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The President's Book of Secrets: The Untold Story of Intelligence Briefings to America's Presidents from Kennedy to Obama
Every president has had a unique and complicated relationship with the intelligence community. While some have been coolly distant, even adversarial, others have found their intelligence agencies to be among the most valuable instruments of policy and power.
Since John F. Kennedy's presidency, this relationship has been distilled into a personalized daily a short summary of what the intelligence apparatus considers the most crucial information for the president to know that day about global threats and opportunities. This top-secret document is known as the President's Daily Brief, or, within national security circles, simply "the Book." Presidents have spent anywhere from a few moments (Richard Nixon) to a healthy part of their day (George W. Bush) consumed by its contents; some (Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush) consider it far and away the most important document they saw on a regular basis while commander in chief.
The details of most PDBs are highly classified, and will remain so for many years. But the process by which the intelligence community develops and presents the Book is a fascinating look into the operation of power at the highest levels. David Priess, a former intelligence officer and daily briefer, has interviewed every living president and vice president as well as more than one hundred others intimately involved with the production and delivery of the president's book of secrets. He offers an unprecedented window into the decision making of every president from Kennedy to Obama, with many character-rich stories revealed here for the first time.
Since John F. Kennedy's presidency, this relationship has been distilled into a personalized daily a short summary of what the intelligence apparatus considers the most crucial information for the president to know that day about global threats and opportunities. This top-secret document is known as the President's Daily Brief, or, within national security circles, simply "the Book." Presidents have spent anywhere from a few moments (Richard Nixon) to a healthy part of their day (George W. Bush) consumed by its contents; some (Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush) consider it far and away the most important document they saw on a regular basis while commander in chief.
The details of most PDBs are highly classified, and will remain so for many years. But the process by which the intelligence community develops and presents the Book is a fascinating look into the operation of power at the highest levels. David Priess, a former intelligence officer and daily briefer, has interviewed every living president and vice president as well as more than one hundred others intimately involved with the production and delivery of the president's book of secrets. He offers an unprecedented window into the decision making of every president from Kennedy to Obama, with many character-rich stories revealed here for the first time.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 5, 2016
275 people are currently reading
1816 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
June 25, 2017
The most important advice I can offer about this book is to not let the title mislead you. The President's "Book of Secrets", actually known as the President's Daily Brief (or PDF for short), is a top-secret document, containing sensitive daily intelligence briefings, prepared for the President. Because the briefings are classified, you won't find any "secrets" revealed in this book.
What you will find is a detailed account of the history of the PDF, from it's preliminary evolution, during the Truman and Eisenhower years, to the official birth of the PDF under Johnson and Kennedy, and its subsequent use by every President since. The work of the CIA and other agencies in preparing this important document is traced in considerable detail, and will make you appreciate the efforts of so many different people to provide the President with accurate and timely intelligence. David Priess, the author, was himself a CIA officer and a daily briefer for Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
Most fascinating, to me, was the approach each President took toward the PDF and his daily briefings, and the contrast in management styles, information gathering, and decision making between the Presidents. This gave an interesting human side to what, essentially, is a deeply detailed history of the PDF and how it has grown and developed over the years.
What you will find is a detailed account of the history of the PDF, from it's preliminary evolution, during the Truman and Eisenhower years, to the official birth of the PDF under Johnson and Kennedy, and its subsequent use by every President since. The work of the CIA and other agencies in preparing this important document is traced in considerable detail, and will make you appreciate the efforts of so many different people to provide the President with accurate and timely intelligence. David Priess, the author, was himself a CIA officer and a daily briefer for Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
Most fascinating, to me, was the approach each President took toward the PDF and his daily briefings, and the contrast in management styles, information gathering, and decision making between the Presidents. This gave an interesting human side to what, essentially, is a deeply detailed history of the PDF and how it has grown and developed over the years.
April 23, 2016
Both this book and the daily briefing itself are over rated.
April 21, 2025
The practice of intelligence and its related fields—namely, action done without the apparent role of the national government—is inherently a practice of national defense. As such, the President of the United States is given broad leeway to set requirements and direct action. Hence, because of this CEO role and the broad responsibilities of the executive branch, the president is also the most important consumer and customer of intelligence.
That is the subject of this book: how presidents have received, shaped, and acted upon the information and analysis afforded to them as president and leader of America’s intelligence services. It is interesting at times, especially the numerous vignettes of presidents, their White Houses, and their intelligence leaders. One appreciates the challenge of writing compelling and timely briefings for presidents, including during crises. Indeed, some of the best moments of this book are when actual world events break into the routine cycle of writing, collating, and briefing new intelligence to the President. Some of the best consumers are not who you would imagine, and neither are the worst. A helpful by-product of Priess’s extensive research and interviews are the inside looks into how different White Houses controlled information and how their national security processes and leadership was involved in decision making. Overall, a fine work, if a bit repetitive, but that can hardly be helped given the subject.
That is the subject of this book: how presidents have received, shaped, and acted upon the information and analysis afforded to them as president and leader of America’s intelligence services. It is interesting at times, especially the numerous vignettes of presidents, their White Houses, and their intelligence leaders. One appreciates the challenge of writing compelling and timely briefings for presidents, including during crises. Indeed, some of the best moments of this book are when actual world events break into the routine cycle of writing, collating, and briefing new intelligence to the President. Some of the best consumers are not who you would imagine, and neither are the worst. A helpful by-product of Priess’s extensive research and interviews are the inside looks into how different White Houses controlled information and how their national security processes and leadership was involved in decision making. Overall, a fine work, if a bit repetitive, but that can hardly be helped given the subject.
February 25, 2019
Ok kniha o veľmi špecifickej téme - konzumácii spravodajských informácií policy-makermi. Veľa anekdot, menej systmatického zamyslenia, problém je, že o týchto témach sa píše veľmi ťažko pre verejnosť.
April 22, 2016
This book was interesting because I like politics and secret stuff. A book about the presidents from Kennedy to Obama and how they viewed and received the CIA daily intelligence report would seem to fit the bill. Unfortunately, since most of the info contained in the President's Book of Secrets (the presidential daily brief) remains classified, there aren't too many secrets revealed.
However, each presidents handling of the book, their response to it and the hoops the CIA jumps through to ensure its "First Customer" is pleased, is very interesting. The information about President George W Bush's usage of the book and his generosity toward the CIA briefers is revealing. It seems he (and his father before him) understood the value of the intelligence provided and promoted the book and the briefings as a good way to receive it. The book also acknowledges that the info prior to 9/11 was inadequate given the magnitude of the terrorists attack. The book provides good info on how the Intelligence Agencies were reconfigured to work together more effectively to protect our country.
If you like politics, you will probably like this book
However, each presidents handling of the book, their response to it and the hoops the CIA jumps through to ensure its "First Customer" is pleased, is very interesting. The information about President George W Bush's usage of the book and his generosity toward the CIA briefers is revealing. It seems he (and his father before him) understood the value of the intelligence provided and promoted the book and the briefings as a good way to receive it. The book also acknowledges that the info prior to 9/11 was inadequate given the magnitude of the terrorists attack. The book provides good info on how the Intelligence Agencies were reconfigured to work together more effectively to protect our country.
If you like politics, you will probably like this book
February 23, 2021
This book was a letdown. It was quite dull and dry. Priess has an impressive resume, but is not a very good author for a general publication. It was interesting to see how each President handled intelligence and the briefings, but this book doesn't give us much insight into what was discussed due to the PDB being classified. But, it's a bit misleading, as many other people had access to the briefings besides the President so it isn't necessarily "secret". It was also quite repetitive and my eyes started to cross after a while; it definitely takes concentration to get through.
June 1, 2021
As most of the other reviews state, it is on the dry side and doesn't reveal any big secrets, though it does talk about some declassified items up through the Reagan years and one or two from the Clinton years that have to do with 9/11. I thought about not finishing, but I was already halfway done and it did get a little more interesting as it got into the Clinton years and later which is when I started paying attention to politics. A true US history or US presidential buff might enjoy this, but I would have been fine leaving this off my reading list.
July 25, 2022
Such an interesting and fascinating read. The insight into how information is transferred from presidency to presidency and how to create a PDB for each individual president was cool to read about. I have a lot of respect for the analyzers who write them.
February 16, 2017
This one started slowly and then got into a good rhythm. I thought the book was going to review the secrets that the president was receiving but it was actually about the book itself and how each president liked the daily brief prepared.
The book is dry and probably geared towards a political junky or someone involved with intelligence.
The book is dry and probably geared towards a political junky or someone involved with intelligence.
April 12, 2016
ok book about presidential secrets
February 25, 2024
"The President's Book of Secrets: The Untold Story of Intelligence Briefings to American Presidents" by David Priess is a fascinating behind-the-scenes book that chronicles the evolution of intelligence briefings for U.S. Presidents. Drawing from extensive interviews with over one hundred former senior U.S. policymakers and intelligence officials, Priess shares the intricate dynamics between the intelligence community and the highest echelons of political power.
Highlights:
1. Evolution of Intelligence Briefings:
o The introduction of the all-source Current Intelligence Bulletin marked a pivotal shift, incorporating analytic commentary and assessments from CIA experts, offering a deeper understanding for presidents.
2. Kennedy's Unique Approach:
o President John F. Kennedy's informal approach to national security decision-making is explored in detail, emphasizing his preference for crisp and insightful prose.
o The creation of the President's Intelligence Checklist came from Kennedy's brief background in journalism, reflecting his desire for portable, concise information.
3. Cuban Missile Crisis and Checklists:
o The book delves into the harrowing days of the Cuban Missile Crisis, emphasizing how the President's Intelligence Checklist played a crucial role in providing real-time information to Kennedy.
o The evolution of the Checklist into the President's Daily Brief (PDB) continued to have significance under President Lyndon Johnson.
4. Nixon's Distrust and Lack of Mention:
o The narrative provides a nuanced exploration of President Richard Nixon's deep-seated distrust of the CIA, portraying it as a longstanding grudge rooted in perceived political opposition.
o The absence of concrete evidence regarding Nixon's attention to the President's Daily Brief is presented, leaving room for speculation on the extent of his engagement.
5. Diligence of President Ford:
o President Gerald Ford's diligent engagement with national security briefings upon assuming the presidency is highlighted, shedding light on his conscientious approach to absorbing information.
6. Carter's Quick Study:
o President Jimmy Carter's "terribly interested" demeanor in intelligence products is detailed, emphasizing his quick study ability and photographic memory.
o The book captures Carter's proactive engagement with the intelligence community, portraying him as an active participant in discussions.
7. Reagan's Evolving Briefings:
o The evolution of briefings under President Ronald Reagan is explored, with the introduction of the Defense Intelligence Supplement addressing military issues, reflecting the changing geopolitical landscape.
8. Close Relationship with PDB:
o President George H. W. Bush's intimate relationship with his daily intelligence report is further detailed, showcasing the depth of his engagement and understanding of the intelligence landscape.
9. Clinton's Detailed Involvement:
o The book sheds light on President Bill Clinton's detailed involvement in intelligence briefings, revealing his inclination to expand the range of issues covered in the PDB.
o Clinton's unique approach, including attaching magazine articles to the PDB, adds a layer of personalization and depth to his engagement with intelligence.
10. Bush's PDB and 9/11 Warning:
o The book tells of the critical nature of the President's Daily Brief during President George W. Bush's tenure, emphasizing the historical significance of the August 6, 2001, PDB article warning about Bin Laden's determination to strike in the U.S.
o The book portrays the heightened state of alert and numerous warnings provided to Bush, setting the stage for the tragic events of 9/11.
David Priess's "The President's Book of Secrets" provides a fascinating account of the evolution of intelligence briefings and delves into the personalities and decisions that have shaped U.S. national security policies. The details and perspectives drawn from extensive interviews make this book a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the intersection between intelligence and presidential governance throughout history. Anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes of American politics, the presidents, and US intelligence will find this to be an informative book.
Highlights:
1. Evolution of Intelligence Briefings:
o The introduction of the all-source Current Intelligence Bulletin marked a pivotal shift, incorporating analytic commentary and assessments from CIA experts, offering a deeper understanding for presidents.
