SKU: 49170840940

In the Shadow of the Oval Office: Profiles of the National Security Advisers and the Presidents They Served--From JFK to George W. Bush

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In the Shadow of the Oval Office: Profiles of the National Security Advisers and the Presidents They Served--From JFK to George W. BushThe most solemn obligation of any president is to safeguard the nation's security. But the president cannot do this alone. He needs help. In the past half century, presidents have relied on their national security advisers to provide that help. Who are these people, the powerful officials who operate in the shadow of the Oval Office, often out of public view and accountable only to the presidents who put them there? Some remain obscure even to this

The most solemn obligation of any president is to safeguard the nation's security. But the president cannot do this alone. He needs help. In the past half century, presidents have relied on their national security advisers to provide that help.

Who are these people, the powerful officials who operate in the shadow of the Oval Office, often out of public view and accountable only to the presidents who put them there? Some remain obscure even to this day. But quite a number have names that resonate far beyond the foreign policy elite: McGeorge Bundy, Henry Kissinger, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice.

Ivo Daalder and Mac Destler provide the first inside look at how presidents from John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush have used their national security advisers to manage America's engagements with the outside world. They paint vivid portraits of the fourteen men and one woman who have occupied the coveted office in the West Wing, detailing their very different personalities, their relations with their presidents, and their policy successes and failures.

It all started with Kennedy and Bundy, the brilliant young Harvard dean who became the nation's first modern national security adviser. While Bundy served Kennedy well, he had difficulty with his successor. Lyndon Johnson needed reassurance more than advice, and Bundy wasn't always willing to give him that. Thus the basic lesson -- the president sets the tone and his aides must respond to that reality.

The man who learned the lesson best was someone who operated mainly in the shadows. Brent Scowcroft was the only adviser to serve two presidents, Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush. Learning from others' failures, he found the winning formula: gain the trust of colleagues, build a collaborative policy process, and stay close to the president. This formula became the gold standard -- all four national security advisers who came after him aspired to be "like Brent."

The next president and national security adviser can learn not only from success, but also from failure. Rice stayed close to George W. Bush -- closer perhaps than any adviser before or since. But her closeness did not translate into running an effective policy process, as the disastrous decision to invade Iraq without a plan underscored. It would take years, and another national security aide, to persuade Bush that his Iraq policy was failing and to engineer a policy review that produced the "surge."

The national security adviser has one tough job. There are ways to do it well and ways to do it badly. Daalder and Destler provide plenty of examples of both. This book is a fascinating look at the personalities and processes that shape policy and an indispensable guide to those who want to understand how to operate successfully in the shadow of the Oval Office.



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 02/05/2011
ISBN: 9781416553205
Pages: 400
Weight: 1.29lbs
Size: 9.02h x 5.98w x 0.89d

