Overview
107 Days is former Vice President Kamala Harris’s revealing memoir of one of the most unprecedented presidential campaigns in American history. The book details Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign after Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the election, with the title referencing the length of her campaign.
On July 21, 2024, President Joe Biden announced he would not seek reelection. The presidential election would occur on November 5, 2024. Harris had exactly 107 days to mount a presidential campaign, unite the Democratic Party, and take on Donald Trump in what would become one of the most intense and scrutinized races in modern American politics.
From the chaos of campaign strategy sessions to the intensity of debate prep under relentless scrutiny and the private moments that rarely make headlines, Kamala Harris offers an unfiltered look at the pressures, triumphs, and heartbreaks of a history-defining race. This is more than a political memoir—it’s a chronicle of resilience, leadership, and the complex reality of being the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket on such short notice.
Key Takeaways
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Genre | Political Memoir, Non-Fiction, Current Events |
| Publication Date | September 23, 2025 |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Format | Hardcover, ebook, and ten-hour audiobook read by Harris |
| First Week Sales | 350,000 copies |
| Sales Trajectory | On track to be the best-selling memoir of 2025 |
| Co-Writer | Geraldine Brooks (Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist) |
| Secret Service Code Name | Pioneer |
| Campaign Duration | July 21 – November 5, 2024 (107 days) |
| Book Tour | 15-city international tour including New York, San Francisco, Toronto, London, and Miami |
Book Structure
107 Days follows a chronological structure that mirrors the frenetic pace of the campaign itself:
The Decision
The chaotic aftermath of Biden’s withdrawal and Harris’s rapid ascension to the top of the ticket, including the scrambling to build a campaign infrastructure and secure endorsements.
The Sprint
The intensity of compressed campaign strategy, fundraising, messaging development, and the challenge of defining herself to voters in an impossibly short timeframe.
Biden’s Debate Performance
Harris’s candid reflections on witnessing Biden’s disastrous debate performance and her private concerns about his continued candidacy.
The Debate Preparation
Behind-the-scenes details of preparing for the presidential debate with Trump, including the pressure, strategy, and personal toll.
Campaign Trail Moments
From rallies to town halls, the exhausting schedule and the encounters with voters that kept her grounded.
The Obstacles
Discussion of the structural challenges she faced, including delayed endorsements from Democratic leaders, navigating her relationship with Biden, and confronting sexism and racism.
Election Night and Aftermath
The devastating moment of learning she had lost to Donald Trump: “I could barely breathe”
Reflection and Analysis
Harris’s honest assessment of what went wrong, what she would do differently, and what the campaign revealed about American politics.
About the Author
Kamala Harris served as the 49th Vice President of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. Before that, she was a U.S. Senator from California, the first woman and first person of color elected to that position. Previously, she served as California’s Attorney General and San Francisco’s District Attorney.
Harris made history as the first woman, first Black woman, and first person of South Asian descent to serve as Vice President. In 2024, after Biden’s withdrawal from the race, she became the Democratic presidential nominee, making her the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket in a presidential election.
The book was crafted with the help of Geraldine Brooks, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist whom Harris praises in the acknowledgments for her “ferocious and brilliant artistic” contributions.
Why This Book Resonates
Historical Significance: This is the first insider account of one of the most unusual presidential campaigns in modern American history—a campaign that began just 107 days before Election Day.
Unfiltered Voice: Harris has said she tried hard not to write an “I told you so” book. But she did tell us. The memoir features surprisingly candid criticism of Joe Biden and Democratic Party leadership.
The Glass Cliff Phenomenon: Harris’s memoir shows how unfree she was both as vice president and as Democratic presidential nominee, documenting her experience of being handed an almost impossible situation.
Commercial Success: The book sold 350,000 copies in its first week and is on track to be the best-selling memoir of 2025, demonstrating enormous public interest in her story.
Relatable Humanity: The book offers ample reminders of what people find irritating about Harris. But she also comes across as relatable and even, occasionally, amusing.
2028 Implications: As a potential 2028 presidential candidate, this book serves multiple purposes: reflection, reputation management, and possibly laying groundwork for another run.
