Cormac O'Brien

Listen to "Cormack O'Brien The Secret Lives Of US Presidents" on Spreaker. Before there was the Comedy Central series Drunk History, there was the classic Quirk compendium of presidential biographies: Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents: Strange Stories and Shocking Trivia from Inside the White House (Quirk Books; February 7, 2017; $16.95). In this revised edition, Cormac O’Brien takes readers on an uncensored chapter-by-chapter journey of America’s most powerful men, providing fun facts and quirky trivia along the way. With new material, including a chapter on the newest commander in chief, O’Brien uncovers the weird and often outrageous truths that history textbooks don’t cover. Readers will discover many interesting details, including: Written in the Stars: Following the attempted assassination of Ronald Regan, his wife, Nancy, took to astrology to determine future good and bad days in office. Crass Act: Lyndon B. Johnson enjoyed taking his house guests on drunken 90-mile-an-hour rides through the countryside. It’s in the Cards: Warren G. Harding once lost a set of priceless White House china in a poker game. Bully-in-Chief: In his memoir, The Art of the Deal, Donald Trump recalls becoming so angry that he punched his 2nd-grade music teacher in the face, a move that nearly got him expelled. As we all know, the President of the United States has one of the hardest jobs in the world, one that is revered (and reviled) around the globe. But it’s refreshing to remember that at the end of the day, these powerful leaders really are just like us—neurotic, impulsive, flawed, and controversial.