DigeeBooks

In the bestselling tradition of The Presidents Club and Presidential Courage, White House history as told through the stories of the best friends and closest confidants of American presidents.

Here are the riveting histories of myriad presidential friendships, among them:

• Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed: They shared a bed for four years during which Speed saved his friend from a crippling depression. Two decades later the friends worked together to save the Union. 
• Harry Truman and Eddie Jacobson: When Truman wavered on whether to recognize the state of Israel in 1948, his lifelong friend and former business partner intervened at just the right moment with just the right words to steer the president’s decision. 
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Daisy Suckley: Unassuming and overlooked during her lifetime, Daisy Suckley was in reality FDR’s most trusted, constant confidant, the respite for a lonely and overworked President navigating the Great Depression and World War II
• John Kennedy and David Ormsby-Gore: They met as young men in pre-war London and began a conversation over the meaning of leadership.  A generation later the Cuban Missile Crisis would put their ideas to test as Ormsby-Gore became the president’s unofficial, but most valued foreign policy advisor.

These and other friendships—including Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, Franklin Pierce and Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Bill Clinton and Vernon Jordan—populate this fresh and provocative exploration of a series of seminal presidential friendships.

Publishing history teems with books by and about Presidents, First Ladies, First Pets, and even First Chefs. Now former Clinton aide Gary Ginsberg breaks new literary ground on Pennsylvania Avenue and provides fresh insights into the lives of the men who held the most powerful political office in the world by looking at the friends on whom they relied.

First Friends is an engaging, serendipitous look into the lives of Commanders-in-Chief and how their presidencies were shaped by those they held most dear.

**First Friends: The Powerful, Unsung (And Unelected) People Who Shaped Our Presidents** is a fascinating and insightful book by Gary Ginsberg that delves into the lives of the influential and often overlooked individuals who have played pivotal roles in shaping the decisions and actions of US presidents throughout history.

From confidants and advisors to mentors and spouses, **First Friends** sheds light on the remarkable stories of these individuals and their profound impact on the course of American history. Ginsberg draws on extensive research and interviews to provide a unique perspective on the complex relationships between presidents and their closest associates.

The book features a diverse cast of characters, including trusted advisors like Harry Hopkins and George Stephanopoulos, influential spouses such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Nancy Reagan, and confidants like Bernard Baruch and Henry Kissinger. Ginsberg explores the motivations, challenges, and personal dynamics that shaped these relationships and highlights their lasting legacy.

**First Friends** offers a fresh perspective on American history by examining the often-overlooked roles that these unsung heroes have played in shaping the decisions and legacies of our presidents. It's a must-read for anyone interested in the inner workings of the American presidency and the untold stories that have influenced the course of our nation.

From the book, we learn about the remarkable bond between Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Hopkins, a close advisor who played a pivotal role in shaping the New Deal policies that helped America recover from the Great Depression. We also encounter the influential role of Eleanor Roosevelt, who was not only a First Lady but also a tireless advocate for social justice and human rights.

Ginsberg also sheds light on the complex relationship between John F. Kennedy and his confidant Ted Sorensen, a speechwriter and advisor who helped craft some of the most memorable speeches in American history. The book delves into the dynamics between Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan, a First Lady who served as a trusted advisor and fierce protector of her husband's legacy.

**First Friends** is a compelling narrative that brings to life the stories of these extraordinary individuals and their profound impact on American history. It's a book that challenges conventional wisdom and offers a fresh perspective on the role of friendship, trust, and mentorship in shaping the course of our nation.