#1 New York Times Bestseller now in paperback with new material The inspiration for The Comey Rule, the Showtime limited series starring Jeff Daniels premiering September 2020In his book, former FBI director James Comey shares his never-before-told experiences from some of the highest-stakes situations of his career in the past two decades of American government, exploring what good, ethical … American government, exploring what good, ethical leadership looks like, and how it drives sound decisions. His journey provides an unprecedented entry into the corridors of power, and a remarkable lesson in what makes an effective leader.
Mr. Comey served as director of the FBI from 2013 to 2017, appointed to the post by President Barack Obama. He previously served as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, and the U.S. deputy attorney general in the administration of President George W. Bush. From prosecuting the Mafia and Martha Stewart to helping change the Bush administration’s policies on torture and electronic surveillance, overseeing the Hillary Clinton e-mail investigation as well as ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, Comey has been involved in some of the most consequential cases and policies of recent history.
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I really liked the first part of this book, learning about Comey and his background. At some point though, he started to rationalize and justify his actions and seemed to get on a high horse about defending the reputation of the FBI no matter what. I disagree with the premise that the honor of the FBI is more important than truth and integrity.
Comey explains that he did the things he did for the greater good of the FBI. Look where we are now. By his actions alone, Trump won the election and is now daily attacking the FBI and the DOJ. Is this the outcome Comey really wanted? And where is he beloved FBI’s reputation now?
Comey is an excellent writer. No errors or mistakes and a very readable book. He has a sense of humor, but is a little full of himself. When he got into the rationalization of his actions, I couldn’t take it anymore and stopped reading.
I admire James Comey for his career as a prosecuting attorney to FBI Director. I thought this book would only be his side of being fired. Instead it’s the history of the FBI up to his refusal to prosecute Hillary because of lack of a crime being committed.
I plan on giving this book as a graduation present with the inscription that he can do great things with his life if he reads this book & take Comey’s advice. My favorite quote from this book is “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived, & lived well.”
I read this book while listening to the narrative as read by Jim Comey via Audible (as an audio book). I wish that this book was available when I was a teenager. I would have benefited greatly from its messages. It is inspirational. Also, I’m not a Trump fan, so I was pleased with most of the conclusions about Trump’s decisions as related by Comey. At the same time, I did not like Comey’s actions around the Clinton email debacle when he made those decisions. However, after reading the book, I understand his rationale and reasoning. Whether you like Comey or not, his integrity is unquestioned. The lessons from his experiences, as reflected in the book are educational and inspirational.
The background of events surrounding the 2016 election and Comey’s role as FBI director and his eventual firing.
Whatever you think about Mr. Comey’s HRC decision, the man can write. I was really angry with him before I read this book and now, even though I disagree with his decision, I understand the honorableness of it. Above and beyond all that, it is highly entertaining, extremely well written with an unexpected sense of humor and wit.
Comey’s writing style is easy to read, informative and hooked me in from the very first paragraphs. I found manner in which the author related his experiences with the FBI and later with Donal Trump very interesting. plus thought-provoking. Comey’s writing style provides the reader with the opportunity to access leadership and loyalty. This book is a worthwhile read and one to discuss with your family and/ or friends.
What impressed me the most about this book is how the material was organized. The book contains lessons in civics, leadership, and ethics.
Less of a page-turner than other recent political books yet still informative.
I’m really beginning to LOVE listening to audio books narrated by their authors. James Comedy’s A HIGHER LOYALTY is no exception.
I wasn’t sure at first what I’d think about his side of what happened in 2017, but I became instantly engrossed by his stories and the very personal way in which he shared them. Comey has a knack for picking out a few traits that stand out about a person and using those small details to paint a clear picture of the individual. I found him to be a little self-deprecating at times, humble, and a person with a strong sense of honesty and decency. From his first job as a grocery store shelf stock boy to his role as FBI Director, he took every job seriously and always endeavored to better himself and the people around him through his work.
The chapter about his son, Colin had me in tears. I cannot imagine the pain Comey, Patrice, and their children went through after that ordeal, nor do I want to. I think it affected me so strongly because my child almost suffered the same thing. Patrice’s work after their ordeal was breathtaking and so inspiring. She literally helped save thousands of lives. Thank you, Patrice Comey.
I loved every single story in which Comey interacted with President Obama. The former president seems to be exactly how I imagined him. Comey solidified my belief that Obama is a thoughtful, highly intelligent, and charismatic LISTENER who seeks to KNOW those he’s talking to. I also enjoyed Comey’s descriptions of his interactions with President Bush and his staff. Not too many surprises there either.
I found it interesting that in the build up to the release of this book, the press focused almost solely on the parts related to DT. Those parts comprised a relatively small portion of the material, but they got the most attention. I actually found the rest of the story far more compelling, probably because I already got most of the 45-related parts from the media.
I highly recommend A HIGHER LOYALTY to anyone interested in modern politics. You may not agree with everything Comey says, but I’ll bet you’ll at least respect him and his service to our country when all is said and done.
Good insight…
Moral high ground was his undoing by a President who is immoral and has no class
Factual . Should be read by all.
I found this author’s writing style engaging. I may not agree with Mr. Comey on some of the key decisions that he made but he tells his story in a down to earth fashion that is engaging and that revolves around a central theme. Unlike many memoirs, this book does not ramble but does provide interesting and sometimes ‘colorful’ stories that illustrate the author’s point and that are fascinating from a historical perspective.
I found this book to be very enlightening about the FBI as an agency that can be trusted to be non-partisan!
I found Mr Comey to be extremely ethical, honest and feel he was treated badly!