From the book The nation’s financial watchdog, the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO), emerged very early in its history as a “defender of the public interest.” Its basic concern with accounting accuracy, effective financial audits, and economy in government already was evident during the tenure of John R. McCarl, its first comptroller general. His successors between 1936 and 1966, while presiding over significant changes in the Office’s functions and emphasis, never lost sight of its role in defending the public interest. Roger R. Trask traces the progress of GAO from its beginnings in 1921 to 1966. During this period four comptrollers general—McCarl, Fred H. Brown, Lindsay C. Warren, and Joseph Campbell-headed GAO. The author describes in detail the approach and contributions of each of these leaders. His sources—original GAO records, congressional documents, private papers, oral histories, and the records of other federal agencies—provide a solid and hitherto generally untapped foundation for this study. Change is the central theme in GAO’s history. Trask shows GAO’s evolution from an agency initially concerned with the legality of government expenditures to one responsible for assessing the economy and efficiency of federal programs. He describes how GAO developed its organization and functions. The author also portrays GAO’s increased ability to serve the Congress, the expansion of its legislative base, and the development of its mission and staff. In this work, Trask links GAO’s evolution to domestic and international events and trends. World War I, the Depression, the New Deal, World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War, and post- 1945 domestic concerns all greatly affected the substance of GAO’s ability, Trask’s book thoroughly chronicles GAO’s ability to adapt to changing congressional an national needs in order to best serve the interests of the United States. Keywords: Public Interest, GAO, General Accounting Office, Defender of the public, Roger R. Trask, GAO, John R. Mccarl, Fred H. Brown, World War II, Cold War, Korean War, Congress

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