Ideal Audience
This book is perfect for:
- Political enthusiasts interested in campaign strategy and insider accounts
- Democratic voters seeking to understand what happened in 2024
- Women in leadership who will see their own experiences reflected
- History buffs documenting this unprecedented moment in American politics
- Harris supporters wanting to hear her unfiltered perspective
- Political operatives studying campaign strategy and crisis management
- Students of gender and race in American politics
- Voters preparing for 2028 and future elections
- Anyone interested in resilience, leadership under pressure, and political reality
- Book clubs focused on current events and political memoirs
Memorable Quote
“Your Secret Service code name is Pioneer. You are the first woman in American history to reach this moment. You have 107 days.”
This powerful opening encapsulates the extraordinary pressure Harris faced—carrying the weight of history while racing against an impossibly tight timeline. The word “Pioneer” becomes a metaphor for both the opportunity and the burden of breaking barriers under the most difficult circumstances.
Central Themes
| Theme | Exploration in the Book |
|---|---|
| The Glass Cliff | Harris documents being handed leadership of the Democratic ticket in an almost impossible situation, exploring how women and minorities often get opportunities only when failure seems likely |
| Time and Pressure | The compressed timeline created unprecedented challenges in fundraising, messaging, voter outreach, and campaign infrastructure that normal campaigns have years to build |
| Biden Relationship | Complex, sometimes tense relationship with Biden, including frustrations with being sidelined as VP and concerns about his debate performance and decision-making |
| Party Politics | Candid discussion of Democratic leaders who were slow to endorse her, revealing internal party tensions and calculations |
| Gender and Race | The unique challenges of being the first woman of color at the top of a major party ticket, facing both overt and subtle discrimination |
| Leadership Under Crisis | What it means to lead when circumstances are chaotic, resources limited, and the stakes impossibly high |
| Resilience and Loss | Processing a devastating defeat while maintaining dignity and looking toward the future |
| Campaign Realities | Behind-the-scenes look at debate prep, strategy sessions, messaging challenges, and the exhausting reality of running for president |
| Regret and Reflection | Honest assessment of mistakes made and what she would do differently |
| Historic Burden | The weight of carrying the hopes of millions while knowing you’re breaking barriers in real-time |
Key Moments and Revelations
Biden’s Debate Disaster
Harris criticizes Biden’s debate performance, noting his failure to mention troops killed during the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, revealing her private horror at watching the debate unfold.
Delayed Endorsements
Harris dishes on Democratic leaders who were slow to endorse her, revealing the political calculations and hesitations she faced even within her own party.
The Phone Call
The moment Biden informed her of his decision to withdraw, and the scramble that followed to build a campaign from scratch.
Election Night
The crushing reality of defeat and the emotional toll of calling Trump to concede.
VP Tensions
Harris reveals moments of frustration with being sidelined or undermined during her vice presidency, painting a more complex picture of her relationship with Biden than previously known.
Campaign Regrets
Honest discussion of strategic mistakes, messaging that didn’t land, and decisions she would reverse with hindsight.
FAQ
Q: Does Harris blame Biden for her loss? A: While Harris doesn’t explicitly blame Biden, she offers pointed criticism of his debate performance, decision-making, and the late timing of his withdrawal, which contributed to the impossible timeline she faced.
Q: Is this book positioning her for a 2028 run? A: While Harris doesn’t explicitly announce a 2028 candidacy, the book’s timing, tone, and content suggest she’s keeping that door open and shaping the narrative for any future political endeavors.
Q: How honest is the book? A: Reviewers note surprising candor, particularly about Biden and Democratic Party leadership. However, as with any political memoir, it presents Harris’s perspective and serves her interests.
Q: Does she address why she lost? A: Yes, Harris offers analysis of various factors including the compressed timeline, economic concerns, gender and race dynamics, campaign strategy challenges, and Biden’s unpopularity.
Q: Is the book bitter or gracious? A: Mixed. Harris expresses frustration and disappointment but also gratitude for supporters. The tone balances reflection with veiled criticism.
Q: How does she portray Trump? A: The book focuses more on Harris’s own campaign and the Democratic Party than on extensive Trump analysis, though she does address the debates and campaign dynamics.
Q: What’s the most surprising revelation? A: The extent of Harris’s frustration with Biden and certain Democratic leaders, which is expressed more openly than many expected from a sitting Vice President.
