What happens within the walls of the White House has long been the subject of public imagination, with shows like The West Wing and House of Cards both offering a gripping, albeit fictional, insight.

All that is about to change however, with White House staff finally dishing dirt on life behind the scenes in a new book written by former White House reporter Kate Andersen Brower.

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In The Residence: Inside the Private World of The White House, butlers, valets, florists and cooks all reveal intimate details on everything from secret parties to bloodied marital spats.

According to a Daily Beast recap of the new memoir, the Clinton era was the most turbulent for White House staff, which comes as no surprise due to Bill Clinton’s affair with a young Monica Lewinsky.

One anonymous worker told Brower of a particular argument between the couple that ended with Hillary Clinton throwing a book at her husband that hit him so hard there was blood on the furniture and he required stitches.

Former White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier also told Brower he made “many, many mocha cakes” for the first lady during this tempestuous period.

Fun-loving President Barack Obama was rumoured to have had a little celebration after winning the presidency in 2009.

According to one White House staffer, both he and Michelle Obama came home late after the inaugural ball, got changed into sweatpants, and danced to Mary J. Blige’s “Real Love”.

Predecessor George W. Bush was said to be a joker, and would often turn photos around the White House on their side to mess with staff while he was president.

With Hillary Clinton rumoured to be running for presidency herself in 2016, White House staff may be hoping for a smoother-sailing Clinton era than the first one, which was said to be marked with “their vicious cursing” and “periods of stony silence”.