USA Today Bestseller - Available now!
It's What You Do Next:
The Fall and Rise of Nashville's First Female Mayor
At some point, all of us will be at our worst, and while some of us will be remembered for it, none of us should be defined by it.
In 2015, after a historic run-off election, Megan Barry made history as Nashville's first female mayor, quickly becoming a beloved leader with a forward-thinking vision for a 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.
It’s What You Do Next is a deeply honest book about womanhood at home, in politics, and in the spaces between. It’s about moving forward after we’ve fallen short, finding the grace to love, and to love oneself again. It’s about the aching world of grief and the light beyond it. 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 readers permission to come as they are and leave knowing that what matters most, is what happens next.
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Photo: CJ Hicks
MEGAN BARRY is the former mayor of Nashville, TN, the first woman to be elected to the office. While she was in office, she lost her only son, Max, to a drug overdose. Since leaving her position, Barry is working to combat the shame and guilt that comes from this soul-sucking disease and to help those who struggle with substance use disorder and their loved ones by speaking up and speaking out.
Born in California and raised in Kansas, Barry has a BS from Baker University and an MBA from Vanderbilt University. She’s worked as a corporate executive, an independent consultant focusing on business ethics and corporate responsibility, and an adjunct professor. She is currently running for US Congress.
Barry has served on several boards and has been an invited speaker for numerous organizations and events. She is married to Bruce Barry, and they share their home with two rescue pups, Winslow and Natasha.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT
"IT'S WHAT YOU DO NEXT"
Holly, Amazon
Mayor Megan Barry offers her readers a beautiful and heartbreaking look into her life during a particularly challenging time. With transparency and humor, her writing offers grace to anyone who has been in a space that feels impossible to move through. Megan shows that it is possible to make your next step while utilizing what has come before as a foundation, not a reason to give up.
Harmonie, Goodreads
A brilliant and honest memoir where Megan Barry tells her truth. Her story is raw and open, describing her political rise and detailing personal and familial relationships. I am glad she wrote this book and shared her story. She is still likeable and I respect her. If she runs for office again, I will vote for her. She is a 21st century American woman with more work to do and more lives to touch.
Sarah, Amazon
Life can be messy, but Megan lives up to the title of her book. Life has served her some tough pills to swallow, yet she has received them, stared them in the face, swallowed them, and moved forward with more grace than most could hope to exhibit. What an honest & raw interpretation of her journey that holds her unique and lovable humor throughout! Her warm authenticity provides a special comfort to those who have lost loved ones, and made high-consequence mistakes. A beautiful reminder that public figures are real people too.
"Leaving a review for It's What You Do Next doesn't just help me and my team out—it increases the chance of it reaching someone exactly when they need it most." -Megan Barry, Author
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For Media, Speaking & all other inquiries contact: megan@meganbarry.com