The Presidents Club: Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity

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The Presidents Club: Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity

4.17 of 5 stars 4.17 · rating details · 2,388 ratings · 547 reviews

The first history of the private relationships among modern American presidents—their backroom deals, rescue missions, secret alliances, and enduring rivalries. The Presidents Club, established at Dwight Eisenhower’s inauguration by Harry Truman and Herbert Hoover, is a complicated place: its members are bound forever by the experience of the Oval Office and yet are eterna...more

ebook, 656 pages

Published April 17th 2012 by Simon & Schuster (first published January 1st 2012)

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Jun 16, 2012 Marisa Adair rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When Bill Clinton defeated George W.H. Bush after only one term in office, the elder man was completely devastated. To say that he disliked the young upstart is an understatement. So it may come as a surprise that, as the years passed, these two men became the closest of friends. In fact, H.W. once said he felt like the father Clinton had never had. Such was the respect and esteem, and yes, the love, between these two former Presidents - one a Democrat, the other a Republican; one who suffered a...more When Bill Clinton defeated George W.H. Bush after only one term in office, the elder man was completely devastated. To say that he disliked the young upstart is an understatement. So it may come as a surprise that, as the years passed, these two men became the closest of friends. In fact, H.W. once said he felt like the father Clinton had never had. Such was the respect and esteem, and yes, the love, between these two former Presidents - one a Democrat, the other a Republican; one who suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the other.

This is one of the more moving relationships profiled in the The Presidents Club, a book that examines the bonds between sitting Presidents and those who held the top job before them. It is extraordinary how the former Presidents, as a result of their shared experiences, are able to cross party lines to support the man in office. After all, no one else knows what it's like to face the pressures of the job, understands the complexity of the decisions that need to be made, and feels the loneliness of a sitting President.

When Harry Truman faced a huge crisis around famine in post World War II Europe, he called on former president Herbert Hoover, who did a stellar job and in the meantime rehabilitated his own legacy which had been devastated by the Great Depression. The two most unlikely partners forged a deep friendship that lasted the rest of their lives, and together they succeeded in convincing a reluctant congress to redefine and strengthen the powers of the presidency.

Of course, it doesn't always work out this way. A young President Kennedy would have been wise to seek the counsel of President Eisenhower, but he was too determined to make a "fresh start" to give the old man much attention. Then there's Jimmy Carter, who comes across as opportunistic and self-centered, always looking out for himself - a man who couldn't be trusted by many of the sitting Presidents he was "helping." The account of Richard Nixon's manipulative relationship with LBJ is almost painful yet fascinating to read.

The Presidents Club is a unique book that provides new insights into each of these Chief Commanding Officers, and a better understanding of how their relationships can impact the course of history. After reading this book, I'll be watching Bill Clinton's activities during Barack Obama's bid for re-election with a whole new perspective. The relationship between these two men will make an interesting new chapter for the next edition of this excellent book.(less)

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Mar 03, 2013 Dirck Halstead rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First, this is a great book!

Secondly, I feel personally entitled to recommend it.

I covered the Presidency first for UPI, then Time Magazine from the Kennedy inaugural in 1960, through the end of the Clinton Presidency.
As a photographer I saw them up close, through the lens of my camera, traveled many thousand of miles with them around the world ten times over.

Michael Duffy and Nancy Gibbs are former colleagues and friends, who shared these experiences with me.

I can tell you that they are spot-on...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Arminius rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When President Truman needed someone to run the food program to feed the devastated starving Europeans in the aftermath of WWII he called on the hero of feeding the masses of starving Europeans following WWI. That man was a former President from a rival party who was vilified by Truman’s predecessor. Herbert Hoover was living in seclusion following his loss of the presidency. Franklin Roosevelt used the clever ploy of blaming the Great Depression on Hoover. Truman was a different kind of man as...more When President Truman needed someone to run the food program to feed the devastated starving Europeans in the aftermath of WWII he called on the hero of feeding the masses of starving Europeans following WWI. That man was a former President from a rival party who was vilified by Truman’s predecessor. Herbert Hoover was living in seclusion following his loss of the presidency. Franklin Roosevelt used the clever ploy of blaming the Great Depression on Hoover. Truman was a different kind of man as president. He reached out to a 72 year old Hoover in 1946 to head the European War relief effort. In doing so Hoover saved millions of starving Europeans. He also became an original member of the President’s Club.

Hoover and Truman became close. Truman asked for advice many times from Hoover. Truman would continue the tradition after Hoover’s death and when Eisenhower was elected he offered similar types advice. He would offer even more advice to John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. In fact, all the presidents became friendly with each other from Truman to Obama.

Nixon would show his genius as a former president and a member of this club. President Nixon recognized Ronald Reagan’s potential star power. He also recognized Reagan's threat to his own future. So Nixon (as President) sends Reagan (as governor of California) on diplomatic missions to divert his intentions. When Reagan became President Nixon gave him salient advice. For example, Nixon told Reagan to never give speeches outside this diminished Reagan's effective voice. He also told him to only debate in the election when third party candidate John Anderson is allowed. I am not sure why but Reagan won the debates. When Clinton became President Nixon told him to master foreign affairs because that is what makes or breaks a president. He also predicted the rise of radical Muslim fundamentalism.

George Bush became great friends with the man who defeated him - Bill Clinton. In fact, President Bush was seen as a father figure to Bill Clinton. He was always there for Clinton when Clinton needed him.

To wrap this great book up I am going to give a brief description about each of the presidents who were members of this unique group.

Truman- down-to-earth, no nonsense, common sense
Eisenhower- calm, experienced excellent role model
Kennedy- charismatic, great vision
Johnson- legislative master,
Nixon, political promulgator, devious and cunning
Ford – steady
Carter- arrogant, sympathetic
Reagan- conviction minded, confident
Bush- the nicest of the presidents
Clinton- adaptable, persistent
Bush- swaggering confidence

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Dec 27, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nf, political, us-history, amer-presidents, 2012, library, library-request, audible, 12-brilliants-in-12, favorites

Wow, what a great reading roll I've been on for the past couple of weeks. I enjoy politics and reading about life behind the scenes at The White House. But I had no idea when I picked this book up that it would move me to tears several times.

Beginning with the Hoover administration and following all the way through to Obama's first term, you will go behind the scenes and look at the struggles of the men who have sat behind the big desk in the Oval Office. You will see how they lean on and suppo...more Wow, what a great reading roll I've been on for the past couple of weeks. I enjoy politics and reading about life behind the scenes at The White House. But I had no idea when I picked this book up that it would move me to tears several times.

Beginning with the Hoover administration and following all the way through to Obama's first term, you will go behind the scenes and look at the struggles of the men who have sat behind the big desk in the Oval Office. You will see how they lean on and support each other, and even how they disappoint and embarrass each other.

I found this book surprising, enlightening, and extremely well-researched and written. I will say also that it leans a bit to the right. For me, this is a good thing, as I have developed a whole new respect for some men that my dad cursed quite a lot about as I was growing up.

I was greatly moved by those Presidents who crossed party lines, who took trips to the other side of the world while feeling ill because the Commander in Chief needed them, who joined forces to help disaster victims, I could go on and on. This book covers a lot of ground. The best part, for me, is I am once again swimming in American politics, and thoroughly enjoying myself.

I was particularly surprised by some things I learned about Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Bush 41 and Bush 43. I was extremely moved by relationships Bill Clinton developed, crossing party lines nearly every time, although those weren't the only stories that brought tears to my eyes. This book has shown me that I definitely need to read biographies about Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Bush 41 and Carter.

It's easy to become disillusioned by American politics, but reading this book really left me with a feeling of hope. Hope in the office, hope that my country will find its feet again, hope for a better day once more, and really a new respect for each of our presidents, whether I loved them or not, voted for them or not. I highly recommend this book. It was quite a journey. (less)

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Jun 28, 2012 Diane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is thoroughly researched and provides incredible (how in the world did the authors find this out?) and fascinating details -- all told as a highly readable story by two TIME writers. It covers the relationships current presidents have with their predecessors and how they help each other behind the scenes and in public.

You learn how much LBJ depended on Eisenhower as he conducted the war in Vietnam. (Eisenhower is described as practically his Chief of Staff.) You learn that Nixon wrote...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Audrey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very much enjoyed the book. The most important thing I learned: No matter how much you think you know about politics and what is happening, you have no idea.
This book was a great review of history, but it also was gossipy enough to give it another dimension.
I also think the authors stuck to the initial premise of the book. That is, it is about the complex relations between the presidents; it did not wander into other areas of history.

