On the House

By John Boehner

On the House - John Boehner
  • Release Date: 2021-04-13
  • Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Score: 4
4
From 246 Ratings

Description

* INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * #1 WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER *

“A rollicking, foil-mouthed” [memoir]....Boehner has delivered a classic Washington “tell-all,” albeit one with his typical jocular style.” -
-The Washington Post

Former Speaker of the House John Boehner shares colorful tales from the halls of power, the smoke-filled rooms around the halls of power, and his fabled tour bus.


John Boehner is the last of a breed. At a time when the arbiters of American culture were obsessing over organic kale, cold-pressed juice, and SoulCycle, the man who stood second in line to the presidency was unapologetically smoking Camels, quaffing a glass of red, and hitting the golf course whenever he could.

There could hardly have been a more diametrically opposed figure to represent the opposition party in President Barack Obama's Washington. But when Boehner announced his resignation, President Obama called to tell the outgoing Speaker that he'd miss him. "Mr. President," Boehner replied, "yes you will." He thought of himself as a "regular guy with a big job," and he enjoyed it.

In addition to his own stories of life in the swamp city and of his comeback after getting knocked off the leadership ladder, Boehner offers his impressions of leaders he's met and what made them successes or failures, from Ford and Reagan to Obama, Trump, and Biden. He shares his views on how the Republican Party has become unrecognizable today; the advice--some harsh, some fatherly--he dished out to members of his own party, the opposition, the media, and others; and his often acid-tongued comments about his former colleagues. And of course he talks about golfing with five presidents.

Through Speaker Boehner's honest and self-aware reflections, you'll be reminded of a time when the adults were firmly in charge.

Reviews

  • Great Read

    5
    By Joseph7117
    Very interesting and insightful. The best part was his honesty. You could tell he just didn’t care and put most of it out there.
  • Interesting, Candid and Worth Reading

    5
    By Ada Danielle
    No matter your political party - this book is worth reading. It provides perspective and firsthand accountings of a former US House Representative and his rise and service as Speaker. Boehner convinces all - if you want to make a change in government- you need to be willing to become the change. And, further, his humble upbringing is a testament to his service and what he values- family, country, faith, friendship, work and golf.
  • Great Read

    5
    By Colorado Tony O.
    Highly recommended. He always did what is right for America no matter which side you are on.
  • Like hearing a story from a hilarious old friend

    5
    By Bill W's ghost
    I could not put it down. Incredibly entertaining, and often made me laugh out loud, which I haven’t done since reading Catch 22 years ago. It’s also refreshing to remember things weren’t always this divided, and to hope that they won’t remain so divided.
  • On the House

    5
    By rcjhunter
    I enjoyed reading John Boehner‘s inside view of how Washington, our government, and particularly the House of Representatives works. Or doesn’t work. I am conservative and so I agree with most of the former speakers positions, but I especially like that he was more interested in getting things done and finding common ground then he was in promoting himself or raising money or wasting peoples time. He does a good job of telling his story, good humor, very colorful, but as a devout Catholic he might want to think twice about his use of profanity. It does not speak well of him particularly in light of putting forth that Catholic faith in the way he talks about Coach Faust and the pope. He should also think twice about taking better care of his body, shame on him for smoking and not taking care of what God has created. Aside from those criticisms, I enjoyed the book a lot and only wish that we had more people like John Boehner in the leader ship in Congress and particularly in the Republican Party. Lead on!
  • On the House

    4
    By Bethany Panda
    Very easy to read, an interesting take on history with a commitment to candor and humility.
  • A view from inside the HOUSE

    5
    By kemoSavvy
    Excellent, timely and honest portrayal of 30years of political experience.
  • Boehner at his best!

    5
    By TLL Jr
    Rarely did I agree with his policy positions, but I always respected his work ethic and effort to build coalitions. I love the way he describes how relationship building is how good broad based policy gets done. I agree fully with his assessment of the generations of Congress that followed have eschewed that model for something more extreme. An excellent read and journey down memory lane, as well as a longing for more like him to come to the job. Congrats Mr. Speaker. Thanks for your service!
  • A Delightful Free Ride!

    5
    By Small town mover
    As a lifelong Democrat, I was curious what Speaker Boehner would have to say for himself. Having served in local government, I found myself enjoying his "take" on how government actually works---or doesn't. It's a shame that today's pols are often more interested in self-promotion, rather than finding ways to actually get things done for the betterment of "We the People". It's a salty but entertaining read--all "On the house"!