What's Left Unsaid
My Life at the Center of Power, Politics & Crisis
From the frontlines of the COVID crisis to the real events behind the meteoric rise and unfathomable fall of Governor Andrew Cuomo, one of the most powerful women in New York State government history shares her gripping and candid story for the first time.
When COVID-19 hit the United States, New York governor Andrew Cuomo was thrust onto the national stage, hailed around the globe for his leadership. Alongside him every step of the way, Melissa DeRosa quickly became a household name. In her riveting memoir, DeRosa details her journey as a young woman in politics rising to the highest levels of government, writing with raw honesty and vulnerability about the personal challenges she faced — a failing marriage, infertility, death threats, misogyny — while navigating unprecedented professional landmines along the way.
DeRosa gives readers a front-row seat to the white-knuckle ride from the epicenter of the deadliest pandemic in US history to the never-before-told story behind the #MeToo scandal that rocked a nation and brought down a governor. Perfect for readers of Huma Abedin’s Both/And, Marie Yovanovitch’s Lessons from the Edge, Katie Couric’s Going There, and Katy Tur’s Rough Draft.
What’s Left Unsaid is a powerful story of resilience in the face of adversity. DeRosa’s unvarnished political memoir provides fascinating, behind-the-scenes access to the inner workings of state and US government during one of the most consequential periods in our nation’s history — bringing readers into room after room where decisions are made, hardball politics unfold, and crises play out.
'A vivid read ... DeRosa’s memoir is pocked with scenes of a marriage gone south, of trying to cope with Covid-19 and of general governmental strife. She punches hard. Her anger is white hot. Her book is deliberate and focused.' — The Guardian
'This inside look at politics from the Cuomo admin is a detailed view of the chaotic times in the Cuomo governor’s office around Covid, the press, the dog eat dog politics and the toll dedication can take on personal life. DeRosa shows life behind the curtain of what we read and hear. You don’t have to be a political junkie to enjoy this one.' — Lee Woodruff
'A page turner.' — Bill Maher
Melissa DeRosa served as communications director, chief of staff, and secretary to Governor Andrew Cuomo, the first woman to ever serve in the role. She chaired the New York State Council on Women and Girls and served on then President-elect Biden’s transition committee, advising the incoming administration’s COVID response. DeRosa previously served as deputy chief of staff to the New York attorney general and as New York State director of Organizing for America (OFA), President Obama’s political action organization.