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Jul 16, 2012 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book gives us a very unique inside account of the presidents' relationships with one another. I never realized how much they actually rely on one another for guidance even if they do battle politically. I love the layout, it's chronological and begins with Truman and Hoover, where "the club" was technically born and goes up to the present. So far I'm enjoying it and HIGHLY recommend it to those who love presidential history, it's a smooth and very interesting read so far and I'm only a chap...more

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May 19, 2013 Richard Brand rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is an interesting perspective on the job and the burdens of the President of the United States. It gives a nice behind the scene picture of the isolation, responsibility and the friendships that can develop among the few people who have held the job. Since the club did not get "organized" until Hoover and Truman, for me there were a lot of years that came back as I read the book. As a small boy I do remember Truman calling McArthur back from Korea and the uproar that caused. As a high schoo...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Richard rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like reading history, and I really enjoyed reading about the inner workings of the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity. I never knew how much the various ex-presidents have been involved in affairs after they leave office. I was completely unaware of Ike's influence after 1960. I already knew that Richard Nixon is one of the most interesting and perplexing players in 20th century American history, but this account makes him even more so.

There were a few minor things I didn't like about the book,...more I like reading history, and I really enjoyed reading about the inner workings of the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity. I never knew how much the various ex-presidents have been involved in affairs after they leave office. I was completely unaware of Ike's influence after 1960. I already knew that Richard Nixon is one of the most interesting and perplexing players in 20th century American history, but this account makes him even more so.

There were a few minor things I didn't like about the book, but don't let any of these dissuade you from picking up a copy yourself. First, the authors are both Time magazine editors, and they show a clear preference for citing Time covers and journalism over some of the competing media of the day, including but not limited to Newsweek and US News & World Report. Second, I occasionally detect whiffs of anti-Republican bias as when the authors note that it was "African-Americans" stranded on top of the Superdome after Katrina, as if their race was somehow relevant to the situation. (Some people argue that Bush's reaction to Katrina would have been different if the victims had been white. This book doesn't address that question at all. But by bringing up the victims' race, and by calling FEMA Director Mike Brown Bush's "crony" without further explanation, the authors allude to the charge without having to defend it.)

One other thing I don't like about this book is a flaw almost every other modern nonfiction book shares. I really wish the authors or publishers would go back to putting the footnotes at the bottom of the page to which they apply. When the footnotes are at the bottom of the page, I will glance down to check the source or to read the supplemental information they sometimes include. When the footnotes are at the end of the book, I almost never look at them, and certainly not while I am reading the passage that they relate to. Maybe it is easier to publish a book with the notes at the end, but it really does a disservice to the scholarship and research that went into the book. And it makes it much more difficult for the reader to evaluate the validity of the author's work. Authors! Publishers! Please restore FOOTnotes to where they belong, at the FOOT of the page.

I can't say the book was "amazing". That's a high hurdle. But I did like it a lot and would give 4 1/2 stars if half stars were an option. (Goodreads, why don't you let us award half stars?! It seems like every book I review here I'm on the fence about how many stars to award.)(less)

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Mar 05, 2013 Michael Mallory rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"The Presidents Club" is a fascinating history of 20th century America through the lens of the Oval Office, focusing on how sitting presidents call upon the expertise and knowledge of their predecessors...or don't. Since the "club" of ex-presidents really started with Truman, little of the first half of the century is covered. But authors Nancy Gibb and Michael Duffy go into great detail, with great insight, as to the workings of the White House thereafter, all the way up to the current presiden...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Garry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A fun and informative book. Wish it had focused a bit more on the more recent Presidents, as much fun as the Truman/Hoover partnership was to read about. OK. In all honesty, the Truman/Hoover thing WAS pretty interesting. Poor Herbert Hoover. Such a good, decent man who did so much to help many - assuming hou consider saving Europe from starvation TWICE a significant accomplishment -- and yet he suffers a dismal reputation.

The book really picks up the pace when it gets to Nixon, Ford, Carter, C...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Dale rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very Interesting History of the Modern Presidency

Published by Simon and Schuster Audio in 2012
Read by Bob Walter
Duration: 22 hours, 1 minute
Unabridged

Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy, both editors at Time , have delivered a very listenable, fascinating look at each American president from Harry Truman to Barack Obama. No matter their political persuasion, their life experiences or their qualities as a human being, all 12 of these men share one thing: they were once President. This is an exclusive c...more Very Interesting History of the Modern Presidency

Published by Simon and Schuster Audio in 2012
Read by Bob Walter
Duration: 22 hours, 1 minute
Unabridged

Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy, both editors at Time , have delivered a very listenable, fascinating look at each American president from Harry Truman to Barack Obama. No matter their political persuasion, their life experiences or their qualities as a human being, all 12 of these men share one thing: they were once President. This is an exclusive club and it seems that just about every president has looked to a former president for a shoulder to lean on, advice or even as a personal envoy sent to convey a sense of urgency to the message.

