First published 2018
Ben Rhodes begins his mornings in the White House with Barack Obama, reviewing the Presidential Daily Briefing. What started as a speechwriting role evolves into something far more significant as Rhodes becomes Deputy National Security Advisor and one of Obama's closest collaborators over nearly a decade. Rhodes navigates the most critical moments of the Obama presidency from inside the administration. He sits in the Situation Room during the bin Laden operation. He helps craft responses to the Arab Spring uprisings. He works on secret negotiations to restore relations with Cuba and leads efforts to secure a nuclear deal with Iran. As nationalism rises across America, Rhodes watches the political landscape shift toward the election of Donald Trump. Throughout these years, Rhodes develops not just a working relationship but a genuine friendship with Obama. His account captures the administration's key figures including Susan Rice, Samantha Power, Hillary Clinton, and Bob Gates. The story spans from Obama's early campaign days to the presidency's final moments, when Rhodes stands beside Obama reading a handwritten copy of the Gettysburg Address.
Genres: history, political-science, politics, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, current-affairs, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, intimate-friendship
Setting: Cuba, Iran, Middle East, White House
Period: Arab Spring, Obama Presidency
450 pages · Hardcover · Random House