“Taylor Branch’s latest book has made me whistle more than any comparable piece of work for a very long time, and not just because of its many remarkable disclosures.”
—Christopher Hitchens, Newsweek
“I have seldom read a more compelling account of a leader in power… An unexpected treasure-trove. Here is Clinton out of hours and off his guard… The story behind this book reads like the plot of a Hollywood movie.”
—Robert Harris, The Sunday Times (London)
“An important work about American political life… To the extent that Branch’s portrait of the president rescues politics from ignominy, he has done a real public service; that he has done this while vividly portraying an exuberant American original is cause for joy.”
—Joe Klein, The New York Times Book Review
“Profoundly illuminating… The most compelling story Branch captures is the way the media let us down.”
—Joan Walsh, Salon.com
“A remarkable read, paying out the huge dividends of history that Branch had hoped for… Clinton’s long-term reputation is bound to take an upward revisionist spike because of this important publication.”
—Douglas Brinkley, Los Angeles Times
“Every page of The Clinton Tapes has a new plum… Remarkable intimacy… High drama… And there’s comedy… Branch acts as a thoughtful, diffident, amiable guide.”
—Craig Seligman, The Houston Chronicle
“The insights here are as useful for understanding the Obama years as they are the Clinton years.”
—Matthew Cooper, Democracy: A Journal of Ideas
“By turns intimate and dispassionately historical … this book will be a boon to historians. The casual reader might delight more in Branch’s glimpses of an unguarded president.”
—Gilbert Cruz, Time
“A rare account of a president’s state of mind as events swirl around him.”
—Thomas Fitzgerald, Philadelphia Inquirer
“The human element comes through unforgettably.”
—Steve Weinberg, The Christian Science Monitor
“Fascinating… Nobody was closer to Clinton for longer and this is a source like no other.”
—Phil Collins, The Times (London)
“An unprecedented look at the presidency and an intimate look at Clinton.”
—Rebecca Seal, The Observer
“Heady stuff for students of presidential history.”
—Jody Seaborn, Austin American-Statesman
“An arresting portrait of the former president and a revealing look at the Clinton years.”
—Al Kamen, The Washington Post
“An intimate portrait of the commander in chief.”
—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
“A clear picture of Clinton’s passions and priorities… despite these occasional glimpses of weirdness, what really shines through is Clinton’s distinctive combination of political gifts.”
—David Runciman, London Review of Books
“An extraordinary presidential confessional… Intensely intimate… A gold mine for future historians.”
—Tom Mackin, The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ)
“Full of the most inside information on the policy fights, political tussles, and personal controversies of the Clinton years.”
—David Corn, Mother Jones
“Fascinating reading … makes clear the breadth and intensity of a president’s tasks… Valuable to anyone seeking to understand the Clinton presidency.”
—Philip Seib, The Dallas Morning News
“The Clinton Tapes fills in the blanks behind the biggest moments of Clinton’s presidency.”
—Miami New Times
“A portrait of a presidency from beginning to end… [A] detailed account of Clinton’s inner thoughts and struggles over the course of his administration… As a trusted insider and confidant, Branch sees the physical and emotional toll that the stress of the presidency takes on Clinton.”
—Byron C. Tau, Roll Call
“Branch excellently captures Clinton’s emotions, notably frustration with speaker of the house Newt Gingrich and the Republican Congress, and anger over his impeachment and with the media’s emphasizing the salacious details of the Paula Jones and Monica Lewinsky matters. Especially revealing is Clinton’s speaking of a bitter argument with Vice President Al Gore over the reasons Gore lost the 2000 election. Branch’s lucid writing and keen interviewing skills keep this book from being a disjointed series of ramblings. The unique format of presidential recollections and the author’s follow-up form a narrative that will fascinate informed readers and American presidency scholars.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“Bill Clinton finds a genial Boswell for this absorbing inside account of his White House years… The book also offers a warm portrait of the first family… Perceptive insights on Clinton’s policies and magnetic personality.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Those interested in politics … should be engrossed by Branch’s narrative of Clinton’s discourses on the domestic and international political worlds as viewed by a president… Clinton’s remarks, expressive of his intelligence and emotions such as anger (at the Whitewater investigation, especially) … contribute critically to the historical record.”
—Booklist