2. Kennedy's Unique Approach:
o President John F. Kennedy's informal approach to national security decision-making is explored in detail, emphasizing his preference for crisp and insightful prose.
o The creation of the President's Intelligence Checklist came from Kennedy's brief background in journalism, reflecting his desire for portable, concise information.
3. Cuban Missile Crisis and Checklists:
o The book delves into the harrowing days of the Cuban Missile Crisis, emphasizing how the President's Intelligence Checklist played a crucial role in providing real-time information to Kennedy.
o The evolution of the Checklist into the President's Daily Brief (PDB) continued to have significance under President Lyndon Johnson.
4. Nixon's Distrust and Lack of Mention:
o The narrative provides a nuanced exploration of President Richard Nixon's deep-seated distrust of the CIA, portraying it as a longstanding grudge rooted in perceived political opposition.
o The absence of concrete evidence regarding Nixon's attention to the President's Daily Brief is presented, leaving room for speculation on the extent of his engagement.
5. Diligence of President Ford:
o President Gerald Ford's diligent engagement with national security briefings upon assuming the presidency is highlighted, shedding light on his conscientious approach to absorbing information.
6. Carter's Quick Study:
o President Jimmy Carter's "terribly interested" demeanor in intelligence products is detailed, emphasizing his quick study ability and photographic memory.
o The book captures Carter's proactive engagement with the intelligence community, portraying him as an active participant in discussions.
7. Reagan's Evolving Briefings:
o The evolution of briefings under President Ronald Reagan is explored, with the introduction of the Defense Intelligence Supplement addressing military issues, reflecting the changing geopolitical landscape.
8. Close Relationship with PDB:
o President George H. W. Bush's intimate relationship with his daily intelligence report is further detailed, showcasing the depth of his engagement and understanding of the intelligence landscape.
9. Clinton's Detailed Involvement:
o The book sheds light on President Bill Clinton's detailed involvement in intelligence briefings, revealing his inclination to expand the range of issues covered in the PDB.
o Clinton's unique approach, including attaching magazine articles to the PDB, adds a layer of personalization and depth to his engagement with intelligence.
10. Bush's PDB and 9/11 Warning:
o The book tells of the critical nature of the President's Daily Brief during President George W. Bush's tenure, emphasizing the historical significance of the August 6, 2001, PDB article warning about Bin Laden's determination to strike in the U.S.
o The book portrays the heightened state of alert and numerous warnings provided to Bush, setting the stage for the tragic events of 9/11.
David Priess's "The President's Book of Secrets" provides a fascinating account of the evolution of intelligence briefings and delves into the personalities and decisions that have shaped U.S. national security policies. The details and perspectives drawn from extensive interviews make this book a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the intersection between intelligence and presidential governance throughout history. Anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes of American politics, the presidents, and US intelligence will find this to be an informative book.
December 27, 2022
This book is an insight into what the president is briefed on each morning and how.
It is interesting regarding the differing habits and preferences of each president, this obviously depends on background (i.e. a distrust for the CIA) or strategy for dealing with things i.e. President Bush Sr and Jr both having a granular look at intelligence whilst Obama had a wider strategic view. (Bush and Obama used as a comparison as they appear to have the most differing styles)
The chapters are long, looking at the entire rein of each president, and the content can be somewhat jarring where an event is briefly referred to only to be circled back to later in the chapter, but overall it would be a struggle to do it any other way so I found it to be well written.
Now for the actual PDB content itself; I found this to be lacking. There is very little in actual text from the PDB's themselves and given the nature of trust required between creator and recipient I would not expect this to change anytime soon so the author does the best with what he has to give an indication of what's in the PDB.
All presidents seem to say that the PDB was insightful and worth reading, however Obama who was very well read concerning news appears to have used it simply as another news article and for Bush it seems to have been useful but only as a tool for the large amount of briefings he undertook. So its ultimate value above traditional news media could be questioned and although traditional news media can have a bias, as discussed relating to the war to find WMD the PDB unintentionally gave the impression that the situation was worse than it actually was.
Some quotes:
- "In reading the PDB, I got the distilled essence of everything that I could have learned if I read every newspaper article prepared on it plus whatever intelligence we had from the day before" - Clinton
- He (Clinton) says that even on an uneventful day he still got 90 percent of what he needed to make good decisions across a range of issues. "I cant imagine and president not taking it seriously, not reading it carefully, and then using it as a learning tool and an information leader to follow up on things that you need to know more on" - Clinton
- "Well over half the time, the material was in the New York Times or Wall Street Journal, the PDB editors had a tendency to chase the news. I came to realise that this highly classified document was classified not because of the news but because all of us at senior levels of government were reading it and thinking it was important.." - Deputy Secretary John Hamre
Its major intention appears to be a springboard for CIA briefings on subjects that the president would like to know more about, 'this is what we have going on in the world that we can expand on, select which topic you want to know more about', and this feeds into the unavoidable direction of becoming a simple contents page on an ipad.
One of my biggest takeaways here was the discrepancy in the reporting of damage to enemy vehicles coming in from the field vs CIA satellite intelligence and thus how far OSINT and traditional media may have since come in closing the gap to Military intelligence, especially given it seems they were not too far behind to begin with.
So in my own attempts at home to streamline my news sources I feel comfortable that going with a FT, Bloomberg, Economist etc. newsletter email each day appears to be almost as good as what a president gets.
I don't need the extra briefings as I'm not trying to change the world... or am I (mwhahahaha)
It is interesting regarding the differing habits and preferences of each president, this obviously depends on background (i.e. a distrust for the CIA) or strategy for dealing with things i.e. President Bush Sr and Jr both having a granular look at intelligence whilst Obama had a wider strategic view. (Bush and Obama used as a comparison as they appear to have the most differing styles)
The chapters are long, looking at the entire rein of each president, and the content can be somewhat jarring where an event is briefly referred to only to be circled back to later in the chapter, but overall it would be a struggle to do it any other way so I found it to be well written.
Now for the actual PDB content itself; I found this to be lacking. There is very little in actual text from the PDB's themselves and given the nature of trust required between creator and recipient I would not expect this to change anytime soon so the author does the best with what he has to give an indication of what's in the PDB.
All presidents seem to say that the PDB was insightful and worth reading, however Obama who was very well read concerning news appears to have used it simply as another news article and for Bush it seems to have been useful but only as a tool for the large amount of briefings he undertook. So its ultimate value above traditional news media could be questioned and although traditional news media can have a bias, as discussed relating to the war to find WMD the PDB unintentionally gave the impression that the situation was worse than it actually was.
Some quotes:
- "In reading the PDB, I got the distilled essence of everything that I could have learned if I read every newspaper article prepared on it plus whatever intelligence we had from the day before" - Clinton
- He (Clinton) says that even on an uneventful day he still got 90 percent of what he needed to make good decisions across a range of issues. "I cant imagine and president not taking it seriously, not reading it carefully, and then using it as a learning tool and an information leader to follow up on things that you need to know more on" - Clinton
- "Well over half the time, the material was in the New York Times or Wall Street Journal, the PDB editors had a tendency to chase the news. I came to realise that this highly classified document was classified not because of the news but because all of us at senior levels of government were reading it and thinking it was important.." - Deputy Secretary John Hamre
Its major intention appears to be a springboard for CIA briefings on subjects that the president would like to know more about, 'this is what we have going on in the world that we can expand on, select which topic you want to know more about', and this feeds into the unavoidable direction of becoming a simple contents page on an ipad.
One of my biggest takeaways here was the discrepancy in the reporting of damage to enemy vehicles coming in from the field vs CIA satellite intelligence and thus how far OSINT and traditional media may have since come in closing the gap to Military intelligence, especially given it seems they were not too far behind to begin with.
So in my own attempts at home to streamline my news sources I feel comfortable that going with a FT, Bloomberg, Economist etc. newsletter email each day appears to be almost as good as what a president gets.
I don't need the extra briefings as I'm not trying to change the world... or am I (mwhahahaha)
January 19, 2018
As the title states, this book is about the President's Book of Secrets, also known as the President's Daily Briefing (PDB). There is a lot of redundancy in this book that makes a reader sometimes question, why continue but continue they should!
The writer gives the impression that the preparation and presentation of the PDB is all the CIA does and particularly all the management of the CIA focuses on and I am sure this is the writers failure and not a fact. Over the years the worth of the CIA has come into question many times, this book adds some validity to this point. The author admits to the numerous failures of our intelligence agencies in general and the CIA in particular, yet, he insists that the PDB is a very necessary product of the CIA while at the same time acknowledging that one half of the material in the PDB is already being reported on by the news media.
Some of the merits of this book are that you do gain some insight into each President's personality and work habits. Also, some of the questions about how events unfolded, such as, war in Iraq and Desert Storm are answered and may not be found in other historical writing.
It is very clear that all of the intelligence agencies in our government are in competition to such an extent that they withhold information from each other, the tragedy of 9/11 is the best example. These agencies are like children competing for the attention of their father, the President; the President's Handlers, in a child like manner, compete to have exclusive access to the President.
The best of this book is towards the end when the 9/11 tragedy is covered in a step by step manner with all of the emotion of the school scene in Sarasota when the President is informed of the attack and has to decide what to do, next. In reading this book , I gain some respect for President Bush (W). His father has stated in other books that his son was not served very well by his cabinet and this book sheds light on this issue. (W) was misled by his intelligence agencies regarding weapons of mass destruction (WMD), another CIA failure, but also failures such as withholding information in his cabinet and other Departments of Government. After 9/11 (W) took steps to change how intelligence agencies operate and mandated interaction between agencies, maybe not a fix, yet, an improvement.
In the end, the book had some value for me, it did confirm my lack of trust in our intelligence agencies and their management. This lack of trust was also evident in how some President's viewed their briefings, (W) after 9/11 rook a "deep dive" into a lot of what they gave him and this of course took a lot of his time from maybe more important Presidential business.. It seems almost impossible that politics does not enter into the culture of intelligence agencies and than into the Presidential briefings, thereby reinforcing untruth as apposed to just the facts. In any discussion with friend who had an interest in the workings of our government, I would recommend the book with all of its warts.
The writer gives the impression that the preparation and presentation of the PDB is all the CIA does and particularly all the management of the CIA focuses on and I am sure this is the writers failure and not a fact. Over the years the worth of the CIA has come into question many times, this book adds some validity to this point. The author admits to the numerous failures of our intelligence agencies in general and the CIA in particular, yet, he insists that the PDB is a very necessary product of the CIA while at the same time acknowledging that one half of the material in the PDB is already being reported on by the news media.
Some of the merits of this book are that you do gain some insight into each President's personality and work habits. Also, some of the questions about how events unfolded, such as, war in Iraq and Desert Storm are answered and may not be found in other historical writing.
It is very clear that all of the intelligence agencies in our government are in competition to such an extent that they withhold information from each other, the tragedy of 9/11 is the best example. These agencies are like children competing for the attention of their father, the President; the President's Handlers, in a child like manner, compete to have exclusive access to the President.
The best of this book is towards the end when the 9/11 tragedy is covered in a step by step manner with all of the emotion of the school scene in Sarasota when the President is informed of the attack and has to decide what to do, next. In reading this book , I gain some respect for President Bush (W). His father has stated in other books that his son was not served very well by his cabinet and this book sheds light on this issue. (W) was misled by his intelligence agencies regarding weapons of mass destruction (WMD), another CIA failure, but also failures such as withholding information in his cabinet and other Departments of Government. After 9/11 (W) took steps to change how intelligence agencies operate and mandated interaction between agencies, maybe not a fix, yet, an improvement.
In the end, the book had some value for me, it did confirm my lack of trust in our intelligence agencies and their management. This lack of trust was also evident in how some President's viewed their briefings, (W) after 9/11 rook a "deep dive" into a lot of what they gave him and this of course took a lot of his time from maybe more important Presidential business.. It seems almost impossible that politics does not enter into the culture of intelligence agencies and than into the Presidential briefings, thereby reinforcing untruth as apposed to just the facts. In any discussion with friend who had an interest in the workings of our government, I would recommend the book with all of its warts.
