A Brookings Institution Press and the Council for Excellence in Government publication The 2004 Prune Book serves as a valuable resource for presidential appointees who manage the federal government on a daily basis. Introduced in 1988, Prune Books describe the positions appointees hold and the challenges they face. The books are distinguished by essays that give firsthand insight into such complex realities as managing the federal government for results and the appointments process itself. This 2004 edition offers fresh approaches to the management aspects of an appointed position. One chapter, for example, provides a tool kit designed for, and essential to, incoming senior federal appointees. It examines the management dimensions of their jobs, helping them manage for results and advising on what is required for survival and success as an appointee. Senior civil servants will also value the discussion of coordinating strategies and mechanisms that embody the current approach to federal government management. This overall approach is aimed at increasing the return on investment of taxpayer dollars. This version of the Prune Book is specifically geared to help new senior political appointees grasp today’s coordinated, government-wide agenda for improving federal management. In addition, it will be instructive to anyone who is considering federal employment or is interested in finding out more about how government works.
