member of the House of Representatives until Frank Murkowski became Governor of Alaska. He appointed his daughter to his former seat in the Senate. Although she did not have to fight for this appointment, she was familiar with campaigning and when beaten by a Tea Party candidate early in her Senate political life, ran a successful campaign to win back her place. These early stories make interesting reading for two reasons. They demonstrate Murkowski’s resilience, and they underpin her determination to be seen as an individual, voting on issues rather than Party lines. Sometimes her votes live up to her feelings about her principled approach to politics; sometimes, as a reader, I was perplexed by her reasoning. Nevertheless, it is apparent that Murkowski works hard at being an honest representative of her constituents. Her concerns for them, and the way in which she sees democracy undermined by recent political events, is reflected in her decisions and approach to this work.

Where Far from Home An Alaskan Senator Faces the Extreme Climate of Washington, D.C. can be useful to the student of American politics is in Murkowski’s discussions of the votes she ponders over, her ruminations about the political system, what she believes are its shortcomings, and her suggestions for improvement. It is not necessary to agree with all her decisions or suggestions for changing the way American politics works. However, it is impossible to read this work without achieving a greater understanding of the way in which one dedicated Senator seeks to work for her constituents and contribute to the working of government.

the memoir is definitely interesting as a read and she's an interesting figure. the memoir is very self-aggrandizing and at points the reasoning for crucial votes is very frail, though. for example, the Big Beautiful Bill, justice Amy Coney Barrett, and so on. still, she's an interesting political figure and this memoir shows some of the behind the scenes. 3.5 stars, tysm for the arc.