Upstairs at the White House by J. B. West - A 15-minute Summary & Analysis

Upstairs at the White House by J. B. West - A 15-minute Summary & Analysis PDF Author: Instaread
Publisher: Instaread Summaries
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages :

Book Description
PLEASE NOTE: This is a summary and analysis of the book and NOT the original book. Upstairs at the White House by J. B. West - A 15-minute Summary & AnalysisInside this Instaread: • Summary of entire book • Introduction to the important people in the book • Analysis of the themes, important people and author style Preview of this Instaread:Summary: J.B. West chronicles his career at the White House and gives an inside look at the six first ladies he served, first as an assistant and then as the chief usher, or general manager, of the dozens of housekeepers, maids, cooks, butlers, gardeners, plumbers, handymen and other staff it takes to keep the White House running. The chief usher manages the household budget, sees to the housing and comfort of guests, supervises the mail operation and oversees maintenance and remodeling. The job title is a leftover from a time when the chief usher actually did usher in visitors to the White House. West never expected to work at the White House. He worked at the veterans administration when he was loaned to President and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt when they needed extra help because they had so many guests and hosted so many events. West ended up staying until he…

Upstairs at the White House

Upstairs at the White House PDF Author: J. B. West
Publisher: Open Road Media
ISBN: 1480449385
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 536

Book Description
In this New York Times bestseller, the White House chief usher for nearly three decades offers a behind-the-scenes look at America’s first families. J. B. West, chief usher of the White House, directed the operations and maintenance of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue—and coordinated its daily life—at the request of the president and his family. He directed state functions; planned parties, weddings and funerals, gardens and playgrounds, and extensive renovations; and, with a large staff, supervised every activity in the presidential home. For twenty-eight years, first as assistant to the chief usher, then as chief usher, he witnessed national crises and triumphs, and interacted daily with six consecutive presidents and first ladies, as well as their parents, children and grandchildren, and houseguests—including friends, relatives, and heads of state. J. B. West, whom Jackie Kennedy called “one of the most extraordinary men I have ever met,” provides an absorbing, one-of-a-kind history of life among the first ladies. Alive with anecdotes ranging from Eleanor Roosevelt’s fascinating political strategies to Jackie Kennedy’s tragic loss and the personal struggles of Pat Nixon, Upstairs at the White House is a rich account of a slice of American history that usually remains behind closed doors.

Summary of J. B. West's Upstairs at the White House

Summary of J. B. West's Upstairs at the White House PDF Author: Milkyway Media
Publisher: Milkyway Media
ISBN:
Category : Study Aids
Languages : en
Pages : 28

Book Description
Buy now to get the main key ideas from J. B. West's Upstairs at the White House For 28 years, J.B. West worked at the White House, overseeing the staff and ensuring that the residence operated smoothly. In Upstairs at the White House (1973), he offers a behind-the-scenes look at the daily lives of the First Families who occupied the mansion during his tenure. West chronicles everything from lavish parties and weddings to political crises and assassination attempts. His memoir is a celebration of the history that makes the White House more than just a building.

The New York Times Book Review

The New York Times Book Review PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Books
Languages : en
Pages : 546

Book Description


Chicago Tribune

Chicago Tribune PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Chicago tribune
Languages : en
Pages : 792

Book Description


Secret Lives of the First Ladies

Secret Lives of the First Ladies PDF Author: Cormac O'Brien
Publisher: Quirk Books
ISBN: 1594744785
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 336

Book Description
This newly updated collection of biographies showcases all the secrets, scandals, and trivia from America’s first ladies. Whether she’s a leading lady, loyal spouse, or lightning rod for scandal, the First Lady of the United States has always been in the spotlight—and in 2017 that was truer than ever. This revised and expanded edition from Quirk’s best-selling Secret Lives series features outrageous and uncensored profiles of the women of the White House, from Martha Washington to Melania Trump, it comes complete with hundreds of little-known, politically incorrect, and downright wacko facts. Did you know that . . . • Dolley Madison loved to chew tobacco • Mary Todd Lincoln conducted séances on a regular basis • Eleanor Roosevelt and Ellen Wilson both carried guns • Jacqueline Kennedy spent $121,000 on her wardrobe in a single year • Betty Ford liked to chat on CB radios—her handle was “First Mama” And much, much more.

The Hidden White House

The Hidden White House PDF Author: Robert Klara
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 1250000270
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 383

Book Description
This unrivaled story of political ambition and technical skill chronicles the biggest home-improvement job the nation had ever seen in 1948 when President Harry Truman, after almost falling through the ceiling in a bathtub, decided to rebuild America's most famous historic home. 40,000 first printing.

The Residence

The Residence PDF Author: Kate Andersen Brower
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062476017
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 261

Book Description
#1 New York Times Bestseller “A revealing look at life inside the White House. . . it’s Downton Abbey for the White House staff.”— The Today Show A remarkable history with elements of both In the President’s Secret Service and The Butler, The Residence offers an intimate account of the service staff of the White House, from the Kennedys to the Obamas. 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. In her runaway bestseller, former White House correspondent Kate Andersen Brower pulls back the curtain on the world’s most famous address. Full of stories and details by turns dramatic, humorous, and heartwarming, The Residence reveals 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.

Mrs. Kennedy and Me

Mrs. Kennedy and Me PDF Author: Clint Hill
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1451648464
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 338

Book Description
"For four years, from the election of John Fitzgerald Kennedy in November 1960 until after the election of Lyndon Johnson in 1964, Clint Hill was the Secret Service agent assigned to guard the glamorous and intensely private Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. During those four years, he went from being a reluctant guardian to a fiercely loyal watchdog and, in many ways, her closest friend"--

Betty Ford

Betty Ford PDF Author: Lisa McCubbin
Publisher: Gallery Books
ISBN: 1501164759
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 432

Book Description
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Five Presidents and The Kennedy Detail comes an “insightful and beautifully told look into the life of one of the most public and admired first ladies” (Publishers Weekly)—Betty Ford. Betty Ford: First Lady, Women’s Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer is the inspiring story of an ordinary Midwestern girl thrust onto the world stage and into the White House under extraordinary circumstances. Setting a precedent as First Lady, Betty Ford refused to be silenced by her critics as she publicly championed equal rights for women, and spoke out about issues that had previously been taboo—breast cancer, depression, abortion, and sexuality. Privately, there were signs something was wrong. After a painful intervention by her family, she admitted to an addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs. Her courageous decision to speak out publicly sparked a national dialogue, and in 1982, she co-founded the Betty Ford Center, which revolutionized treatment for alcoholism and inspired the modern concept of recovery. Lisa McCubbin also brings to light Gerald and Betty Ford’s sweeping love story: from Michigan to the White House, until their dying days, their relationship was that of a man and woman utterly devoted to one another other—a relationship built on trust, respect, and an unquantifiable chemistry. Based on intimate interviews with her children, Susan Ford Bales and Steven Ford, as well as family, friends, and colleagues, Betty Ford is “a vivid picture of a singularly influential woman” (Bookpage).