Focusing on how five newly elected nonincumbent presidents since 1952—Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, Carter, and Reagan—created their administrations, Brauer here offers a behind-the-scenes look at the transfer of power in the White House. His study reveals great men and women jockeying for position, presidents misleading appointees about their future role, and statesmanlike behavior as well as pettiness and petulance. Based on oral histories, manuscripts, and interviews with participants, Brauer provides a fresh reexamination of major American postwar figures and policy. More than an illuminating account of particular events, the book identifies recurring patterns in transitions and reveals broader lessons for the future.