Dana Perino’s Purple State explores love and politics in Wisconsin
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if you read”Everything will be okay“I was inspired and felt safe reading it”Purple Status“
Over the years, I gravitated towards writing my mentoring books because I wanted my best advice to be in one place. As I was drafting my new novel, “Purple State,” I wanted to help my characters (three women: Dot, Mary, and Harper) experience the lessons of the story. They confront and resolve quarter-life crises in a way that has the potential to set them up for career success and personal fulfillment.
In my nonfiction books, I talk about living by principles that make decisions easier. And now in “Purple State,” I’ll show you what it takes to live by those principles, put them to the test, and live with the consequences of your decisions.
This is how I combined the two books.
DANA PERINO: ‘EVERYTHING WILL BE OK’ — WHAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH TODAY’S YOUNG WOMEN
“Everything Will Be Fine” made it clear that life is not easy. He was basically saying: Yes, there is uncertainty in life, and you can manage it by being more resilient and confident, sticking to your values even if the path ahead is not clear. Especially then! It was a guidebook for handling chaos with grace.
In “Purple State,” the story takes place in a single year. Dot, Mary and Harper are at a crossroads in their quarter lives. They have great ambitions but are scarred by experience. At this point in their lives, they are trying to reconcile the things they thought they would do with the lives they actually live. (Harper)
That’s where I start with “Purple State.” The story takes place over the course of a year. Dot, Mary and Harper are at a crossroads in their quarter lives. They have great ambitions but are scarred by experience. At this point in their lives, they are trying to reconcile the things they thought they would do with the lives they actually live.
When given a chance to pull things together, Dot leaves the certainty of New York behind for a relationship and career change she can’t entirely control. Down-to-earth and pragmatic, Mary must confront the limits of not taking chances. Sharp but insecure, Harper discovers that independence without vulnerability can become an isolation.
Does this sound like you or someone you know and love? Because I didn’t create their problems out of nothing. These are challenges I see young people dealing with all the time. Because I personally took care of them. If there’s one thing you’ll learn from both books, it’s that you’re not alone in feeling this way. That you can find a way to navigate the daily back-and-forth between fear and belief, control and submission, ambition and connection.
Another truth of both books is that character is more important than situation. Who are you when no one is looking? “Purple State” takes that idea and tests it, as three friends try to figure out how to live away from Manhattan for a year while in Wisconsin.
They are deeply involved in a political campaign and end up testing the limits of what is all too restrictive, too comfortable, and too far outside their plans. Along the way, they learn that love, just like their careers, requires risk. And maybe the safe choice isn’t the right choice.
DANA PERINO’S MUST-READ BOOKS OF THE YEAR
The answer comes not in sweeping statements but in small, important decisions; The kind that shapes life more than any dramatic moment ever could.
And at the heart of it all is a simple but profound conclusion: Love wins – if you let it.
Another truth of both books is that character is more important than situation. Who are you when no one is looking? ‘Purple State’ takes this idea and tests it, as three friends try to figure out how to live away from Manhattan for a year while in Wisconsin.
“Everything’s Gonna Be Fine” teaches the power of staying grounded, standing up to your friends, and maintaining your integrity. Dot, Mary and Harper take the same classes.
“Everything Will Be Fine: Life Lessons for Young Women (From a Former Young Woman)” was published on March 9, 2021. (Grand Central Publishing)
In a cultural moment that often rewards cynicism and division, “The Purple State” offers something both refreshing and necessary: the idea that we are not as far apart as we think, and that the most important decisions we make are personal, not political. Who will we trust? Who are we on? Who do we choose to love?
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The setting—Wisconsin, a literal “purple state”—is as symbolic as it is geographical. It reflects the emotional and ideological middle ground where most people live, even if the loudest voices say otherwise. This is where reconciliation, understanding and ultimately connection are possible.
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For readers who appreciate the optimism of “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,” “The Purple State” offers a deeper, richer experience. It doesn’t just tell you what’s important, it makes you feel it.
Make good decisions in your life. And then you will see; Everything will really be okay.
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