THE EAST WING: POwer, intrigue, and the untold story of America’s first ladies

PRE-ORDER AZADEH MOAVENI’s LATEST FROM THESE RETAILERS:

• AMAZON
• Apple books
• Audible
• Barnes & noble
• bookshop.org
• books-a-million
• Kobo

“Moaveni shapes tart, illuminating portraits of a beguilingly diverse group of women wielding their own particular brands of ‘soft power,’ … A well-informed and fascinating look behind the White House walls.”—Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)

In October 2025 the Trump administration abruptly demolished the East Wing of the White House to make way for a ballroom. Public outcry was swift, but there was an acute sense of loss among former First Ladies and their staffers, not just for the building but for what it symbolized. As the home of the Office of the First Lady and thus the seat of soft power in the White House, the East Wing wields a special influence, imbuing the office with its grace and also its significance.

In The East Wing: Power, Intrigue, and the Untold Story of America’s First Ladies, Pulitzer finalist, academic, and journalist Azadeh Moaveni offers an in-depth examination of women and power in Washington through the lens of the complex relationship between First Ladies and their staffs.

It could be said that every First Lady runs a court—a hub of political power within the White House, a place where enterprising aides vie for influence and patronage, a theatre of intrigue and counsel where great heights are uniquely possible, but so too is ruin. Moaveni charts the development of the East Wing from its inception with Eleanor Roosevelt and her secretary Malvina “Tommy” Thompson, touching on each subsequent First Lady and their unique approach to the role. East Wing staff have worked under many titles—social secretary, staff director, press secretary, and chief of staff. Regardless of their appellation, these staffers worked behind the scenes to make history by advancing civil rights legislation, defusing tension with America’s enemies, bringing more women into government, and backing abortion rights. Their relationships and problems, their management and cultivation of the media landscape and the Georgetown social scene, are at the heart of the forces that have shaped the institution of the East Wing.

In The East Wing, Moaveni blends original reporting, including extensive interviews with key players from past East Wings, with expert research and analysis to take readers deep inside the fascinating and high stakes world of the First Lady’s office like never before. Spanning the most defining decades of the twentieth century, from the New Deal era, to the myth-making Kennedys, to the turbulent, MAGA-influenced 2020s, The East Wing is the captivating true story of the First Lady’s staffers and their role in the executive branch of governance, as well as the evolution of female leadership in our country. While not nearly as diverse as the country they served, America’s First Ladies nevertheless represented many versions of America. The power they had to shape American society, support foreign and domestic policy, and leave their mark on fashion and culture proves how important of a role it is and why the East Wing has, and will continue, to matter.

Reviews & PRAISE for The EAST WING

“Moaveni shapes tart, illuminating portraits of a beguilingly diverse group of women wielding their own particular brands of ‘soft power,’ … A well-informed and fascinating look behind the White House walls.”—Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)

“Informative, engaging, and satisfyingly dishy …this insightful and readable narrative aptly documents each woman’s unique influence, including surges and slumps, disasters and triumphs, and lasting legacies.”—Booklist 

“Azadeh Moaveni brings an historian’s sharp insights and a reporter’s eye for the delicious detail to the East Wing.”—Susan Page, Washington Bureau chief of USA TODAY and New York Times bestselling author of The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty

“The East Wing itself may not exist anymore, but the presidential spouse and her complicated role remains. Azadeh Moaveni does a masterful job of telling the hopeful and inspiring story of the first ladies through the decades and shines a light on the men and women who have served them.”—Kate Andersen Brower, New York Times bestselling author of The Residence and First Women

“With elegant and authoritative prose, Moaveni demonstrates just how complex and nuanced it is to work for and with a First Lady and how the functioning of the First Lady’s staff is not merely integral but crucial to the presidency itself... A comprehensive and entertaining perspective on the last century American history.” —Carl Sferrazza Anthony, bestselling author of First Ladies: The Saga of the Presidents’ Wives & Their Power, 1789-1989, and speechwriter to Nancy Reagan

“A deeply researched—and lively—insiders’ account of the little-understood ways in which first ladies from Jacqueline Kennedy to Melania Trump (twice) found ways to further their agendas, build their images and leave their own marks on history.” —Karen Tumulty, Washington Post columnist and author of The Triumph of Nancy Reagan

“Azadeh Moaveni has written a smart, engrossing, and deeply insightful book about the East Wing and the women who made it matter. She understands something many have missed—that real power is often exercised out of view—and brings that world to life with clarity, depth, and grace. This is a compelling and important contribution to our understanding of the modern presidency. I was especially struck by the depth of her research and the humanity she brings to these remarkable women.”—J. Randy Taraborrelli, New York Times bestselling author of Jackie: Public, Private, Secret

“Well-reported and gripping, Azadeh Moaveni’s The East Wing provides a fascinating window into the powerful office of the First Lady, revealing the back-stage maneuvering to shape the policy and image of a presidency. With new details combined with historical research, she paints vivid portraits of influential yet often unknown staffers.”—Meryl Gordon, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman Who Knew Everyone

“Azadeh Moaveni’s The East Wing offers sharp insight and graceful writing along with nonstop drama and dynamic portraits of the women she describes. You will remember these women and their critical contributions long after you turn the last page of this extraordinary book.”—Heath Hardage Lee, author of The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon and The League of Wives

“Through the individual stories of those who worked in the East Wing, Azadeh Moaveni deftly illuminates the crucial but undervalued role of the First Lady, her staff, and the building itself in shaping America.”—Alex Prud’homme, author of Dinner with the President