New York, NY, April 5, 2024—Simon & Schuster announced today that it will publish TRUE GRETCH: What I’ve Learned About Life, Leadership, and Everything in Between by trailblazing Michigan governor and rising Democratic star Gretchen Whitmer on July 9, 2024. The book provides an unconventionally honest, personal and funny account of her remarkable life and career, full of insights that guided her through a global pandemic, showdowns with high-profile bullies, and even a kidnapping and assassination plot.

When Gretchen Whitmer was growing up, her beloved grandmother Nino taught her that you can always find something good in other people. “Even the meanest person might have pretty eyes,” she would say. Nino’s words persuaded Whitmer to look for the good in any person or situation—just one of many colorful personal experiences that have shaped her political vision. (And, as Whitmer writes, one that resonated more than another piece of advice her grandmother offered, to “never part your hair in the middle.”)

In this candid and inspiring book, Whitmer reveals the principles and instincts that have shaped her extraordinary career, from her early days as a lawyer and legislator and her 2018 election as governor of Michigan, to her bold and innovative actions leading her state through a series of unprecedented disasters. Her motto in politics, she writes, is to “get shit done.”  

Whitmer shares the lessons in resilience that steered her through some of the most challenging events in Michigan’s history, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, a 500-year flood, the rise of domestic terrorism, and the fierce fight to protect reproductive rights.

Along the way, she tells stories about the outsize characters in her family, her lifelong clumsy streak, the wild comments she’s heard on the campaign trail, her self-deprecating social media campaigns (including her star turn as a talking potato with lipstick), and the slyly funny tactics she deploys to neutralize her opponents.

Said Governor Whitmer, “In this moment, our world is thirsty for compassion, empathy, big ideas, and the grit to get shit done. No matter who you are, or what you hope to achieve, I hope this book will help you find the good and use it to make a difference. I’ll be doing the same alongside you.”

Mindy Marques, Vice President, Executive Editor at Simon & Schuster, adds, “We’ve been watching Whitmer carve a hugely successful path in these divisive times, and we are thrilled to be publishing her book. She is the very rare politician who can make change and find humor in politics, and her first book is as unconventional as she is.”                                                  

Written with Whitmer’s trademark sense of humor and straight-shooting style, TRUE GRETCH is not only a compelling account of her remarkable journey, but also a blueprint for anyone who wants to make a difference in their community, their country, or the world. It is a testament to the power of humor, perseverance, and compassion in the face of darkness. Governor Whitmer is proud to donate her net proceeds from the publishing of TRUE GRETCH to the Capital Region Community Foundation throughout the entirety of her term as governor of Michigan.

Mindy Marques at Simon & Schuster bought North American, 1^st serial, and audiobook rights from Jay Mandel at WME. The author will narrate the audiobook.

Gretchen Whitmer is the governor of Michigan and a rising figure in U.S. politics. Known for her bold and plainspoken style, Whitmer is a national voice on the rights of women, voters and the LGBTQ+ community. She rose to national prominence for her leadership in 2020 during the Covid pandemic, when her efforts to save lives in the state earned her the nickname “That Woman from Michigan” from the former president. Later that year, a domestic terrorist cell began planning to kidnap and kill her, a plot that was foiled by the FBI and state police. Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander who first ran for office at age 29, has served in both state houses and as a prosecutor, and has never lost an election. She is the proud mother of two daughters, a huge Detroit Lions fan, and the subject of the song “Big Gretch” by rapper GMac Cash.

Simon & Schuster is a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world’s most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Adams Media, Avid Reader Press, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, and proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.

CONTACTS:
Julia Prosser
Vice President, Associate Publisher
Julia.Prosser@simonandschuster.com

Bri Scharfenberg
Assistant Director of Publicity
Brianna.Scharfenberg@simonandschuster.com