The inside story of the world's most exclusive fraternity; how presidents from Hoover through Obama worked with--and sometimes, against--each other when they were in and out of power.
The Presidents Club
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Amazon Best Books of the Month, April 2012: It's hard to imagine a more obviously fascinating prism through which to look at American history and politics since the end of World War II. Starting with the surprisingly effective relationship of Harry S. Truman and Herbert Hoover, and following through "Obama and His Club," TIME Magazine's Executive Editor Nancy Gibbs and Washington Bureau Chief Michael Duffy trace the surprising, complicated story of "the world's most exclusive fraternity." Sitting presidents and their predecessors have at times proved remarkably simpatico, at others impossible thorns in each other's sides. The authors' extensive research demonstrates that ex-Presidents have a penchant for morphing from consummate team players into irascible rogues, sometimes within weeks, as they strive both to remain relevant and to shape their own legacies. In Gibbs and Duffy's hands, their stories never fail to captivate. --Jason Kirk
Review
“This is essential reading for anyone interested in American politics.” —Robert Dallek, bestselling author of An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917–1963
“Forget Rome’s Curia, Yale’s Skull and Bones and the Bilderbergs—the world’s most exclusive club never numbers more than six. . . . Michael Duffy and Nancy Gibbs have penetrated thick walls of secrecy and decorum to give us the most intimate, revealing, and poignant account of the constitutional fifth wheel that is the ex-presidency. Readers are in for some major surprises, not to mention a history they won’t be able to put down.” —Richard Norton Smith, author of Patriarch: George Washington and the New American Nation
“The Presidents Club is magnetically readable, bursting with new information and behind-the-scenes details. It is also an important contribution to history, illuminating the event-making private relationships among our ex-Presidents and why we should do a far better job of drawing on their skills and experience.” —Michael Beschloss, bestselling author of The Conquerers
“Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy have given us a great gift: a deeply reported, highly original, and wonderfully written exploration of a much-overlooked part of American history. The tiny world of U.S. presidents is our Olympus, and Gibbs and Duffy have chronicled the intimacies and rivalries of the gods.” —Jon Meacham, bestselling author of American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
“Michael Duffy and Nancy Gibbs have taken us inside one of the most powerful and unusual families in American life—the brotherhood of former presidents of the United States. Political junkies, historians, psychologists and main street citizens will find the tales of friendship, envy, conspiracy, competition and common cause irresistible.” —Tom Brokaw, bestselling author of The Greatest Generation
“This is a brilliant idea for a book, wonderfully written! At Eisenhower’s inauguration, Hoover and Truman half-jokingly decided to form a ‘President’s Club.’ With surprising reporting and insights, this book reveals the relationships and rivalries among the few men who know what it’s like to be president. It gives a new angle on history by exploring the essence of the presidency.” —Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of Steve Jobs and Benjamin Franklin
“Michael Duffy and Nancy Gibbs offer more than a fresh and fascinating first look at the world’s most exclusive men’s club. It’s a book of real substance about clashing egos and strange bedfellows at the top.” —Jonathan Alter, bestselling author of The Promise
“The Presidents Club is a lucid and well-written glimpse into the modern presidency and its self-sustaining shadow organization. It's worth reading and rereading for its behind-the-scenes insights.” —USA Today
“This is a great scoop . . . Amazing.” —Chris Matthews, NBC
“A fabulous book . . . I absolutely love it.” —Greta Van Susteren, FOX News
“Forget Rome’s Curia, Yale’s Skull and Bones and the Bilderbergs—the world’s most exclusive club never numbers more than six. . . . Michael Duffy and Nancy Gibbs have penetrated thick walls of secrecy and decorum to give us the most intimate, revealing, and poignant account of the constitutional fifth wheel that is the ex-presidency. Readers are in for some major surprises, not to mention a history they won’t be able to put down.” —Richard Norton Smith, author of Patriarch: George Washington and the New American Nation
“The Presidents Club is magnetically readable, bursting with new information and behind-the-scenes details. It is also an important contribution to history, illuminating the event-making private relationships among our ex-Presidents and why we should do a far better job of drawing on their skills and experience.” —Michael Beschloss, bestselling author of The Conquerers
“Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy have given us a great gift: a deeply reported, highly original, and wonderfully written exploration of a much-overlooked part of American history. The tiny world of U.S. presidents is our Olympus, and Gibbs and Duffy have chronicled the intimacies and rivalries of the gods.” —Jon Meacham, bestselling author of American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
“Michael Duffy and Nancy Gibbs have taken us inside one of the most powerful and unusual families in American life—the brotherhood of former presidents of the United States. Political junkies, historians, psychologists and main street citizens will find the tales of friendship, envy, conspiracy, competition and common cause irresistible.” —Tom Brokaw, bestselling author of The Greatest Generation
“This is a brilliant idea for a book, wonderfully written! At Eisenhower’s inauguration, Hoover and Truman half-jokingly decided to form a ‘President’s Club.’ With surprising reporting and insights, this book reveals the relationships and rivalries among the few men who know what it’s like to be president. It gives a new angle on history by exploring the essence of the presidency.” —Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of Steve Jobs and Benjamin Franklin
“Michael Duffy and Nancy Gibbs offer more than a fresh and fascinating first look at the world’s most exclusive men’s club. It’s a book of real substance about clashing egos and strange bedfellows at the top.” —Jonathan Alter, bestselling author of The Promise
“The Presidents Club is a lucid and well-written glimpse into the modern presidency and its self-sustaining shadow organization. It's worth reading and rereading for its behind-the-scenes insights.” —USA Today
“This is a great scoop . . . Amazing.” —Chris Matthews, NBC
“A fabulous book . . . I absolutely love it.” —Greta Van Susteren, FOX News
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
125 of 131 people found the following review helpful
By Spk
Format:Kindle Edition
The President's Club is a refreshingly different kind of read. There are plenty of Presidential biographies. This book is not about Presidential accomplishments. It is not also about post-presidential accomplishments, such as the well know Clinton Global Initiative (CGI, as it is known). Rather this book explores the relationships between current Presidents and e-Presidents. i.e. how did ex-Presidents partner with current ones. Very well written with fun and telling anecdotes. As I read through this list starting from Truman's Presidency through to Obama, I thought it would be fun to subjectively rate some of these relationships:
Best: Hoover helping Truman get food supplies to 100 million starving Europeans after WWII (wow!)