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SKU: 49170840940

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4.5 ★★★★★
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Rachel C.
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 4
Solid start to a new series! Love the Holland brothers
Format: Kindle
There is one thing I've learned when I read Rebecca books: I either love them and am obsessed (looking at you "Tutoring the Player") or I really like them, but feel like there's something missing. And this book fell in the latter. Ok, so, I did really enjoy this book. I was so excited to get to know the younger Hollands after meeting Hendrick in "Tempting the Player." I was so intrigued by their dynamics, so when I saw those Holland brothers were getting a series, I was SOLD. And I'm not gonna lie, I really enjoyed grumpy and closed-off Knox Holland. The relationship he has with his brothers is special, but especially the one he has with his youngest brother, Flynn. And that, alone, made me fall in love with him. But watching as Avery wore him down, without even trying, was the best. And how he didn't even realize it was happening? Even better. Avery was awesome! I LOVED her! She's had a rough go after an injury at the end of her freshman year at Valley U, and it's really rocked her confidence as she works to come back. She was funny and the way she fit in with the Holland brothers was perfect... especially the way she cared for Flynn. I loved the banter and way she goes back and forth with Brogan too. That guy is hilarious. She just...fits, and they all can see it. The only thing that kept this from a 5 star for me was that it just felt like it...ended. We have the conflict, we get back together, but then, it's a super quick last chapter, no epilogue, and it's over. I really wanted to see at least a little more of them as an official couple. I do love how you could see how close she and Flynn are in the last chapter. And how even though the others have moved on to other things (Archer and Brogan the NFL, Henny and Jane are married), they're still such a tight family unit. There is a super short but sweet epilogue you can get at the end of the book if you sign up for Rebecca's newsletter (which, duh, I already get because I do love her books!). Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but I have to say, the level of excitement I have for Archer and Flynn, but Archer especially, is next level!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2025
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Mandy
San Leandro, US
★★★★★ 5
I loved it so much!!!
Format: Kindle
I've had this one on my TBR lis forever and been meaning to get to it. Considering I picked up the ebook last year not long after it came out. I can't believe I let this one sit on my kindle for as long as I did. I ended up starting and finishing in just one afternoon absolutely hooked on Avery and Knox. They has this connection that just works even if they are to stubborn to see what's happening. I loved the whole bad buy meets the good girl in this sweet steamy enemies to lovers romance. The author does a beautiful job creating a captivating story with characters you can't help falling in love with. This is my first book by the author and I'm a fan as I enjoyed every moment of Avery and Knox's story. I loved that we get to know a little bit of Knox's brothers as the series is about them and can't wait to devour there stories too. Highly recommend the characters are engaging and the story is perfectly balanced with just the right amount of romance. This one made me want to look up the riding that Knox did off season and it's impressive. I loved it!!! One of my favorite books of 2025.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2025
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Lisa G
Boise, US
★★★★★ 4
Good Sports Romance
Format: Kindle
Knox is a motor cross racer and Avery is a gymnast. Seems like opposites, right? But there is much more common ground. This couple is fantastic together and love the friends and family vibes. Can’t wait to read the rest of the books in the Holland Brothers series and go back to read Hendrick and Jane’s story.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2026
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Rebecca
Chelsea, US
★★★★★ 5
Holland Brothers Series !!!
Format: Kindle
5/5 ⭐️ 2/5 🌶️ A Holland Brothers Series was exactly what i was hoping for since i read Tempting the Player. Rebecca gave us all exactly what we wanted a Holland brother series and kicked it off with Knox. Knox is the broody, grumpy, closed off, and the 2nd oldest brother who stepped up and held down the fort taking care of the younger brothers after their mom passed and dad stopped coming around but gave up his dreams/ wants in order to do so. With Hendrix, the oldest brother from TTP, back home Knox can go live out his dream as a pro motocross rider. After something goes down between him and his teammate, he’s left without a team and ends up back home and ends up asking the help of a friend of a friend to train him who is Avery. Avery is a college gymnast with two Olympic medals and last season she choked and injured herself before she was able to compete. She’s doesn’t want a distraction but agrees to train Knox which should be easy but it turns out to be anything but that. The banter and argue and then everything changing when his shirt comes off and she spends a little too much time admiring his body in a handstand. These two balanced each other out so well it’s hard to deny even to them. Overall i loved the plot and the character development between these two, the spice, the banter, the nicknames it was all just …..chefs kiss 💋. I cant wait to see which Holland brother Rebecca has in store for us next! 🏍️ Sports Romance 👑 Opposites Attract 🏍️Enemies to Lovers 👑 Train Together 🏍️ Banter 👑 Motorcross x Gymnast 🏍️ Bad Boy x Good Girl
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Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2025
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Amazon Customer
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
What a Ride!
Format: Kindle
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was intrigued by the blurb, "Mississippi Delta," "haunted by her great grandmother's nanny," and the book was even better than I expected. I laughed out loud, shook my head at the accuracy of the descriptions of Southern culture, and even stopped from time to time to admire sentence structure and vocabulary choices. A satisfying read. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys unraveling a mystery with an unsuspecting hero.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2024

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