Nine couples; Eleanor & F.D.R., Jackie & J.F.K., Hillary & Bill Clinton, Wendy & David Vitter, Silda Wall & Eliot Spitzer, and Huma Abedin & Anthony Weiner from the United States, Valerie Hobson & Jack Profumo, Marion Stein & Jeremy Thorpe from Britain, and Gila & Moshe Katsav from Israel. Some of these were rising political stars until their sexual escapades got them into hot water. For others they took combative attitudes into higher office and alienated potential allies so that when self-inflicted trouble reared its ugly head they had no one to turn to. As social media developed it offered sexting opportunities as well as new ways to arrange for call girls. Some couples would stay together while others would go their separate ways ( )

I loved this book it was amazing and so interesting. I found it a bit long but very interesting I just had to pass it along to my friend to read this book is enjoyable you will real life everyday life suation that are happening now in this book ( )

In Why They Stay Anne Michaud presents an interesting, if not wholly convincing, theory on why these prominent women have stayed with their adulterous politician husbands. What makes the book interesting has less to do with the weak theorizing and more to do with the retelling of the stories with some details which may be new to some readers (such as myself).

As for the theorizing, the "White Queen" idea, I just found the theory stretched far too thin when Michaud tried to shoehorn each and every case into the theory. There is certainly some truth to the idea but these are individuals with very different reasons for both getting into the relationship initially (which is a factor in an accurate presentation of the White Queen concept) and for staying. Everything, even in high power politics, does not always boil down to getting and keeping, at all cost, power. So I found the framing concept far less compelling than I had hoped.

The books saving grace is the writing, namely the way Michaud managed to tell what has become largely gossipy stories in a way that felt less shallow than true sensationalized gossip accounts. There were points which I had been unaware of, though I have to admit to being something less than fully informed on the accounts (I generally avoid the sensationalized versions that flood the media when such a thing comes to light and once it loses its newsworthiness I have moved on also).

I would recommend this to anyone interested in "power couples" and the dynamic within a relationship of two strong-willed people. It has enough gossipy feel to appeal to those simply wanting to rehash these people's misery but also has enough of an historical account feel to satisfy those of us who count this as the extent of their gossip consumption.

Reviewed from a copy made available via LibraryThing. ( )

Anne Michaud has really done her homework on this book. The behind the scenes look at these couples was well researched and written and provides us, the reader, and in some cases confirms what we already suspected - the reality of why women would stay with a man who cheated, whether it was a one time event or a man who strayed numerous times. ( )

I won a copy of this book.

What in interesting, in-depth look at public sex scandals that have befallen 9 different political couples. Michaud gives a thorough history of each power couple, from their grandparents and parents all the way to how they ended up together and the lives they made. She finishes each chapter talking about how the scandal effected any children involved (Chelsea Clinton being the most prominent one). I found it a very in-depth and well researched book. ( )