Congresswoman Cori Bush often shares anecdotes from her turbulent life, which has influenced her policies on such issues as universal health care, police reform, and reproductive rights. But in her first memoir, out October 4 from Knopf, Bush tells a more complete version of her own story.
The Forerunner: A Story of Pain and Perseverance in America begins with a warning and her intention: “As difficult as my story may be, I share it with you in the hopes that it will bring you solace and will help you feel heard.” Bush’s story is a sometimes harrowing one—one that some readers may want to avoid for their own reasons. In it, she offers a window into previously unshared trials of her life, so readers might better understand her and all she overcame on her path toward becoming Missouri’s first Black congresswoman.
But among the dark details, there is light: candid moments of anxiety broken by joy and happy tears, moments of celebration and success. (Though it ends before her most recent victory, winning almost 70 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary for Missouri’s 1st Congressional District.) Bush conveys passion for the people around her and those she serves—that same opening note ends with her oft-repeated signature, “Your Congresswoman loves you.” And her admiration for her father, Errol Bush, is apparent, both for his community service as a former mayor and alderman and for his care of her children, Zion and Angel.
For those who want even more insight, Left Bank Books will host Bush for a virtual and in-person author event at Touhill Performing Arts Center on October 8.
