It's time to share stories that haven't been told yet and to introduce new heroines as well. Political enthusiasts will find this thriller convincing. It reveals what happens behind the scenes in the Ohio Senate during the early 1980s, reflecting many of the same dynamics seen in legislative chambers elsewhere, even today.
Accordingly, Priscilla, the main character, takes us behind the scenes to show how the political party leadership operates in caucuses (closed meetings of politicians from the same party), how senators exchange ideas and commitments to secure votes, how influential lobbyists maneuver through the corridors of power, how legislative staff do nearly anything to help their senators achieve their goals, and much more. Indeed, only an insider could provide such vivid illustrations to reveal all the scheming, the importance of leadership and seniority, the challenges faced by minority parties, the power of sponsorship of legislation, committee activities, voting, and more.
How does she manage to do all that? Back in the day, no one paid much attention to a Black woman working in a legislative body, especially one so young. In fact, Priscilla was often mistaken for a low-level staff member, like a page, someone who runs errands, makes copies, and delivers coffee. Additionally, in the early 1980s, people like Priscilla were considered "invisible," meaning that even though she is a real person, no one notices her, similar to the invisible man in Ralph Ellison's novel.
However, Priscilla was on a mission that had little to do with her role in the Ohio Senate, which was simply a means to an end. Earlier, while teaching at FAMU in Florida, for reasons not yet known, her father asked her to move closer to home in Prendergast, New York. She reaches out to a senator she interned with during her graduate studies at Ohio State University. He offers her a job as his legislative aide. She accepts.
From the beginning, we learn that Priscilla is a bright, carefree, and resourceful young woman who is strongly connected to her father, who, though a Methodist minister, is a consummate politician. But when Priscilla does a favor for him, she finds herself in a life-altering scandal, where, near the end, she surprises everyone by doing something that would typically result in reprisals. But we must keep reading to find out how everything unfolds.
Throughout her reflection, Priscilla considers her earlier life, including her teenage years when she often got into trouble. But evidently, her love for her upbringing in the Snowbelt of western New York remains strong, as she proudly highlights Christmastime with her family, the contributions of Catherine Harris (a pioneer conductor of the Underground Railroad), the scenic snow-covered landscapes, the birthplace of television icon Lucille Ball, and most notably, the world-famous Chautauqua Institute. However, not all her life has been good.
Mainly, she highlights a remarkable season as the only Black woman working as a highly qualified legislative aide in the Ohio Senate.
Readers also get a firsthand look at Black middle-class family life, which is similar to that of any other middle-class family. Readers might especially appreciate learning about how and why a Black Methodist minister raises his daughter as if she were a son. And we eventually find out the reason why the good reverend asked his daughter to move closer to home in the first place.
Toward the end, as she is no longer invisible, Priscilla surprises us by doing something that, as one reviewer notes, "weathering it like a veteran from New York tabloid wars..." But readers must keep turning pages to find out what happens, which itself is intriguing.
Widely reviewed. "PRISCILLA Engaging in the Game of Politics" is a must-read.
