First published 2020
Kate Andersen Brower examines what happens when presidents leave the Oval Office. She follows Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama as they adjust to life without ultimate power. The author reveals how these men formed unexpected bonds through their shared experience of leading the nation. She documents their private conversations, family relationships, and political activities during the Trump presidency. Brower draws on interviews with the Carters, Trump himself, and close associates of all five former presidents. The book exposes moments like George W. Bush's friendship with Michelle Obama and the final meetings between Clinton, Obama, and the elder Bush before his death. It shows how these former leaders worked to protect their legacies while Trump occupied the White House. The author captures their struggle with losing relevance and influence after wielding the most powerful position on earth. Yet she also demonstrates how they found new ways to shape American culture and politics as private citizens.
Genres: politics, biography-memoir, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical, non-fiction
Period: 21st Century
464 pages · Paperback · Harper Large Print