I pored over the book to see if there was anything that I shared in common with this apotheosis of traditional American values.

We both had what Palin calls “a love of the written word” and we both won Veterans of Foreign Wars writing contests as children.

We both read “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and “Animal Farm.”

We both came from families that loved Ronald Reagan, drove Ramblers and watched “The Lawrence Welk Show” and “The Wonderful World of Disney” on Sunday nights.

Palin’s father offered to let her hold some moose eyes. My dad came from Ireland, where they ate sheep eyes soup.

Sarah and I both banged on the upright piano in the living room and twirled around to “The Sound of Music.”