The Gatekeepers

“Entertaining and engaging.”—Wall Street Journal

“Compelling and insightful . . . destined to take its place alongside classic works by Richard Neustadt, Theodore White, and other White House chroniclers . . . a must-read.”—HuffPost

“Carefully researched and eminently readable, The Gatekeepers . . . provides a fresh view of the modern presidencies. Whipple cuts to the heart of what, or more to the point who, makes a presidency succeed or fail.”—Newsday

“A treasure trove of stories about ‘the second-most-powerful job in government.’”—Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“Could not be more timely . . . There are valuable lessons in The Gatekeepers for Trump’s chief, the embattled Reince Priebus.”—Time

“Captivating . . . This is a tale told by a journalist and in a way that makes for better history.”—U.S. News & World Report

“[Whipple’s] prose is clear, crisp, and often evocative. . . . His observations ring true as he tracks the development of the office.”—Washington Times

“Observers of the political scene will find this book well worth their time and attention. Whipple’s style is lively and engaging, and he peppers the pages with colorful quotes and marvelous anecdotes.”—History News Network

“A candid and exhilarating history about the development of the office of chief of staff.”—Washington Missourian

“Chris Whipple takes us deep inside one of the most important and demanding jobs in Washington—White House chief of staff. Here, we get to know how great power is managed and exercised by those who have held the job. If you’re a political junkie or merely curious, this is the book for you.”—Tom Brokaw, former anchor, NBC Nightly News

“A vivid, enthralling, and brilliantly reported account of White House chiefs of staff, who are—with all respects to U.S. vice presidents— the actual second-most-powerful people in Washington. This is U.S. history through the fascinating prism of the men who guard the door to the Oval Office and a learned, welcome, and important addition to the study of the executive branch.”—Christopher Buckley, author of Thank You for Smoking, No Way to Treat a First Lady, and The Relic Master

“Understanding how government really works, what presidents actually do, and what is the range of ‘normal’ versus ‘unprecedented’ behavior is more important now than ever before. As The Gatekeepers makes vividly clear, White House chiefs of staff are at the center of the process that determines how presidents succeed or fail. This is an enlightening work of history with important lessons for our immediate future.”—James Fallows, The Atlantic, former White House speechwriter