An intimate, behind-the-scenes history of the White House service staff, from the Kennedys to the present America’s First Families are unknowable in many ways. No one has insight into their true character like the people who serve their meals and make their beds every day. Full of stories and details by turns dramatic, humorous, and heartwarming, The Residence reveals daily life in the White … daily life in the White House as it is really lived through the voices of the maids, butlers, cooks, florists, doormen, engineers, and others who tend to the needs of the President and First Family.
These dedicated professionals maintain the six-floor mansion’s 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, 28 fireplaces, three elevators, and eight staircases, and prepare everything from hors d’oeuvres for intimate gatherings to meals served at elaborate state dinners. Over the course of the day, they gather in the lower level’s basement kitchen to share stories, trade secrets, forge lifelong friendships, and sometimes even fall in love.
Combining incredible first-person anecdotes from extensive interviews with scores of White House staff members—many speaking for the first time—with archival research, Kate Andersen Brower tells their story. She reveals the intimacy between the First Family and the people who serve them, as well as tension that has shaken the staff over the decades. From the housekeeper and engineer who fell in love while serving President Reagan to Jackie Kennedy’s private moment of grief with a beloved staffer after her husband’s assassination to the tumultuous days surrounding President Nixon’s resignation and President Clinton’s impeachment battle, The Residence is full of surprising and moving details that illuminate day-to-day life at the White House.
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The author interviewed over 100 people to gather the information for this book. It gives the reader a chance to see behind the scenes in the White House. It not only gives some interesting information on many of the first families — you also get to see how much work and the professionalism of the entire staff.
Good behind the scene look at the employees (and residents) of the White House.
It’s a rather basic rudimentary book about the White House. It is heavily biased towards the Obamas what “great people” they are and what a great President Hillary Clinton will be. Oops something happened on the way to the coronation. The book gives you no behind the scenes knowledge of the White House that was not already very common knowledge …
Meh. Nothing significant.
Fascinating book. It gives numerous stories of what happens at the individual human level in this house of immense power for the nation. It shows the people who populate is on an individual human level.
What a wonderful, behind the scenes look at the employees of our First Family’s home.
Too much information was repeated. Read a little like a “C” research paper!
Well written, interesting.
I thought this was very informative and interesting. I did not really like the flow of the book, I found it hard to follow. I would have rather it been written by date order instead of type of event order. But I did enjoy the little tidbits of little known facts about the White House residence, the workers and the President’s families.
Interesting information, but not presented in any uniform way.
I found the book quite boring. While I appreciate the author’s efforts to protect the sterling reputations of the WH staffers that he interviewed, he totally lost all interest of this reader. Thus the book became very dry and uninteresting. Would NOT recommend anyone waste their time.
This book is phenomenal. The author was able to gain the trust of several past White House employees and they give such interesting insights into our past Presidents and First Ladies.
some behind the scenes but much of it already known
This book gave me insight into the life in the White House.
Interesting insight into the life of the first families living in the White House, through the eyes of the staff.
Three past associates of mine have worked at the White House. One was the Executive Housekeeper who was there for many years & is featured in the book. The other two held key positions during one president’s term, but not mentioned …
I enjoyed an insider’s glimpse of life in the White House. Worker’s share their views of first family members in a way we rarely get to see.
What amazing people the staffers of the White House are. They put politics aside, and treat every “First Family” with respect and loyalty. This book reveals the dedication, and sacrifices of the men and women who make the White House tick. The author has done a superb job of making the reader feel as if they are actually witnessing the daily lives …
enjoyed this book very much
An enjoyable, interesting glimpse at the inner workings of the White House from the perspective of those working behind the scenes in service to the First Families.