Madhouse:: The Private Turmoil of Working for the President

by Jeffrey Birnbaum

Draws on the personal accounts and experiences of six senior White House aides to describe the crises, scandals, chaos, and stress of working for the president. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812923251
• ISBN13: 9780812923254
• Release Date: April 1996
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
• Length: 261 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Who Would Want These Jobs?

Each of the White House staffers in this book are presented as having taken their position with the hopes of making a difference. it didn't take long for each and every one of them to realize that they were just pawns in the game. The book mentions that the average tenure of a staffer is only 12 - 18 months, and if all staffers are treated as poorly those in this book were treated, it is obvious as to why they choose to move on. The upside to the jobs? Each of them went on to a more lucrative position after leaving the White House. If you can put up with 12 - 18 months of misery, you can write your own ticket. They all had to be aware of that when they started, so it's had to feel too bad about what they had to go through in order to be able to add 'White House Staff' to their resume.

A very revealing look at the Clinton White House!

This book explores the inner workings of the Clinton White House, exposing the way in which the President works and handles his affairs. Through the stories of the people who helped him get to the presidency, this book has shown me a side of Mr. Clinton I never knew existed, and which frankly does not seem too likeable. I would recommend this book to anybody who wants to learn more about the way in which this President goes about governing. It is also a good reference as far the White House regarding the way it works. Kudos to Mr. Birnbaum for writing such an interesting description of the current administration!