It's What You Do Next

The Fall and Rise of Nashville's First Female Mayor

By: Megan Barry

Narrated by: Megan Barry

In 2015, after a historic run-off election, Megan Barry became the first female mayor of Nashville, Tennessee. Quickly becoming one of the most popular progressive politicians in the Bible Belt, Barry was a beloved leader with a sky-high approval rating and an unshakable hope for a new, forward-thinking, modern South. For her first few years in office, she was one of the most important voices at the table—until she became the most notorious.

Barry loved three things the most in the world—her son, Max, her husband, Bruce, and her job as the mayor of Nashville . . . until she lost two of them. Her monumental lapse in judgment led to a painful public reckoning and the fall of her rising political career. A battle with substance-use disorder robbed her of her only child. Grief, pride, shame, longing, and resentment nearly destroyed her marriage. Barry has to start again, the right way, with humility, hope, and a wicked sense of humor.

It's What You Do Next is a deeply honest book about womanhood at home, in politics, and in the spaces between. Warm, funny, and uncompromisingly honest, Barry speaks to women as their close friend, not their fearless leader, her true self, not always her best self. She gives listeners permission to come as they are and leave knowing that what matters most, is what happens next.

©2024 Megan Barry (P)2024 Highbridge Audio

Excellent, Sincere, Honest, Candid

I thoroughly enjoyed this title. I always supported Megan. After listening to this book, The admiration and respect I already had for Megan has only grown by immense and bounds.

Amazing

This was one of the best autobiographies out there. I enjoyed every minute. The author’s voice is perfect for reading an audiobook. I would recommend this to anyone.

Megan’s Honesty

If Megan had been a man as mayor of Nashville nobody would have cared about her personal life. The sadness of losing her son was heartbreaking and she and her husband survived the biggest loss. I loved her honesty. Thank you Megan.

Megan's honesty

Gusty, honest account of her brief time as Mayor, her struggles w her son's addiction & death, and her remorse over the affair.

Great listen

I believe this is the very first book that I’ve read that qualifies as a memoir and I must say that after being an avid reader of fiction for most of my life, I’m wondering why I haven’t delved into this genre before. I love heartfelt stories about humans, real stories… and this is one of them. After reading Megan’s book, I’m smitten… with her realness… with the way she confronts the real life challenges of being human, of being married, of being a mother, of being a public figure. She does it in a way that is not only witty (and her turn of phrase made me chuckle to myself throughout) but super deep and introspective, taking accountability. She considers thinking her past, seeing how her issues & upbringing contributed to her struggles and I can’t help but respect that. You can feel her grief in the pages. I wonder why she had to pay the price when so many others in her position or even higher positions have not? Yet, she doesn’t seem bitter at all. It seems that she’s that kind of person, a humble person who didn’t deserve all of that. She deserved to make a difference like she wanted to, like she could have. Her upbeat title is the revelation. It is what you do next. It’s the choices that you make every day. She weathered it all with grace. You can feel it in her words and I’m grateful to have read them.