The story is told in a rough chronological order starting with Truman. When Truman was President there was only one other member of the Presidents Club: Herbert Hoover. Yes, the same Hoover that Truman and FDR disparaged for 12 years. However, to his credit, Truman sent out feelers and discovered that Hoover was still willing and able to help. Together, they set up the ground rules for this "club." Hoover was tapped by Truman to help re-organize the Executive Branch and to get food to Europe at the end of World War II (Hoover did this at the end of World War I as well) and to help re-organize the Executive Branch.

Gibbs and Duffy discuss how each President interacted with his predecessor and his successor and even other presidents (for example, Nixon interacted with every President from Truman to Clinton. Gerald Ford had a similar lengthy history. They also discuss how the "Club" grew and shrank over the years. During Bill Clinton's presidency, there were as many as six members (Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush41 and Clinton). At one point in the Nixon years, there was only Nixon.

If you are a political junkie or a fan of modern American history, this anecdote-filled book is a must-read. It gives a different feel for the men, their personalities and their legacies. For example, I was surprised...

Read more (and see a picture of the current members of the "Club") at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/...(less)

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Jan 03, 2013 Rev. Mysterium rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: american-empire, americana, autobiography-biography, behind-closed-doors, blood-on-our-hands, boys-will-be-boys, break-the-cycle, cant-wait-for-more, civil-rights, complex-subject-made-easy, controversial, current-affairs, dirty-little-secrets, dumb-people, family-portraits, favourites, follow-the-leader, fraternal-organizations, gw-bush-crimes, hard-to-put-down, history-factual, history-lived, history-repeats, human-rights, introspective, leadership, learning-tools, lies-of-history-exposed, little-known-history, live-and-learn, makes-you-think, memoir, non-fiction, not-for-all-but-should-be, obama, our-government-at-its-best, our-government-at-its-worst, people-skills, perspectives, political, power-to-the-people, post-911-response, race-relations, should-be-a-textbook, subject-for-debate, teachable-moments, teach-your-children-well, the-peoples-history, ugly-america-and-americans, united-states-history, vietnam-era, war-sucks

Taking an intimate and deeply personal look into the interactions between the sitting president and their living predecessors (covering from Hoover to Obama), The President's Club is a wonderful read that will educate and give the reader a glimpse into the human side of the presidency. The office as a whole is a cherished entity that goes far beyond party lines and loyalties. It is interesting to see the interpersonal relationships transform once the baton is handed on to the next president. The...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Stephanie Patterson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Whether it's an election year or not, I enjoy books about politics. This is informative and just gossipy enough to keep one turning pages. It tracks the splits and alliances between former presidents from Hoover to Obama. I am a great admirer of Bill Clinton's abilities to connect with people and was especially interested in his interactions with his predecessors. Spoiler alert: Despite the fact that they share party affiliation, Bill and Jimmy aren't best buds. Indeed, Jimmy Carter emerges as a...more

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Dec 27, 2012 John Cooper rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A short history of the modern Presidency from Hoover to Obama, told entirely in stories about the interactions between presidents, ex-presidents, and future presidents. The stuff you'd expect is here—Ford's pardon of Nixon, former president Carter's rogue diplomacy in North Korea, the disaster relief team of George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton—but there's a lot of hidden history, too: Nixon's deliberate interference in the Vietnamese peace talks of 1968, stalling any peace settlement until it cou...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Doug Clark rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I recently finished reading The President’s Club by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy. The book is the history of sitting president’s interactions with their predecessors. It starts with Harry Truman’s presidency and his decision to bring Herbert Hoover back into prominence and concludes with Obama and his interactions with Clinton, Carter and the Bushes. I found this to be an absolutely fascinating book. It covers much of the history of the United States from the end of WWII through the present. It...more I recently finished reading The President’s Club by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy. The book is the history of sitting president’s interactions with their predecessors. It starts with Harry Truman’s presidency and his decision to bring Herbert Hoover back into prominence and concludes with Obama and his interactions with Clinton, Carter and the Bushes. I found this to be an absolutely fascinating book. It covers much of the history of the United States from the end of WWII through the present. It’s extremely well-written and includes extensive endnotes of the primary sources for each chapter, along with a bibliography. Each section opens with a brief introduction for each newly elected president. Then there are individual chapters on the role the former presidents have played in the sitting president’s administration. Sometimes that role is very small, such as during Eisenhower’s administration. Sometimes it is very larger. Until his death in 1994, Nixon was extremely active in offering advice and partaking foreign missions for many of his successors. Some of it, of course, was his attempt to rehabilitate his image following Watergate and his resignation from the Presidency in 1974. Some of it was simply his need to be a part of things, especially foreign policy, and in particular, the Soviet Union and China. In general, former Presidents have been supportive of their successors regardless of their individual political affiliations. Rarely do former Presidents criticize the sitting President. If there are disagreements, they are kept out of the public’s notice. Occasionally, former Presidents have cause embarrassment to the sitting President. This seems especially true of Jimmy Carter, who has sometimes overstepped his role.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone interested in the history of the United States from the middle of the 20th Century to the present, especially if the reader has an interest in the Presidency. As best as I could tell, the authors were fair in their treatment of all the former and sitting Presidents. That doesn’t mean that book doesn’t offer criticisms, but it is filled with equal opportunity criticism.
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Nov 05, 2012 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Presidents Club by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy is a must read for all amateur presidential historians. For those who've had the luxury of reading a biography of each president since Hoover, it contains interesting reminders of each president’s interactions with fellow members of the club that are documented elsewhere.