Q: Is it well-written? A: With Pulitzer Prize-winner Geraldine Brooks as co-writer, the book is generally praised for its literary quality and narrative flow.
Critical Reception
Commercial Success:
- 350,000 copies sold in first week
- On track to be best-selling memoir of 2025
- Strong performance across formats (hardcover, ebook, audiobook)
Critical Response: Mixed reviews reflecting political divisions:
Supporters praise:
- Honest, unfiltered perspective
- Important historical document
- Relatable moments of humanity
- Valuable insights into campaign reality
Critics note:
- Self-serving narrative
- Insufficient accountability for loss
- Using DNC resources to promote the book
- Timing seems calculated for 2028 positioning
Media Coverage: The book has generated extensive media attention, with coverage focusing on:
- Revelations about Biden relationship
- Criticism of Democratic Party leaders
- Harris’s emotional response to losing
- What the book signals about her political future
Political Context and Controversy
DNC Promotion Controversy: Harris’s team sent promotional emails about the book through the Harris Victory Fund—a collaboration between her presidential campaign, the DNC and state Democratic parties, raising questions about neutrality given Harris is a potential 2028 candidate.
Timing Questions: Released less than a year after her defeat, the book’s quick publication has led to speculation about Harris’s political ambitions and whether she’s rushing to control the narrative.
Party Reactions: The candid criticism of Biden and Democratic leaders has created some tension within the party, with mixed reactions from various Democratic factions.
Impact and Legacy
Historical Record: Regardless of political perspective, 107 Days serves as a primary source for understanding the 2024 election and Harris’s unprecedented campaign.
Gender Politics: The book contributes to ongoing conversations about the challenges women face in presidential politics and the glass cliff phenomenon.
Campaign Lessons: Political operatives and candidates will study this account for insights into running campaigns under extreme time pressure and resource constraints.
Biden Legacy: Harris’s criticisms add to the complex assessment of Biden’s presidency and his decision to run for reelection before withdrawing.
Harris’s Future: The book positions Harris as a reflective, resilient figure learning from defeat—qualities that could serve a future campaign or other political endeavors.
Final Thoughts
107 Days is ultimately a story about attempting the impossible under impossible circumstances. Whether you view Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign as a noble effort against insurmountable odds or a flawed campaign that squandered opportunities depends largely on your political perspective. What’s undeniable is that Harris faced a challenge few American politicians have ever confronted: building and executing a presidential campaign in just over three months.
The book succeeds most when Harris allows herself to be human—expressing frustration, doubt, exhaustion, and disappointment. These moments of vulnerability make the memoir more than a political document; they make it a relatable story about ambition, resilience, and confronting failure on the world’s biggest stage.
Harris’s candid criticism of Biden and Democratic leadership is the book’s most newsworthy element, suggesting she’s done biting her tongue about the challenges she faced. This frankness may burn bridges, but it also establishes her as her own person, separate from Biden’s legacy—an essential move if she harbors 2028 ambitions.
For historians, 107 Days provides invaluable insider perspective on one of the most unusual presidential campaigns in American history. For political junkies, it offers the behind-the-scenes details and strategic insights we crave. For general readers, it’s a story about perseverance, leadership under pressure, and what happens when you reach for the highest office in the land and fall short.
The book raises as many questions as it answers: Could anyone have won in 107 days? Did Harris make mistakes that cost her the election, or was the outcome predetermined by factors beyond her control? Is she positioning for 2028, or closing a chapter? These questions ensure that 107 Days will be discussed, debated, and analyzed for years to come.
Recommendation: Essential reading for anyone interested in American politics, women’s leadership, campaign strategy, or understanding the 2024 election. Approach with awareness that this is Harris’s version of events, but value it as an important historical document and compelling human story.
International Book Tour
Harris announced a 15-city book tour that will take her from New York and San Francisco to Toronto and London, kicking off September 24, one day after the release, and ending at Miami’s Ziff Opera House in late November.
Tour highlights include:
- New York City
- San Francisco
- Los Angeles
- Washington D.C.
- Toronto, Canada
- London, UK
- Miami
The ambitious international tour signals both the book’s commercial expectations and Harris’s continued engagement with the political sphere.