Second best: Nixon helping Clinton deal with Yelstin. This is a really cool story!
Worst: Jimmy Carter annoying pretty much everybody
Delicious: Johnson and Nixon trying to outfox each other
Most fun anecdote: Reagan teaching Clinton how to salute.
If one is interested in Presidential history, this is a new and refreshing angle on this well worn path.
Best: Hoover helping Truman get food supplies to 100 million starving Europeans after WWII (wow!)
Second best: Nixon helping Clinton deal with Yelstin. This is a really cool story!
Worst: Jimmy Carter annoying pretty much everybody
Delicious: Johnson and Nixon trying to outfox each other
Most fun anecdote: Reagan teaching Clinton how to salute.
If one is interested in Presidential history, this is a new and refreshing angle on this well worn path.
83 of 93 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Looking for a great book that combines the best and worst qualities of leaders during challenging times? I just started The Presidents Club and can't put it down. Working in the White House is a different world. Wonder what it's like to be in the most exclusive fraternity in the world? This book might offend people on both sides of the political spectrum but entertain all. It reminds us all that Presidents are still people and how they deal with crushing pressure could be a lesson for us all.
92 of 104 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Anyone - Democrat or Republican - with an interest in the workings of the Presidency will find this a fascinating read. Sides of past presidents will be revealed that you hadn't known existed. It's an equally-interesting book when you take into account that even what is written about only scratches the surface, as ex-Presidents will only reveal so much.
I prefer not to list certain portions of a book like this that I really liked, as I know how much I like to avoid seeing even trivial "spoilers" - but rest assured, this is an account saturated with highly educational information.
I prefer not to list certain portions of a book like this that I really liked, as I know how much I like to avoid seeing even trivial "spoilers" - but rest assured, this is an account saturated with highly educational information.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book if you are interested in the topic
This book is very well written. It is very insightful and captivating. A lot of the information is stuff that you may have heard of, but the author always goes deeper into the... Read more
Published 1 day ago by Joe Toney
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE PRESIDENT'S CLUB
Ater a slow start, I became fascinated with the book
A great historical endeavor. CAN'T FORGET SOME OF THE INCIDENTS
A great historical endeavor. CAN'T FORGET SOME OF THE INCIDENTS
Published 1 day ago by Bud Tamarkin
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best history books I've read in years
Probably one of the BEST books I've read in years. This history book told the story of the relationships between current and former presidents from Hoover through Obama and how the... Read more
Published 2 days ago by WGR
4.0 out of 5 stars
NICE TOUR "AFTER THE CURTAIN CALLS"
Nancy Gibbs has put together a pleasant read of U.S. Political friendships that evolve after "time served", beginning with Harry S Truman and his ability to cross party... Read more
Published 3 days ago by Denice A. Lucas
5.0 out of 5 stars
A nice piece of history
wonderful stories and background information on a previously silent and unreported group of advisors. Read more
Published 4 days ago by R. Slee
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inside history stories
What a great book. It covers history that occurred during my lifetime, yet most of it escaped me. Books like this show why you cannot trust media and commentators that are... Read more
Published 6 days ago by Gilbert Reeser
4.0 out of 5 stars
" Were they greater than the sum of there parts?"
A balanced presentation of how one person might be spared oblivion by those who went before or to follow them!
Published 6 days ago by Michael a Maurer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book..how our democracy really works.
Enlightening to say the least. Little known facts about how presidents relate to each other in and out of office. A lesson in human nature at the top level of our democracy. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Olga F.
5.0 out of 5 stars
An interesting look at Presidents
This is a fascinating look at what former Presidents do after leaving office and how they work together. Read more
Published 7 days ago by jan b
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting insight into personal relationships between presidents
And it's a great review of American history through the prism of presidents as they were in office and after.
Published 8 days ago by Patrick J. Leonard
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