It took 134 interviews and a decade for Russell L. Riley and his team at the University of Virginia to compile Inside the Clinton White House: An Oral History, a dense, valuable volume featuring everyone from Clinton secretary Betty Currie to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (not included: the Clintons themselves).
The book reminds us that most presidential history—scandals included—is more complicated than it seems. Take the era of Monica Lewinsky (also not interviewed): the President buried himself in foreign policy because “he didn’t want to go home,” the diplomat Nancy Soderberg tells Riley. If you’re looking for Hillary Clinton grist, the focus is on her milieu as First Lady. She comes off as a decisive woman who inspires loyalty as well as fear—and whose own history can’t yet be told.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Lily Rothman at lily.rothman@time.com