One Damn Thing After Another | William P. Barr

One Damn Thing After Another: Memoirs of an Attorney General

Extended Synopsis

In One Damn Thing After Another, former Attorney General William P. Barr delivers a candid and vivid account of his historic tenures serving two vastly different presidents: George H.W. Bush and Donald J. Trump. Barr reflects on how his first appointment in the early 1990s was largely the result of chance, while his decision to return to the Department of Justice under President Trump decades later was a deliberate and difficult choice. This memoir takes readers behind the scenes of the Justice Department during some of the most consequential moments in modern American history.

During his first tenure, Barr navigated seminal events including the Los Angeles riots, the Pan Am Flight 103 investigation, and the fallout of the Iran-Contra affair. Thirty years later, he returned to face an unrelenting barrage of national crises: the Russiagate investigation, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread civil unrest, presidential impeachments, and the tumultuous aftermath of the 2020 election. Forthright and essential, this book provides critical insight into the legacies of both the Bush and Trump administrations and reveals how both leaders viewed power and justice at critical junctures of their presidencies.

Accolades & Key Themes

• An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller.
• Provides a rare, comparative look at the internal workings of the executive branch across two distinct political eras.
• Offers an insider's legal and political perspective on managing national crises and maintaining the rule of law.

Reader Targeting

• Scholars and students of political science, constitutional law, and American executive branch history.
• Legal professionals interested in the operational dynamics of the Department of Justice.
• Readers seeking behind-the-scenes accounts of modern presidential administrations and major national controversies.

About the Author

William P. Barr is an American attorney who served as the 77th and 85th United States Attorney General. He is one of the few individuals in American history to serve in this role under two different presidential administrations (George H.W. Bush from 1991 to 1993, and Donald J. Trump from 2019 to 2020). Throughout his extensive career, he has been a prominent figure in corporate law and federal governance.

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