March 26, 2017
If you're looking for an overview of the evolution of the President's Daily Brief (the president's regular written security briefing from the CIA), then this book gives you the detail you are looking for, especially from the Ford administration up through the Obama years.
Two things that are obvious through this book is, whether you agree with certain presidents politically or not, they all took very seriously the duty to know all they could know to assist them in their work. That is also true of the employees of the CIA who viewed it as their responsibility to ensure that their information was shared as accurately and as completely as possible.
I did find the final chapter on the Obama years to be a bit lighter than the rest of the book, but the cause of that is obvious, as the book was written during the Obama presidency.
I recommend this book highly for readers interested in presidential history, or the history of the intelligence services (specifically the CIA) over the last 50 years.
Two things that are obvious through this book is, whether you agree with certain presidents politically or not, they all took very seriously the duty to know all they could know to assist them in their work. That is also true of the employees of the CIA who viewed it as their responsibility to ensure that their information was shared as accurately and as completely as possible.
I did find the final chapter on the Obama years to be a bit lighter than the rest of the book, but the cause of that is obvious, as the book was written during the Obama presidency.
I recommend this book highly for readers interested in presidential history, or the history of the intelligence services (specifically the CIA) over the last 50 years.
January 25, 2018
Seeing the United State "Intelligence Community" is looked upon as an colossus, in every spot in the world, it is sometime shocking to people to know it’s a fairly recent creation. Until World War II, with the establishment of the Office of Strategic Services (Which became the CIA), the president got his intelligence generally from the War Department or the State Department. It wasn’t until the US took a leading roll in the world that the president was presented with an almost daily classified update of issues.
This book goes over how the CIA (later the Director of National Intelligence) would bring a daily briefing, and get to adjust to what the president wanted to know, and more importantly, what he needed to know, and how to best get it to him.
I’ll leave it at that, I don’t want any spoilers. If you are “into” intelligence, a good light read.
April 22, 2021
he forward by George H.W. Bush. He said the CIA was his favorite job, after POTUS of course.
A really interesting history of the presidency and the CIA as seen through the narrow lens of the President’s daily briefing. Priess was able to provide totally different stories and tidbits about the presidents when looked at from this angle. This aspect of how the CIA works was really interesting too. We’ve heard so much in recent years about what did the president know and when did he know it, and this explains a lot about the process that makes sure that happens as well as possible. A good book from an author who understands the process personally and has done his research very well.
A really interesting history of the presidency and the CIA as seen through the narrow lens of the President’s daily briefing. Priess was able to provide totally different stories and tidbits about the presidents when looked at from this angle. This aspect of how the CIA works was really interesting too. We’ve heard so much in recent years about what did the president know and when did he know it, and this explains a lot about the process that makes sure that happens as well as possible. A good book from an author who understands the process personally and has done his research very well.
December 11, 2023
This book piqued my interest in national security and the methods employed by the CIA that keep our President, and other members of the government, updated and informed on world affairs and intelligence. Covering the historical implementation and development of the President’s Daily Brief (PDB) and how each President since World War II has helped it change and evolve, it is a fascinating read and look into what could be the most important document in the Oval Office.
“I can’t imagine any president not taking it seriously, not reading it carefully, and not using it as a learning tool and an information leader to follow up on things that you need more on.” -Bill Clinton
8.1/10
“I can’t imagine any president not taking it seriously, not reading it carefully, and not using it as a learning tool and an information leader to follow up on things that you need more on.” -Bill Clinton
8.1/10
January 6, 2024
I can’t say I loved this book. It was way more in-depth than I wanted to get, but I can’t complain,because it delivers exactly what it says it is going to deliver. It’s about the PDB, and the slightly, very slightly, wider topic of relations between US Presidents and the intelligence community. CIA, DNI, etc. etc. It details how over the course of each presidency the different presidential reading and learning styles affected the way the writers and briefers related to the President.
So if you’re interested in this topic, there’s 18 hours of detailed information here. It was more than I needed. But I’m giving it four stars, because it delivers exactly what it says it is going to deliver, in a reasonably interesting and accessible way.
So if you’re interested in this topic, there’s 18 hours of detailed information here. It was more than I needed. But I’m giving it four stars, because it delivers exactly what it says it is going to deliver, in a reasonably interesting and accessible way.
September 4, 2019
Excellent book detailing the evolution of the President's daily briefing of current events around the world. It was interesting to see how the Presidents reacted to having the briefing, which ones accepted it grudgingly and those that eagerly embraced it. It give the reader a look at one aspect of the President's life that helps him to be prepared for just about anything. There were several incidences where the brief did not help the President or completely missed the mark on what was going to happen.
July 3, 2020
Perhaps one of the best researched CIA books I’ve read to date, benefiting clearly from Priess’ access to America’s most influential political figures. Priess delivers this wonderfully comprehensive narrative in the succinct and precise style that is characteristic of CIA alumni. Despite attention to detail and prose, the only perceivable shortcoming of the work is an occasional but evident influence of the author’s political subscriptions, which at times, undermine the objectivity of his commentary.
September 12, 2017
Often times there are articles that would make for an absolutely fascinating book if fleshed out properly and other times there are books that would have worked better as a longer article or essay.
Unfortunately, The President's Book of Secrets fits in the latter category for me.
Some interesting tidbits here. Others who enjoy books about the intelligence community might get more out of it than I did.
Unfortunately, The President's Book of Secrets fits in the latter category for me.
Some interesting tidbits here. Others who enjoy books about the intelligence community might get more out of it than I did.
July 3, 2017
The main topic in this book is the President's relationship with the CIA. Via this relationship one can begin to see the working President vs. the leading President presented in the media. These insights give one the ability to see the President's working style and to some degree his priorities during his presidency.
May 7, 2019
I'd put this between a 3 and 4. It was very informative and interesting. Great insight into how the president and the executive branch work. However, it was a bit repetitive after awhile. It could've also included more about Obama's presidency as we didn't get very much of that at the end. Would recommend to history and/or politics nerds like myself!
October 13, 2019
David Priess tells a fascinating history of Presidents and their intelligence briefings. Covering Truman through Obama, this books gives an inside look at how our leaders have processed information regarding national security. It’s well documented with a lot of firsthand accounting from primary participants in the events described.
This is a must read for any history nerd.
This is a must read for any history nerd.
August 5, 2020
A history of the Presidential Daily Brief, written by a CIA staffer who was a briefer for Bush 1 and Clinton. Insightful how the product evolved over time, adjusting to each recipient and his interest level.
General caveat about dates: March 13, 2020 through August 2020 is a blur in terms of what I read when. This title falls into my pandemic quarantine reading.
General caveat about dates: March 13, 2020 through August 2020 is a blur in terms of what I read when. This title falls into my pandemic quarantine reading.
January 2, 2021
I initially thought this was about the secret book shared among former Presidents about top secret information during their tenure. Instead, this is actually how the creation of the Presidential Daily Brief (PDB) came to fruition since the Truman Administration. A very interesting read about how the PDB evolved from President to President.
May 1, 2021
The Authority on the President’s Daily Brief
Mercifully, this book ends with the Obama administration. It offers a comprehensive view into the product over time, the various First Customers, and fits it into the known history of recent decades. A must for policy wonks, and also recommended for all who may have only recently come to care about how we govern ourselves.
Mercifully, this book ends with the Obama administration. It offers a comprehensive view into the product over time, the various First Customers, and fits it into the known history of recent decades. A must for policy wonks, and also recommended for all who may have only recently come to care about how we govern ourselves.
April 11, 2024
The title is a bit misleading as this is less about some secretive book that the President has full of secret information, and more about the briefing process of every president since Kennedy. I will be honest, it was incredibly boring. I muscled through it because that's what I do but it wasn't the most riveting thing I've ever read.
January 6, 2018
Wow!! It's a biography of the intelligence agencies of the US! In addition, the personalities of our past presidents are reviewed by the writer. It's so interesting.I read this during the 2016 election. Now I think about the "daily briefing" every day. I am not encouraged.
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