Welcome to Litsy!

This was really good and I felt like I learned quite a bit as well.

If you like political history, this book is for you. Filled with behind the scenes stories of all those who helped or hindered their president. Detailing the times from Nixon through Obama, you‘ll know many of the key players as they seem to keep cycling through the system, from one political post to another. Detailed but never boring.

This is such a good book. Very informative. It has great stories and gave a great overview of the chiefs of staff from Nixon on.

I‘m only on page 8 and I‘m feeling nostalgic and sad. The former chiefs of staff are giving advice to Obama‘s chief of staff as he begins his new job. The weight of the position is so clearly stated. I wish some of these people (okay, not Sununu, Rumsfeld, or Cheney) were around now.

Reading with my little angel. I have been battling feelings of depression the last few days and I really think it‘s due to my lack of reading time.

I am really enjoying this book about presidential chiefs of staff. Also my breakfast is amazing. Pimento cheese bacon omelette! Yummy.

I worked an early shift today so when I got home I grabbed my stack of books and got in bed. It‘s turned suddenly cold today so huddled under blankets.

When the husband is away the wife will play.. oh who am I kidding the wife will eat sushi and cake and read 🤣

Sounds like an interesting book. Enjoying the #podcast #USPolitics

Currently reading these books plus Children of Blood and Bone on audio. Bracing myself for a bad weather day. I wish I didn‘t have to go to work. My anxiety is high.

Happy Friday! Here are my #FridayReads that I am working on. Excited to read these this weekend. What is everyone else reading today?

#CurrentListen If it is good enough for @BookishMarginalia , it‘s good enough for me!

I highly recommend this informative and engaging look at the pivotal role of the Chief of Staff in the White House. Each chapter focuses on a different president and his chiefs of staff, from Nixon to Obama. It‘s a history lesson with a light touch and a deft hand. #Recommendsday (it would make an excellent gift for history and politics buffs in your Christmas list, regardless of party affiliation) #GiftABook

This great nonfiction, based on a documentary, illuminated behind-the-scenes politics from the 1960s to today. White House Chiefs of Staff are neither elected not confirmed by the Senate. They‘re appointed by Presidents, work their butts off, and hopefully leave their mark before they collapse.

Full review www.TheBibliophage.com

#nonfictionchallenge17

When I first started this book, I‘d commented on how the fictional chief of staff and others on ABC‘s Designated Survivor seem impossibly young. Turns out it‘s entirely possible, although none of these young people in Carter‘s administration were his chief of staff. #politics #nonficnov

I'm diving into this one today, and loving it already. Lately politics is my jam.

This question is only partly related. If you watch Designated Survivor, don't you think Tom Kirkman's two Chiefs of Staff are impossibly young and inexperienced? Love the show, though!

Great book. However, I could've done without the line, "You can't diss the Majority Leader." I know that ghetto slang has somehow replaced English and became our national language, but intelligent people do not write this way.

Introducing Rahm Emanuel at a charity event, Obama told the audience about the time Rahm, a teenager working at a deli, suffered a terrible accident with a meat grinder; part of his middle finger was sliced off--rendering him "practically mute." Later Obama would tease Rahm about a camel ride during a trip to Egypt. "This is a wild animal known to bite, kick, and spit," Obama said, "and who knows what the camel might do."

On a state visit to England, Baker and Deaver arranged for the president to go horseback riding with Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. When the time came, the queen's horse took off at a gallop--farting uncontrollably. Reagan and his horse rode just behind. Upon their return, the queen stammered, "Mr. President, I am so terribly sorry." Reagan smiled and cocked his head. "That's funny, " he responded. "I thought it was the horse."

Meese was adept at framing issues for his boss but famously disorganized; his briefcase was known as the "black hole": Papers went in and never came out. Stuart Spencer, Reagan's old friend and campaign manager, thought Meese was a nonstarter. "Ed couldn't organize a two car funeral," he says.

"He was giving these very dull, terrible speeches," recalls Cannon. "And one day they wrote a line in a speech and the sentence was, 'And I say to you, this is nonsense.' And they made a note in the speech: with emphasis. And Ford read it aloud: 'And I say to you, this is nonsense--with emphasis.' And Cheney says, 'Well, that's another thing we can't do--write instructions in the speech text.'"

This was interesting. Picked it up on a whim.

I thought this was an excellent book-very interesting description of how the presidents and chiefs of staff dealt with the challenges of each presidency. For those of you who don't want to read a book that describes a lot of partisan fighting, to me it didn't read that way. It was fast-paced, and I learned a lot!

I learned so much from this book! Starting with Nixon and continuing through the end of Obama's presidency, this book discusses the different roles that the Chief of Staff has played and how successful they've been. I felt this was fairly unbiased, politically, and completely full of fascinating anecdotes. Really glad I picked his one up!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Released tomorrow! Here's my review:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31159759-the-gatekeepers

My friend has MS and is blind so she can't drive - she's always amazed that I offer to drive her to her doctor's appointments. I can sit in a quiet waiting room and read? Really, I seriously don't mind one bit!

You know when you're going merrily along with everything and then all of a sudden, without any warning whatsoever, you're sicker than a big dog's stomach? ? but you're also like, "I'm gonna read 'til that NyQuil kicks in..."

I'm so excited to start this! I love politics and being able to see past administrations through different prisms. This book tells the untold stories of the past Chiefs of Staff -from Nixon to Obama - (I had no idea that most of the living former Chiefs of Staff -from both parties - met with Rahm Emanuel to pass on their advice to help him succeed). If you enjoy Presidential history, then you'll enjoy this. Thanks @Crownpublishing for the ARC 😀