For those who have not yet had the opportunity to study each president, the book is a sumptuous gathering of amuse bouches from which to choose your next object of study.

Gibb...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Ob-jonny rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Amazing book about the history of American Presidents since Hoover. This book describes the interactions between presidents and ex-presidents, and sometimes ex-presidents with each other. This is not a part of history that is often discussed in textbooks or in documentaries. It allows the reader to see the human side of the presidents in a very real and unedited version. There is a contrast between this and the more conventional stories of the lives of presidents and their various achievements....more

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Oct 19, 2012 Erwin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sycophant. I've read a lot of autobiographical works by people who are quite proud of themselves, Jim Rogers, Ray Kroc and Sam Walton all come to mind. There's something nauseating about the author's infatuation with everyone who served as an American President, post WWII. The constant "but 'The Club' will save the day" refrain was used so frequently your eyes may not stop rolling.

One Amazon reviewer wrote that "If one is interested in Presidential history, this is a new and refreshing angle on...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Dan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The President's Club is a little outside my normal Goodreads interests, and I'm already weary of politics in this election year, but after reading a compelling excerpt of this book in Time Magazine, I was hooked. I've always been fascinated by the inspiring post-presidency bipartisan friendship of Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush. I've also always been cognizant that The President of the United States is arguably the hardest job in the world, which should be factored in before harsh criticism...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Aaron rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This really is a must-read for any political junkie looking for a different angle on the Presidency. Gibbs and Duffy do an amazing job of getting the inside scoop on one of the most secret of societies in the world: the Presidents Club, which is made up solely of former presidents.

The book highlights that it was not uncommon for Presidents to turn to their predecessors for advice since the beginning of the institution, it was not really until the Truman administration that the idea for such a cl...more This really is a must-read for any political junkie looking for a different angle on the Presidency. Gibbs and Duffy do an amazing job of getting the inside scoop on one of the most secret of societies in the world: the Presidents Club, which is made up solely of former presidents.

The book highlights that it was not uncommon for Presidents to turn to their predecessors for advice since the beginning of the institution, it was not really until the Truman administration that the idea for such a club became formalized. It started when he turned to Herbert Hoover for some help in dealing with the troubles his administration was facing. Ever sense, the club has been a resource, sometimes valuable and sometimes troublesome, for the various men who have been serving in the Oval Office.

The book follows history primarily in chronological order, providing insight into the personalities of both the current and former presidents throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. There are surprising relationships/bonds that form, such as those between Clinton and Nixon or Eisenhower and Johnson. It is interesting to see how these bonds transcended political parties.

I was really intrigued at the inside view of the various personalities. Some of the former presidents (Nixon and Carter in particular) come across as being rogues and a bit of a pain in the butt for those who followed them. With that said, they were also invaluable with helping. Nixon in particular seems to be a unique character who is an amazing politician with a strong understanding of how politics works, but his sense of inferiority and need to get over the Watergate scandal led him to try and improve his image with later successes. The funny thing is that he was usually right when predicting the outcome or even the future. He may have been Tricky Dick, but he was also a Smart Richard.

I actually found myself getting different perspectives of some of the presidents by reading the book. I gained respect for some I had not really thought were good presidents and vice versa.

