From the Corner of the Oval Office cover art

From the Corner of the Oval Office

One woman’s true story of her accidental career in the Obama White House

Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

£5.99/mo after trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options

From the Corner of the Oval Office

By: Beck Dorey-Stein
Narrated by: Beck Dorey-Stein
Try for £0.00

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £8.62

Buy Now for £8.62

Random House presents the audiobook edition of From the Corner of the Oval Office, written and read by Beck Dorey-Stein.

The compulsively readable, behind-the-scenes memoir that takes readers inside the Obama White House, through the eyes of a young staffer learning the ropes, falling in love and finding her place in the world.

In 2012, Beck Dorey-Stein was just scraping by in Washington DC when a posting on Craigslist landed her, improbably, in the Oval Office as one of Barack Obama's stenographers. She joined the elite team who accompanied the president wherever he went, recorder and mic in hand. On whirlwind trips across time zones, Beck forged friendships with a tight group of fellow travellers - young men and women who, like her, left their real lives behind to hop aboard Air Force One in service of the president. But as she learned the ropes of protocol, Beck became romantically entangled with a colleague, and suddenly, the political became all too personal.

Set against the backdrop of a White House full of glamour, drama and intrigue, this is the story of a young woman making unlikely friendships, getting her heart broken, learning what truly matters and discovering her voice in the process.

'Who knew the West Wing could be so sexy? Beck’s unparalleled access is obvious on every page, along with her knife-sharp humour... Lots of books claim to give real insider glimpses, but this one actually delivers.'
Lauren Weisberger, author of The Devil Wears Prada

Diaries & Journals Law Memoirs, Diaries & Correspondence Political Science Politics & Government United States World Heartfelt Friendship
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic reviews

Who knew the West Wing could be so sexy? Beck’s unparalleled access is obvious on every page, along with her knife-sharp humour... Lots of books claim to give real insider glimpses, but this one actually delivers.
If you’ve ever felt like you were out of your element, in over your head, or working without a net, you will love this book. Beck Dorey-Stein offers an endlessly fascinating perspective on power and history in the making. This memoir is funny, fast-paced, and so emotionally true that it hurts.
Sex, lies and the White House... Dorey-Stein details her extraordinary experiences at the side of the former leader of the free world. Incredible.
Addictively readable... From the Corner of the Oval shatters the genre of the Washington memoir. Dorey-Stein writes with a fine eye for detail and conveys it with freshness, candor and humor. She takes her readers with her on a vertiginous tour of the world [...] and her sparkling, crackling prose had me cheering for her through each adventure. She never loses her starry-eyed optimism, her pinch-me wonderment, her “Working Girl” pluck. Which makes From the Corner of the Oval somehow, against the odds, a story of hope (Paul Begala)
A sassy, genuinely hilarious and poignant tale... This marvellously addictive read is worth the cover price for its insider account of Obama's presidency alone. (Caroline Sanderson)
Love and heartbreak, ambition and jealousy, whirlwind travel to exotic locales and more page-turning drama than your favourite addictive novel. Consider yourself warned: this is not your father’s White House memoir.
An entertaining behind-the-scenes memoir of a young Obama White House staffer. (Lorraine Candy)
As someone who loves The West Wing, From the Corner of the Oval Office spoke to my geeky heart and gives great, sometimes surprising, insights into what it’s like to work for one of the most powerful person on the planet. (Sarah Shaffi)
Bright pink and zinging with energy and sparkle...this book beautifully recaptures those vanished days of Obama's gentle wisdom. What makes it stand out among fly-on-the-wall accounts of the White House is Beck's honesty about the roller-coaster love affair she embarks on with a senior staffer, a grade-one, Jilly-Cooper-novel rotter.
Set against the backdrop of a White House full of glamour, drama and intrigue, this is the story of a young woman making unlikely friendships, getting her heart broken, learning what truly matters and discovering her voice in the process.
All stars
Most relevant
This book is incredible, The West Wing meets Bridget Jones in a series of events.

My favourite book of the year

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Wasn’t sure what to expect but thoroughly enjoyed it. Well written and narrated by Bec. An easy listen and an interesting insight to the presidential bubble.

Wonderful insight into another world

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This is a lovely book. Bec is a great story teller. However a slow start.

A lovely read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Not what I was expecting at all! Largely focuses on her personal life (which I absolutely loved!) As a 24 year old girl, I can relate to some of the situations she ends up in. I’m sure a lot of people can relate to her story - everyone makes mistakes and we have all done things that we are not proud of. I loved her inspiring quotes such as ‘change is the only constant’. I loved her honesty and humility. She is not afraid to portray herself in a negative light. In fact at one stage she even refers to herself as the antagonist. I would definitely recommend this memoir to others! Can’t wait to read more of her work in future!

I could not stop listening to this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The engaging storytelling of behind the scenes of Obama’s administration with interesting observations and poignant moments run alongside Beck’s love stories and important friendships she makes along the way.

All the more important, in this current Trump administration, the book places emphasis on strong values, beliefs to make the world a better place and the importance of hope.

Highly recommend attending Beck’s book reading tour if you get a chance. We saw her in Manchester where her delightful, friendly, bubbly personality shone through.

Great to listen to the author read her own story on her audio book.

Think of a political fly on the wall book crossed with a ‘chick lit’ (literature) fun read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews