The Church is delighted to host acclaimed writer Gary Ginsberg for a discussion of his New York Times bestselling book: “First Friends: The Powerful, Unsung and Unelected People Who Shaped Our Presidents”. Presidential literature is replete with books about First Ladies, First Sons, First Butlers, First Chefs, First Decorators, even First Pets, but no one has ever looked at the role of the First Friend in American history and how this person helped shape the man, his presidency, and history itself. The talk will be moderated by Pfizer Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Sally Susman, who is also a board member of The Church.
Gary Ginsburg, a former Clinton administration aide and media executive will discuss how he came upon this new lens for understanding the American presidency, what motivated him to write it, and how the nine friendships he covers in his New York Times best-selling book changed history. The stories he tells, from the founding of America until the present, will illuminate how presidents are no different than any of us: in need of meaningful, enduring friendships to provide emotional ballast and the truth. And when your best friend is the most powerful person on the planet — and often the loneliest -- the stakes can be great.
Tickets: $15