I did find it interesting that the Democratic presidents seemed less threatened and more willing to work with their immediate predecessors no matter the party while Republicans were less likely to trust those who came before them, though that was not necessarily universal. What does seem to be universal is that with the exception of Ike and his immediate successor, all of the club members were willing to help out and do what they could to protect/help the country and the office.

I really did love this book!(less)

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Jul 28, 2012 Gary Schantz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An earlier book I read about President Ford sort of alluded to something called a Presidential Council or Commission being in place to help a sitting president in dealing with issues. If I recall correctly he was quoted as saying that he didn't think it was necessarily a good idea.

After having read this book which I thought was excellent, I am inclined to believe that all living former presidents should still be utilized in continued service of the country. The vast experience that each presiden...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography-memoir

The club is real, not a metaphor, and these stories made me re-think my impressions of many Presidents. I read the chapter about Truman turning to Hoover when post-WWII Europe was starving because of food distribution problems. Then I skipped forward to times I remember.

Or thought I remembered. The behind-the-scenes details about news events are fascinating. I had no idea that in 1994 the United States was 30 minutes away from invading Haiti. I had no idea how unpredictable Carter is--he really...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Tom rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: DIck Freeman

Recommended to Tom by: Moira

Shelves: biography, non-fiction, history

This book was recommended to me by Moira. It is a useful study in how to, and how not to, behave when leaving an administrative position.
A great book to read in these times leading up to what is bound to be a tumultuous election. The authors explore the relationship between past and sitting presidents beginning with Hoover /Truman up to Obama/Bush/Clinton. My perspective on each of them changed:
Truman-I had read McCullough’s biography a couple of years ago. It was interesting to read of his clo...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Bob Schmitz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The authors discuss the interactions of the former US presidents with sitting ones. In general the former presidents are sympathetic and supportive of the current ones. They realize how hard the job is and are glad to give non-partisan advice on how to handle situations.

There are some interesting interactions. For instance Roosevelt would have nothing to do with Hoover but Truman asked him to tour Europe after the war to evaluate the food supply there and his recommendations were built into the...more

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Apr 25, 2013 Meg - A Bookish Affair rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've always been intrigued by what former Presidents do after they retire. Here they are, the former commander-in-chief and the former leaders of the free world, and after a maximum of eight years, they go from being arguably the most powerful people in the country back to private life. I've always wondered how they felt about that. Some of the Presidents have been very much in the public eye after their presidency ended (Jimmy Carter has done so much as an ex-president) and others have largely...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A fascinating look at how presidents bond with one another over a position so unique only a handful ever enter the club. They look to one another for advice and guidance, and sometimes those relationships are not always rosy. Beautifully reported and written, this book offers an insight into each of the presidents in a way that generally isn't addressed. Clinton's affection for Nixon, the two Bush's complex relationship with one another, the antagonistic relationship between Clinton and Carter—e...more

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May 17, 2012 Khairul H. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

What touches me most while reading this book is how the former Presidents would assist the man occupying the office at the time regardless of their political leanings. Hoover the Republican helped Truman the Democrat just as Ike advised Kennedy and Clinton became Obama's envoy (okay, they're are on the same side politically but Clinton didn't like Obama taking away the Presidency from his wife Hillary).

It is touching to a Malaysian because I simply do not see that happening in this country. Mal...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thoroughly enjoyed this book describing the relationships between our presidents during and after they left office. Most of the book is spent on the last 70 years or so, and that's because we have more information about the post-presidency relationships of those presidents.

The descriptions of presidents being real people--with feelings and emotions--and, in most cases, dealing with those issues in professional and adult ways is inspiring. Ford didn't like Carter at first. After all, Carter kic...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Aunt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Who knew old presidents never die-they actually hang around to try to assist "the new guy" should they be called upon! The premise of this book is a fascinating and surprising one. A meticulously researched work that traces the relationships (or lack thereof) between past and present holders of the office features just enough "juicy" stuff to keep an eavesdropper like me happy. I never would have suspected just how much Carter craves attention or that Bush 41 and Clinton have a father/son relati...more

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“Nixon to Clinton: "When seeking advice from people who are more experienced than you, tell them what you plan to do first, and then ask for their reaction. Don't ask for their advice, and then ignore it. That way you save on bruised feelings.” — 3 people liked it

“Lydon Johnson realized he really was President, that his identity had changed by President Kennedy's shocking death, when aides who had been like family to him minutes before, stood in his presence on Air Force One.” — 1 person liked it

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