by Nancy Gibbs
First published 2013
The Presidents Club examines the private bonds among America's last thirteen commanders in chief. Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy reveal how former presidents navigate their unique brotherhood, bound by shared Oval Office experience yet competing for historical legacy. The club began when Harry Truman and Herbert Hoover appeared together at Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration. The authors expose hidden alliances and betrayals: Jack Kennedy's attempt to shift Bay of Pigs blame to Eisenhower, Nixon's conspiracy with Lyndon Johnson followed by betrayal, and Reagan's quiet assistance from Eisenhower in 1966. They trace how Jerry Ford and Jimmy Carter transformed mutual hostility into partnership, document the unspoken understanding between the two Bush presidents, and explore the competitive dynamic between Clinton and Obama. This investigation into presidential relationships reveals a shadow network that has secretly influenced American politics and policy for decades.
Genres: history, 20th-century, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: shadow-network
Period: 20th-Century, 21st-Century
641 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster