Book Description

How did we go from John F. Kennedy declaring that religion should play no role in the elections to Bush saying, "I believe that God wants me to be president"?

Customer Reviews (2)

An extraordinary turnabout
Shortly after Labor Day in 1960, 150 mainstream Protestant leaders (including Norman Vincent Peale) called a press conference at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC to express concerns about a Catholic--John Kennedy--running for president of the United States.A Catholic's loyalties, they insinuated, would be divided between the Constitution on the one hand and the Vatican on the other.

Less than two weeks later, JFK responded to this extraordinary press conference with his now famous speech, delivered in Houston Texas, in which he asked voters to bracket a candidate's religion when deciding how to vote.JFK's speech, plus a public backlash against the brazenness of the Catholic-baiting Protestant ministers, took religion out of presidential politics for the next 16 years.

This is the historical backdrop from which Randall Balmer examines religion and the presidency over the past 50 years in his extraordinarily good book God in the White House.It's as important a study as it is a timely one, tracing as it does the trajectory of evangelical Christianity's entry into contemporary politics.That trajectory is, to say the least, a bit wobbly.

According to Balmer, it was the irreligious Nixon who, ironically, got the evangelical Christian crowd connected with politics and thus broke the 16-year moratorium.Disgust over Nixon's obvious moral corruptness and enthusiasm over Jimmy Carter's born-again purity convinced evangelicals that it was time to drop their traditional distrust of politics in the 1976 Carter/Ford contest.But after Carter's election, evangelicals, under the influence of the political right, repudiated him and began to throw their weight behind the likes of ultra-conservatives like Reagan and the two Bushes.

Contrary to popular opinion, argues Balmer, it wasn't the abortion issue that soured evangelicals on Carter.It was their perception that he had backed the IRS revocation of Bob Jones University's tax-exempt status (because of racial discrimination).Nor was it the abortion issue, much less family values, that made evangelicals so enthusiastic for Reagan.After all, Reagan was a divorced man who, as governor of California, had signed a liberal abortion bill.Instead, it was fiscal conservatism and a hawkish military position, both defended in vaguely biblical language, that appealed to them.

The upshot is that the divided loyalty worry when it came to 1960s-style politics has now evolved into its opposite:a public declaration of faith as a necessary rite of passage for a presidential candidate.Never mind that evangelicals sometimes blur the line between public policy and religious/moral principles, conflating one with the other even when there's no obvious resemblance between the two and tending to support self-identified born again candidates (such as George W. Bush) even when those candidates' positions don't seem to be in accord with Jesus scriptural teachings.This move from bracketing a candidates' religious beliefs to seeing those beliefs as a crucial litmus test is an extraordinary turnabout.The good news is that the old-style evangelical litmus test--abortion and sex--seems to be mellowing.Poverty, human rights issues, and climate change are taking center stage as a new generation of evangelicals comes of age.

Balmer's book is well worth reading for students of presidential politics as well as readers who are concerned about erosion of church and state separation.It's sure to raise hackles.But it also sheds some much needed historical perspective.

Interesting Look at the Attitudes and Perceptions of the Public in Electing Presidents
While this is a relatively slim volume in size, similar to a lengthy essay, it is packed with fascinating information and insights into the role God and religion have played in presidential elections since 1960. Beginning with the campaign of John F. Kennedy and ending with the presidency of George W. Bush, the book compares the various religious philosophies of the presidents and how that was perceived by the public.

One of the strongest ironies to appear in the book, and a theme that runs throughout, is the change in religious attitudes over the past 48 years. For instance, many religious leaders were opposed to Kennedy because they feared he would weaken the separation between Church and State, which was a fundamental principal of the Baptist religion.Yet, by the time Reagan was elected, the Church had discovered power and was hoping to lower the bar set between the two. In further irony, Reagan was the least religious of the three candidates, and had one of the most liberal records, yet could speak "the language" of the Religious Right more eloquently than the other candidates.

The author often refers to speeches given by the candidates and Presidents to make his case. To help the reader understand the positions of the candidates, the author has reprinted seven of the most important speeches by the candidates in the appendix.

This is a well written book containing interesting information on the views of those who have led the nation. I think it is an important book for this election cycle and will give readers a new way to evaluate what they are being told from the stump.
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Book Description
The extraordinary life of the man who reshaped the presidency and forged modern America--chronicled in an exhilarating, lyrical new biography.

New York State Assemblyman, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, New York City Police Commissioner, Governor of New York, Vice President and, at forty-two, the youngest President ever--in his own words, Theodore Roosevelt "rose like a rocket." He was also a cowboy, a soldier, a historian, an intrepid explorer, and an unsurpassed environmentalist--all in all, perhaps the most accomplished Chief Executive in our nation's history. In Lion in the White House: A Life of Theodore Roosevelt, historian Aida Donald masterfully chronicles the life of this first modern president.

TR's accomplishments in office were immense. As President, Roosevelt redesigned the office of Chief Executive and the workings of the Republican Party to meet the challenges of the new industrial economy. Believing that the emerging aristocracy of wealth represented a genuine threat to democracy, TR broke trusts to curb the rapacity of big business. He improved economic and social conditions for the average American. Roosevelt built the Panama Canal and engaged the country in world affairs, putting a temporary end to American isolationism. And he won the Nobel Peace Prize--the only sitting president ever so honored.

Throughout his public career, TR fought valiantly to steer the GOP back to its noblest ideals as embodied by Abraham Lincoln. Alas, his hopes for his party were quashed by the GOP's strong rightward turn in the years after he left office. But his vision for America lives on.

In lapidary prose, this concise biography recounts the courageous life of one of the greatest leaders our nation has ever known. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

TRredux
For the many people who admire Theodore Rossevelt for his belief that corporations have a civic responsiblity to American citizens, new books on this icon of progressivism are always welcome.It is important, however, to temper one's affection for TR with expectations of scholarship, and when one does so, Donald's book fails to satisfy.Compared to the Morris two-volume biography, Donald's book lacks sufficient detail to be classified as a legitimate biography; instead, it seems to be a simple encomium.Serious readers will not learn anything that they did not already know about TR, and they may be offended by the book's shallow treatment.This book might be suitable for a junior high student as an introduction to TR, but it has little merit for a more adult audience.

TR in Brief
A simple, positive review of the life of a notable American leader. It does not pretend to be an original scholarly or detailed work. Probably best for the person desiring only to become reacquainted with the always-exciting Theodore Roosevelt from a book that can be read in one transcontinental airline flight.

The author is a liberal who does not hide her disdain for the modern Republican Party. She also excessively highlights the influences of Lincoln on TR. (I wish the gentle influence of Lincoln, who was kind to animals, had been felt by TR when he went to Africa on safari and where he thought it useful to kill thousands of game animals.)

A Frustrating Reading Experience
Please think twice before you waste your money on this biography.
It is an often irritation and annoying reading experience that is only comparable to an insipid, opinionated high school history textbook.This so-called "scholarly and academic" work by a writer with impressive credentials on paper has no footnotes, endnotes or a detailed bibliography. As a result the many questionable and provocative statements of historical fact and controversial interpretations of T.R's motivation by the author cannot be easily checked without recourse to other historical works.
I shuddered to think of the consequences if a graduate student had presented this weak effort as a thesis! Stick to Edmund Morris or H.W. Brands if you are looking for a real biography of T.R.

Don't try to cram TR into limited modern political boxes
I always enjoy a read about TR and the original works OF TR, since he's a genuine hero.Lion in the White House is a good, solid, basic biography which adds very little to the scholarship of the extensive biographies of the past decade.The unique thing I really got from it is a reasonable interpretation of TR's intervention in the 1902 Anthracite Strike, reasonable being defined as I agree with it and it's a noble conclusion.(I have a strong Progressive bent.I'm allowed to.It's America - the America that TR believed in and worked for.) Edmund Morris's The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Rex, and the (hopefully) to-be-written volume about the post-presidential years remain the gold standard of TR bio's, and H.W. Brands' TR: The Last Romantic runs a close second.Lion in the White House is a great place to start study of TR.The Library of America has published a volume called Theodore Roosevelt: Letters and Speeches, which gives thinking people some original source matter to read for themselves.One recommended and fun (if quirky) TR tome is My Last Chance to be a Boy, by Joseph Ornig, which is a detailed account of the 1913 - 14 Brazilian expedition.
The Democrats and Republicans of 1900 wouldn't recognize the parties of today.TR's policies and passions were not shaped around tired but limited modern menus of the stereotypical "right" and "left."For example, he was for open immigration, which would displease many today.He also strongly believed that immigrants needed to speak English and become Americans, rather than something hyphenated, which would displease the rest of modern politicos.Get a grip, we're not going to bring America forward by wrapping ourselves in emptiness, we need to actually READ TR's advice and get off our collective butts, THINK, REASON and ACT:
"It is not the critic that counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better.The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly, who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds."

Dignity
A most respectful, learned and concise biography of Theodore Roosevelt has been unleashed by historian Dr. Aida Donald.She covers it all in a forthright and approachable manner, the result of which is a fast paced and very readable book.

T. R.'s political life was a whirlwind of activeness to straighten what had been crooked.He was a man for the common good and fairness of the American laborer and the world at large.Fighting corruptness, injustices and contaminates in the political and private arena, whether domestic or internationally, Roosevelt was adhering to Lincoln's principles of progressivism and ideologies.

Two minor points:
Regarding the Spanish-American War in 1898, where it is stated that "The multimillionaire officer John Jacob Astor gave Roosevelt's regiment the munificent gift of a fully equipped battery- worth about a hundred thousand dollars...(page 90)".This was not the senior fur trade and real estate magnate himself as he died in 1848.It was possibly his descendant John Jacob Astor, IV.
Secondly, the River of Doubt, which T. R. descended and later was called the Rio Roosevelt, is south of the Amazon not north (page 256).
Great biography.Highly recommend.

... Read more

Book Description

Was the White House always white?

Book Description
Most Americans believe that in the past our presidents were smarter, more honest, and behaved more like gentlemen than those we elect today. "Not so," say Gregg Stebben and Austin Hill. "Long before Watergate, Contragate, Travelgate, Nannygate, and Monicagate, our presidents were lying, cheating, stealing, and womanizing."
White House: Confidential is a clear-eyed look at America's long line of presidents, warts and all. Focusing on the qualities that never made it into the press releases, the authors look at the subjects presidential image-makers try to keep out of the news. Included are presidents' often-strange family relationships, scandals that engulfed their administrations, fights with enemies, and questionable money matters. A "presidential score card" of which presidents cheated on their wives (and with whom), random acts of goofy presidential behavior, their frequently accurate predictions of their own demise, their comments on leaving office, how they died, presidential firsts, and the role of vice presidents—all of these topics and much more made the first edition of White House: Confidential controversial when it was published in 1998.
Two new chapters have been added in this revised and updated edition. The first, "Impeached!" looks at how impeachment and the threat of impeachment have affected several presidents. The second, "Nepotism! A Family Affair!" shows how presidential relatives have exploited their connections. Yet others have used a relative's presidency as a springboard to their own. Also included are all kinds of goofy family-related high jinks (in the spirit of characters like Billy Carter). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Bi-partisan, Informative, Mud-slinging FUN
Do you think the political scene is bad today?Or do you think it's just fine and people are making something out of nothing.Get a little perspective here. I received this book as a gift from a family member whose views are often at the opposite end of the political spectrum from mine.I opened it with equal curiosity and reservation.Within two minutes my reservations were gone.The authors quickly reveal with glee facts, possible fictions (so noted), and rumors we have forgotten, overlooked or never heard of.They go on to uncover more lies, secrets and hedges than all the country's special commissions combined - and in far fewer pages.Although they don't start at the beginning, they do cover the beginning, the very beginning, such as who the several President's prior to George Washington were and they goon to tales about the current inhabitant of the White House, in their uniquely round-about direct way. Once I started reading I couldn't stop. Does it make the current political climate any more acceptable?Well, not really, but it will take your mind off it for a while, give you a different perspective, undoubtedly teach you a number of things you never imagined and it'll be fun.Well written, never boring.No dust on this one. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Taste of Home Cookbook
The seller did say that the cover was torn but I never understood what he /she was really saying, not having given thought to the book being in a loose-leaf binder and the binder was actually coming apart.The two tears were so bad, I never would have thought anyone would ever buy it had I been the seller.Well, I just taped it back together with packaging tape and realized that if worse came to worse, I could put all the pages into another binder.I feel like I was deceived to say the least.

A must-read during this election year!
I found this wonderful book in the gift shop of the White House- it's truly as much fun to read as it is to cook from! The authors have takenrecipes from the White House 100 years ago and made them more modern.They've also added lots of interesting etiquette and health tips from thelast century. If you enjoy reading cookbooks, this one is a must-have foryour collection!

History, humor and healthy recipes!
This cookbook has something for everyone, from history buffs to healthy eaters. The authors have taken recipes from the original White House Cookbook used 100 years ago in the Grover Cleveland era, and updated them to meet the nutrient needs of people today- low in fat but high in convenience and taste. For example, corn pudding (originally made with eggs, heavy cream and butter) becomes Centennial Corn Casserole, with half the fat and calories. Also of interest are cookie recipes from Barbara Bush and Hillary Clinton, which have been lightened up. (I thought the "light" version of Hillary's cookies tasted better than the original!) In addition to healthy recipes, there is a wealth of interesting historical information about cooking in the White House 100 years ago and a touch of humor with health hints from the past (hair restorer tonic, cures for colic, etc). This book is a great recipe source, as well as an interesting read ... Read more

Book Description
"An engaging book about life at the Executive Mansion. . . . Hillary Clinton had charged this fiercely competitive, meticulously organized chef with bringing 'what's best about American food, wine, and entertaining to the White House.' His sophisticated contemporary food was generally considered some of the best ever served there."
—Marian Burros, New York Times

White House Chef

Join Walter Scheib as he serves up a taste—in stories and recipes—of his eleven years as White House chef under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Scheib takes readers along on his whirlwind adventure, from his challenging audition process right up until his controversial departure. He describes his approach to meals ranging from the intimate (rooftop parties and surprise birthday celebrations for the Clintons; Tex-Mex brunches for the Bushes) to his creative approach to bringing contemporary American cuisine to the "people's house" (including innovative ways to serve state dinners for up to seven hundred people and picnics and holiday menus for several thousand guests).

Scheib goes beyond the kitchen and his job as chef. He shares what it is like to be part of President Clinton's motorcade (the "security bubble") and inside the White House during 9/11, revealing how he first evacuates his staff and then comes back to fix meals for hundreds of hungry security and rescue personnel. Staying cool under pressure also helps Scheib in other aspects of his job, such as withstanding the often-changing "temperature" of the White House and satisfying the culinary sensibilities of two very different first families. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Well done and stays above politics
Not only good easy to make receipies and an engaging story on how to be a White House chef, by staying above politics he somehow has more credibility than if this was a tell all.That said, it is appatent he like the Clintons more than the Bushs.A great book for anyone who loves cooking shows.

Lively vignettes and fine recipes.
Walter Scheib provides stories and recipes of some eleven years as White House chef under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, so anticipate a collection which is far more than your usual cookbook - and which will appeal to collections strong in culinary history and presidential trivia. Scheib was hired by Hillary Clinton in 1994 to become White House chef and faced taking an outdated kitchen focused on traditional French cuisine and making it a showcase for modern American foods. His memoir embraces some eleven years of culinary history at the White House under two different administrations and pairs original recipes with accounts of Presidential family encounters, making for both lively vignettes and fine recipes.

A Special Guest
My husband and I own the Genesee Country Inn in Mumford, New York.Walter Scheib, the former White House Executive Chef, stayed with us while he attended and spoke at the "Hail to the Chief" fundraiser at the Genesee Country Village and Museum.Mr. Scheib has a plethora of fanscinating stories of life in the White House and especially in the White House kitchen.His eleven years serving two presidents is revealed in this "cookbook" filled with stories about living and working in the WH kitchen.From Chesela's favorite cookies to the First Ladies luncheons, Mr. Scheib takes you behind the scenes to what it is like to cook for the most powerful leaders in the world.This is a must read for anyone who enjoys cooking and kitchen poitics.

A wonderful read and great look into the daily routine of White House living
Scheib has given us a pretty good look into the life of a White House chef under two administrations: one (the Clintons) that really wanted to make the White House into a place of entertainment and a place to show off America's best foods, and one that, well, isn't interested in that.

The recipes are good, interesting, and worth the cost of the book as well.

But what I find most interesting in the book, and what I was most hoping for when I ordered it, was a look at the non-flashy daily grind of life in the White House, and Scheib provides us many anecdotes, from Bill Clinton ordering huge steaks when his wife was away, to George Bush popping his head into the kitchen after a run and asking "What's for lunch?"

I enjoyed the stories of the giant dinners and elegant soirees, but it was the daily stuff I found most interesting: where the First Families enjoyed eating, their comfort foods, Chelsea Clinton making cookies with friends, Chelsea's first adult-style evening of entertaining, Scheib fighting with the purchasing staff to get better quality produce, that Bush likes his toasted cheese sandwiches cut at an angle, how the White House staff fill the elevator at lunch time making it difficult for the chef to get food to the president while still hot, the personalities of different people, and so on. While it is a world famous house, with incredibly important stuff going on, it's still a workplace for many with all the personality adventures of a workplace, and it's also home for one family that, for the most part, act like any other family or any other people. That is the aspect of the book I most appreciated, and which I wish had a lot more.

I also appreciate that Scheib refused to dish dirt on either family, or use the book as avenue to embarrass to sensationalize.

While the book is wonderful as it is, I think that a book about more than a decade in the White House deserves a lot more text. It reads much too quickly for subject matter that is this interesting and fascinating. Color photographs would have been more appropriate, too.

"White House Chef" shows some of the excitement of the big state dinners and other large entertainments, but is mostly an intimate look at some of the daily grind of the presidential family and the White House. Although we cannot all be president, we all eat, and so a book looking through the lens of food makes for a compelling read, tying us together on a more human level than just a biography or history book. But it should have been bigger, more in-depth, and with color photographs. Not many people are in a position to write a first-person account about being the chef at the White House. The rarity of that situation, I think, deserves a much more in-depth cover of the experience, and that's why I give this four stars.

needs some help
Cookbooks are great as teaching tools, inspirations for new meals, or often just plain interesting reading....this book, teaches and sometimes inspires but it is bland, without color photos to share the chefs excitement, and therefore way overpriced...thumbs down. ... Read more

Product Description
Children learn about the White house and the work of the president through the adventures of Woodrow G. Washingtail, president of the United Mice of America, and his family. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great Fun and Learning at the Same Time!
This is a very cute book about how the presidency works in the United States.It is easy to understand and kids can enjoy what can be a dry subject.I highly recommend it and used it with my middle school ESOL students.

Love It
I have purchased the entire series.They are wonderful.My students better understand and have clarity in the government.The author puts this series in a very kid friendly way!Awesome

Karen

Excellent book for children of all ages
I bought his book for my daughter who really loved it. It is a very didactic book, with a very interesting subject and also, very nice drawings for every age.

Clever and fun
The artwork in this book is fairly unsophisticated (in fact, in some places, it's pretty amateurish), but the clever story and cute mice make up for it.

It's intriguing to watch how the authors manage to describe the president's constitutional duties in easy-to-follow rhyming verses. Against long odds, they do it. E.g, "The president is required to study each "bill" / That Congress delivers from Capitol Hill / If he signs it, a bill becomes law -- it's approved / If he gives it a "veto," it's rejected, removed."

My kids love to find their favorite mice, which sometimes are slightly hidden on the page. I like the thought that they are learning -- even just a little bit.

Great book!!
Woodrow, the White House Mouse and the whole series are fantastic. Illustrator, Cheryl Shaw Barnes does an amazing job of bringing the White House to life with her beautiful watercolor and ink drawings. The rhyming text in each of the books is hilarious and instructive. These books will stay in our family library forever - treasures all! ... Read more

Book Description
Stephen Wayne, a leading scholar of presidential electoral politics, describes and analyzes the crucial politics, procedures, and strategies behind campaign finance, media relations, nominating politics, and the politics and meaning of the general election. ... Read more

Book Description

Why is entertaining at the White House important to a presidency? How are guest lists and seating charts for state dinners determined? Is it difficult to throw a surprise party for the commander-in-chief? What role do children play during holidays at the White House? Former first lady Nancy Reagan answers these questions and more as she provides a personal look at life as a White House hostess in this stunning, richly illustrated book.

Customer Reviews (1)

Elegance in the White House during the Reagan Years
Peter Schifando and J. Jonathan Joseph have captured the style and elegance of the Reagan White House in a gorgeous book, Entertaining at the White House with Nancy Reagan. The two interior designers had access to Mrs. Reagan's White House scrapbooks to collect the details of those years in "the President's House." They were also fortunate enough to have Mrs. Reagan's cooperation, and that of former members of the Reagan White House staff.

The book puts White House entertaining in historical context, beginning with the earliest dinners and receptions, under President John Adams. The First Ladies began to put a stamp on entertaining under Dolley Madison, and the changes and influences are shown up until the Reagan years.

The pictures in this book illustrate the fact that the dinners, parties, and entertaining are as much a part of American history as anything else in the government. During the Reagan years, they hosted 55 state dinners, and numerous private events. However, it's the pictures, menus, and invitations to those state dinners that show how important they were to international relations.

As in some other recent books, my biggest complaint with Entertaining at the White House with Nancy Reagan is the use of white print on tan pages at times. This is not always easy to read, and publishers should consider their readers when publishing books. Black print on white pages, or the white print on black pages, is still the most effective print for a reader.

Except for this small complaint, the is an intriguing look behind the scenes at the White House. The attention to detail is wonderful in the book that captures the history, etiquette and protocol of White House entertaining. No matter what your political beliefs, the Reagans were experts at elegant entertaining. Schifando and Joseph used their access skillfully to portray the style of Entertaining at the White House with Nancy Reagan. ... Read more

Book Description
Celebrate the 200th anniversary of the White House with this richly illustrated new book on America's, if not the world's, most famous residence.Abigail Adams dried her wash in the unfinished East Room.Benjamin Harrison left the lights burning all night because he feared being shocked by the newly installed electric switches.LBJ waged an obsessive battle with the water pressure in the shower, demanding showerheads on all sides. His successor, Richard Nixon, promptly had them removed. The White House has not always been the ideal home, and as each president moved in, he transformed the house in small and large ways to fit his family's needs.

Real Life at the White House celebrates two centuries of domestic life in this historic abode. In forty-two chapters - one for each administration - this stylish sourcebook takes us on an intimate tour of the daily life of each president and his family, bringing into view everything from china patterns to built-in closets (a luxury added during the Truman renovation), from plumbing to telephones (Coolidge refused to use the phone for business) from architectural structure to state dinners and family meals.

Filled with hundreds of anecdotes, photographs, and presidential quotes from Washington(who never lived there but oversaw the first plans) to Clinton, this thoroughly engaging book captures the texture of presidential life while documenting the very human history of a house. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

A Waste of Time and Money
This book is a waste of time and money.It presents nothing that two other more significant works do not already present in more accurate, better edited ways.These two other works are:1)Inside the White House: America's Most Famous House, The First 200 Years by Better Boyd Caroli, published by Canopy Books; and 2)The White House: Its Historic Furnishings and First Families by Betty C. Monkman, published by Abbeville Press.Caroli has much more research experience with the White House and the nation's first ladies, and Momkman actually worked in the White House Curator's Office.

If it were not for sloppy editing and factually incorrect information, the Whitcomb and Whitcomb book would be a nice addition to these two more accurate, and frankly more interesting works.Grammatical and punctuation errors pepper the entire book and really take away from its readability.Worse are the blatantly wrong facts presented in this book.For example, on page 371 in the chapter on Lyndon Johnson, Clark Clifford's wife is erroneously called "Mary."Her name was actually "Marny," which was a nickname for Margery (Margery Peperell Kimball).The authors interestingly cite Clark Clifford's memoir, Counsel To The President published by Random House, as a source of infomration for the chapters on Presidents Truman and Johnson.

On page 395, in the chapter about Richard Nixon, the authors state that Daniel Ellsburg was a psychiatrist.Had the two authors consulted Ellsberg's memoir, Secrets: A Memoir Of Vietnam And The Pentagon Papers, published by Viking Penguin, they would have seen that Ellsberg is indeed NOT a psychiatrist, but that he earned a doctoral degree in economics from Harvard and later worked in the Pentagon under Secretary McNamara.The authors are undoubtedly confused;there was a break-in at the office of Ellberg's psychiatrist (a Dr. Lewis Fielding...the real pshychiatrist), which was a scheme carried out by G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt.

Another misconception put forth by Whitcomb and Whitcomb on page 395 is that the so-called "White House Plumbers" were the infamous Watergate burglars.The team known as the Plumbers consisted of four men:Liddy, Hunt, Bud Krogh, and David Young.Only Liddy and Hunt were present at the June 17th break-int.However, they were not members of the break-and-enter team.Hunt had recruited five cuban nationals and two Americans, one of whom (James McCord) worked for the CIA and was director of security for the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP) to go into the Watergate.The authors negelected to consult the most accurate account of Watergate and events leading up to the infamous burglary, Watergate: The Corruption Of American Politics And The Fall Of Richard Nixon, published by Simon and Schuster.This book is the accompaniment to a documentary on Watergate developed by the BBC and the Discovery Channel.

These mistakes make me wonder what else the authors got wrong....and such factually inaccurate information really takes away from a historical work.I encourage readers to consult the Caroli and Monkman books for all things White House, as well as the independent biographies and memoirs of the presidents, first ladies, and their staff members (e.g., the memoir by Clark Clifford) instead of wasting their time and money on this sloppy attempt at historical writing.

An Interesting Account of Our Presidents
I found this book full of information about the different Presidents and their families and how they adjusted to living in the White House.

There is a lot of information about earlier, less known Presidents, and I enjoyed reading those chapters.

I was also interested to read about all the pets over the years.
Every family seemed to have all sorts of animals.

It was interesting to read about the First Ladies and their "quirks".Mary Todd Lincoln ran up clothing bills that she tried to hide---just like Jackie.

Other stories that I found amusing were that Nixon would not allow guards or policemen to speak to him or Mrs. Nixon.Betty Ford couldn't understand why they ignored her greetings until this was explained to her.

Ronald Reagan served tea to Prince Charles who did not touch it because, as he explained later, he didn't know what to do with the little bag!

Many such amusing stories made this a truly enjoyable book.I recommend to anyone wanting to know about living in the White House.

Poorly done
I was so excited when I got this book. I love stories about Presidents. However, everything in this book I had read somehwere else. Same old boring stuff. No new pictures. Basically, I thought it was awful.

Great research; fascinating stories
Former White House curator Clement Conger calls this one of the best White House books he's read. White House scholar William Seale also endorses it. I found it full of fasincating stories that really show what it was like for forty families to live in one house over 200 years.

Lazy research, lazy writing, lazy documentation
If you simply want a few raise-your-eyebrows stories about WH occupants, order this one. If you care about historical accuracy and context, forget it. The myriad misspelled names and often creatively edited/paraphrased quotations are the first big clue that these authors took the path of least resistance (how hard is it for a self-professed history teacher and an alleged professional journalist to check these simple and very important facts?).The heavy reliance on only a few sources--some of them completely unattributed and others, like Ronald Kessler's Inside the White House, entirely questionable--is the second.

Certainly, most readers won't care that much about these flaws. If you're more interested in storytelling than history, this is a decent collection of cotton-candy gossip about presidents and their families. But history fans looking for a competently executed and engagingly written account of White House private life will still do better to check out the work of the wonderful William Seale, among other writers. Though it's written by self-described professionals, Real Life at the White House is amateur hour. ... Read more

Book Description
KC’s mom is getting married . . . to the President of the United States! KC wants the day to be perfect, but someone keeps leaking wedding secrets. The newspapers have even printed where the president and his bride are going on their honeymoon. To save the wedding, KC and Marshall must track down the spy in the White House! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Another great book in the series
My son loves these books.He read the A to Z mysteries also by Ron Roy and when he saw there was another series, he couldn't wait to get his hands on them.He tore through them and learned some history and facts about Washington DC in the process.I highly recommend the whole Capital Mysteries series.

Good mystery series for pre-teen readers.
My 8-year-old son has enjoyed this book series very much. The reading level is comfortably easy for him and he enjoys solving the mysteries. It keeps him reading and even teaches him some facts at the same time. I recommend this whole series. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (13)

Those that dont know history are bound to repeat it
A great read for the American public; another opportunity to review their democratic system in the light of the real forces behind their goverment...

Shocking!
This book shows how fragile democracy is. I am not sure what is more shocking, the plot itself, the response of the media, or the failure to dig deeper into the plot. I will recommend this book to everybody I know.

I also appreciated the fact that the author presents a rather balanced account of the plot, for example, pointing out that it is by no means certain that JP Morgan, etc. had knowledge of the plot.

It is a fast but powerful read. Who needs conspiracy 'theories' when there are plenty of actual conspiracies around?

How dictatorships form
A commonly asked question among historians is "how do democracies turn into dictatorships?"Two historical events are commonly used as models to answer this question; the transition from Roman Republic to Roman Empire, and the rise of the Nazis in Weimar Germany.A third event could also be thrown in; one that is almost forgotten to history, even though it is well-documented.This third event is the cabal of financial interests that came together in the early 1930's to take out FDR.This event is documented in this book; first released in the 1970s, and re-published last year.The chief protagonist is General Smedley Butler, one of the most decorated marines in US history.As a popular war hero, in his retirement he is approached by several representatives of financial interests asking him to lead an army of jobless veterans onto D.C. to essentially intimidate FDR into giving up power.These financial interests include Morgan, Rockefeller, Al Smith, and other powerful figures of that time; and their goal is to stop FDR out of fear of higher taxes.

Smedley Butler, being the true patriot, leads them on and finally exposes them to the press and Congress.The press, being controlled predominantly by big business, downplays Butler's story and the ensuing Congressional hearings.But the conspiracy is stopped, and the rest is history.As a secondary theme, the book explores Butler's growing disdain for war, and realization that US intervention in other countries is almost always done for the profit of US corporations.Interestingly, after reading the book, one comes to see that the original House Committee on Un-American Activities focused its attention on war profiteers, and was eventually taken over by pro-business interests as a weapon against labor unions and liberal intellectuals.

Many of the events and ideas discussed in this book are especially appropriate today with the Iraq war.I highly recommend this book.

Plot Successful!Coup d'etat in Dallas, 1963
Read the other reviews, then go to your library and check out the records noted in the book.This 1934 attempt had a second, less famous attempted coup d'etat in 1939 which was covered in the New York Times even though the court records got mysteriously lost in a fire.The New York Times are also available in your library, along with the Congressional Record. Then take the time to follow the Corporations, Big Business, and Major Banks as they create and finance World War II, Genocide, The Korean War, and finally, success in Dallas, 1963.1968 assassinations just secured those moves. Those players went on to Watergate and the White House, then Vietnam, Iraq, and beyond.The cancer is still here and is still eating away at our illusion of democracy.In addition to Jules Archer's books, read "All Honorable Men" by James Stewart Martin, "Farewell America," by James Hepburn, and "Trading with the Enemy" by Charles Higham.Resources listed in those books will keep you busy for some time.While you're in the library, be sure to make a copy of the Congressional Record - Senate, for April 20, 1961, "Federal Tax System-Message from the President."This "little" tax bill evolved into "The Kennedy Act" and it explains the motive for his murder, a total realignment of the tax system that would affect all the major players in "The Plot."

Shocking and true!
The Plot to Seize the White House is a reconstruction of the conspiracy to overthrow FDR. This book is extremely shocking, and an actual true story. Jules Archer's account of this conspiracy is surely a page-turner that is hard to put down, and an immensely enjoyable read. ... Read more

Book Description
A Mormon in the White House? is the first book on Mitt Romney, his unusual faith story, and his viability as a Republican presidential nominee. Inside are exclusive interviews with the governor, his family, and closest associates, mixed with candid conversations with some of the country's shrewdest political observers and Christian leaders. Radio host and blogger Hugh Hewitt sets out to explain Romney, his faith, and the importance of that debate in a headline-making and election-shaping opening shot in the campaign before the campaign. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (59)

Missed opportunity
If more people would have researched the candidates thoroughly (and read this book), Mitt Romney would be taking the oath of office in January 09.Those of you who are Christians and have said:"I won't vote for a Mormon" should realize that you're participating in your own demise. The liberal media and the secularists know that if they can divide Christians by encouraging some of them to be bigots, their side wins.We need to look at how the candidates live their lives and what they stand for.Christians should look in the mirror before they judge others.Romney is one of the smartest men who has ever been "dumb enough" to run for president.
I would love to see how his analytical mind, backed by all the data his "team" would have gathered, would have changed the entitlement programs, for example.Now conservatives have to choose between liberal leaning candidates on both sides of the aisle.BIG MISTAKE IN 08!

Romney 2012
I finished reading this book last night and after hearing that Mitt Romney had suspended his campaign. I believe he lost in the South because the voters there preferred another good candidate that just happened to be an Southern Baptist. Mitt Romney's resume is very impressive and his Mormon family values should make him a very desirable candidate to most Americans. They just need to get to know him and his faith better.
I believe this book will return in the future as an updated paperback and there will be a Mormon in the White House in 2012.

Three One Syllable Words Explain it all:
PAY LAY ALE!

Romney uttered these words in the presence of "angles" and witnesses in a temple of the Mormon church. Google it for yourself. Learn about the ridiculous church of Joseph Smith (of which I used to be a part of) and see if you want a man who chanted "Pay Lay Ale" while lowering his arms three times while wearing a Chef Boyardee hat to run the United States of America.

Will American voters be sMITTen?
Author Hugh Hewitt has produced an appealing pro-Mitt Romney book that highlights the former Massachusetts Governor's political and business career and gives cogent reasons why he should not be discriminated against because of his Mormon faith.

Romney alone of all the candidates has had to overcome the 'religious problem'to a greater extent than past Catholic contenders, Al Smith (1928), JFK in 1960, and another JFK in 2004. His Mormon religion was used against him by a member of the Kennedy clan when Romney ran against Ted Kennedy in the 1994 senate race and more recently, and importantly, by Mike Huckabee in trying to cement his lead in the Iowa Caucus race due in early 2008. While I am a lot closer to Huckabee in a religious sense than I am to Romney that attack, by the now front-runner in Iowa, was a low cheap shot and Huckabee deserves censure where it counts -by the American voters.

America is the Great Republic precisely because it stands for across-the-board-freedoms and tolerance and Hewitt rightly warns that those Christians who wish to make Romney's faith a matter for intense debate and clause-by-clause scrutiny should be aware that they are opening a pandora's box for future attacks, by secularists, a cynical media and rabid atheists, against candidates of faith of a more orthodox persuasion.
For those who may doubt that then the news today (23 december 2007), about former British PM Tony Blair announcing his conversion to Roman Catholicism, is instructive. Mr Blair said he was never able to discuss his religion in public in the UK, unlike politicians in the US, for fear of being seen as a 'nutter.' Thus far has the public square detioriated in the UK and if Romney is subjected to a barrage of criticism and derision for his faith then it will establish the same pattern for the future in the US- namely politicians of faith will be fair game and intimidated into surrendering the public square to the haters of religion.

Like any other candidate for office Hewitt believes that Romney should be judged on his policy positions and for conservatives there is a lot to appreciate about Mitt: from his defence of traditional marriage as a Republican Governor in the bluest of liberal Democratic states, his strong defence and national border credentials, low tax policies, school choice, and a pledge to continue to appoint judges, as he did in Mass., that interpret the law instead of trying to make the law.

As for Romney's pro-life change, Hewitt effectively catalogues some of the leading Democrats who changed the other way (to pro-choice) but somehowthey don't receive the same attention from the secular mainstream media. Also what some might call Mitt's 'flip-flopping' can be described by others as him becoming more consistently conservative. Didn't a chap called Ronald Reagan move from being a liberal-abortion law governor to a consistently pro-life president? Come to think of it wasn't the Gipper once a Democrat? As Hewitt implies, being accused of being a flip-flopper is a very politically loaded term and frankly at times just plain silly as it it takes no account of a considered re-evaluation and changes of circumstances.

Hugh Hewitt has written a timely book for all Americans to consider about a central character in a fascinating struggle for the Republican Party presidential nomination.

In writing this review on my 29th wedding anniversary I am reminded that Mitt Romney is the standout family man of all the candidates- devoted to his wife and children and with no hint of scandal- and given the tumultuous history of the Mormon Church in the 19th century, plus some of those less faithful who seek to denigrate him today, you have to say politics can be an amusing business.

Everyone voting for President should read this book!
First of all, I am a Mormon. I did not have a desire to vote for a Mormon candidate for president simply because I shared his faith. I was interested to read about Governor Romney's life, and what would qualify him to lead our country in what promises to be a very challenging time in our history. I found that his ethics and his life experiences uniquely qualify him for this position.This book is very informative, and is written by a non-Mormon in an honest and candid manner. It WILL clear up misconceptions you may have about Governonr Romney. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Dignified and Fascinating
J.B. West, the former Chief Usher at The White House, gives us an insider's view of America's most famous mansion. But this is hardly a boring house tour. Mr. West - in a dignified but very readable account - focuses on the Presidents, First Ladies, and their children, all who made this house on Pennsylvania Avenue a home. With great empathy and appreciation, he recalls the experience of working for Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Harry and Bess Truman, Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower, John and Jacqueline Kennedy, and Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson.

Each family had their own style that the White House staff had to adjust to, from the reserved Roosevelts, to the refined young Kennedys, to the big-as-Texas style of Lyndon Baines Johnson which was in contrast with Lady Bird, his considerate and composed wife.

His portrayals of the First Families are not condescending, yet they are still very respectful. In his position, Mr. West worked closely with the First Ladies and each one had personal qualities that he grew to admire.

The accounts of ceremonies, dinners and banquets, remodelings, sudden changes, and visits by various dignitaries are all compelling reading in themselves. But we get an even more significant historical viewpoint through the description of the events that took place in The White House during crises, such as FDR's death, the attempted shooting of Truman, the Kennedy assasination, LBJ's announcement that he would not seek another term.

Surely, there were frustrations, and many of them are recorded in the book while others were avoided. For instance, I'm sure that Mr. West knew about some of JFK's White House trysts but chose not to write about them. If he would have, the book would have been even more successful than it was.

But Mr. West takes the high road, and we get to enjoy the view with him.

Well done, Mr. Chief Usher.

An absolute must-read for White House fans!
JB West's book "Upstairs at the White House" is a gold mine of interesting facts and anecdotes that is sure to capture the interest of anyone who picks it up.The easy, conversational style that West uses intelling of his experiences while employed at the White House gives an evenmore intimate quality to the already familial nature of the subject matter. Always respectful of those under which he served, West none the less showsus the faults as well as merits of those families that occupied thePresident's house during his approximately thirty year tenure.This ishistory that accomplishes so much of what good historical writing should: it is engaging, informative without being dry or long winded, and simplyfun to read, enough so that this reviewer has gone back for another lookmore than once!If you want to know more about the White House lives ofthe first families from FDR to the early months of the Nixonadministration, as well as fascinating stuff on the running of the mansion,this book is for you.Don't miss it!!

This book is a gold mine of facts about the first families.
I have been an avid collector of president/first lady/white house books since I was a child.I have read the same facts about the first families over and over.Then I found Upstairs At the White House by J.B. West, and it immediately became a favorite.Mr. West worked with the first families from the Franklin Roosevelts to the Richard Nixons on a daily basis.He was privy to "insider information" that most people never heard about.His approach to the divulgence of his knowledge is always in good taste and respectful of the families he served.Yet, this book is packed with anecdotes and information that I had never read in any other volume.Since my first reading of Upstairs At the White House, I have found Mr. West quoted by a number of other presidential writers.I can certainly understand why -- Mr. West gave the world a wonderful window into the lives of several of our nation's first families and made them come alive for us.

This book is a gold mine of facts about the first families.
I have been an avid collector of president/first lady/white house books since I was a child.I have read the same facts about the first families over and over.Then I found Upstairs At the White House by J.B. West, and it immediately became a favorite.Mr. West worked with the first families from the Franklin Roosevelts to the Richard Nixons on a daily basis.He was privy to "insider information" that most people never heard about.His approach to the divulgence of his knowledge is always in good taste and respectful of the families he served.Yet, this book is packed with anecdotes and information that I had never read in any other volume.Since my first reading of Upstairs At the White House, I have found Mr. West quoted by a number of other presidential writers.I can certainly understand why -- Mr. West gave the world a wonderful window into the lives of several of our nation's first families and made them come alive for us. ... Read more

Book Description

The White House has seen many extraordinary events unfold within its well-guarded walls.And now such top writers as Brian Hodge, Max Allan Collins and Barbara Collins, Graham Masterton, Bill Crider, Billie Sue Mosiman, and Edward Lee tell the tales we'd hear if those walls could talk-and we had the proper security clearance.

Here then are sixteen unforgettable stories of destiny and death, of the eerie and the inexplicable, of the might have been or the might yet happen -from Thomas Jefferson's use of a writing machine with a mind of its own...to a Voodoo-fueled attempt to seize control of Abraham Lincoln...to Harry Truman's confrontation with a 150-year-old ghost...to a president determined to mastermind his own exit from office... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Rambling, re-hashed and NOT scary!
More historical than anything. One problem is that majority of these stories have been re-hashed in many other books, and many accounts just ramble on and on and are boring and not interesting. Author does NOT know how to grab your attention! Not worth over $1.

Don't let the name or cover fool you!
When I first saw this book I was amused, but doubted that I would find any really good horror inside. The first two stories were pretty dreadful, and not in a good way. But once I start a book, I can't put it down so I kept reading. I'm glad that I did.

Once you get past the first few stories, this book is full of some very good horror stories that just happen to involve the White House or the office of President. But the stories themselves are well crafted and terrifying. Some of the best are:

Night of the Vegetables by Edward Lee- this story was so funny that I was laughing out loud. Not a very scary story, but great, nonetheless.

Creature Congress by Terry Beatty and Wendi Lee- Do not pass up this story! It has some great dialog and is good horrific fun.

Jack Be Quick by Graham Masterson is go good and spooky that it is now one of my favorite horror stories of all time. One of the best and most original takes on the JFK assassination that I have ever read.

This anthology contains 16 short stories by a wide range of authors. So if you're looking for a smart, fun horror anthology, give White House Horrors a try. You won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Book Description
More than 250 First Family recipes; a historic treasury of American cooking. Chef Haller entertains with tidbits of presidential lore and his memories of life upstairs and down. 8 pages of color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Wonderful Recipes Make Cherished Gift
I first purchased this book years ago, and it is still a cherished favorite.It is as much fun to browse through as it is to cook from, with well-written stories recollected of our first families.Mr. Haller included recipes which can easily be mastered by the average household cook, with photos to inspire and amuse.We enjoy this cookbook so well, we've purchased copies for family and friends over the years, and continue to do so.It makes a wonderful and thoughtful gift - a book of elegant and practical recipes, fit for coffee table display!This book has something for every taste and every occasion, and covers everyday recipes to the truly sublime, decadent to healthy, down home Southern recipes to European favorites, with everything in between.The White House Family Cookbook is truly worthy of America's talented First Chef - Henry Haller.It is also the only recipe book of which I personally own two - a "working copy" for the kitchen, and a more prestine copy for our personal library.

Buy this cookbook!!!!
I got this cookbook on a Norwegian cruise ship.When looking it over,I recognized many of the recipes used on the ship!What does that tell you?I bought it for $40 and I've never regreted it.It is so packed with hundreds of top-notch recipes.It is the only cookbook you'd ever need,ranging from comfort foods such as macaroni and cheese,spaghetti and meatballs,pizza,and waffles to the effortless gourmet and seemingly endless variety of desserts,entrees,and salads.The best cookbook in my library.If you cook at all,buy this book!

best cookbook ever
surprisingly doable recipes- every one so far has been one of the best meals ever- family favorites- nothing even "OK" - everything fantastic. the history or personal stories included are fun as well. best cookbook i ever had- going to give as a gift to everyone who cooks. Can't help but love it!

great descriptions of recipes and why president's loved them
This book not only has great recipes but it also talks about why the presidnet enjoyed them so much. Also included are photographs of presidentsand their guests with descriptions of their time spent in the White House.More than just a recipe book! ... Read more

Book Description
Join Sara On A Magical Tour Of The White House

The ghost of George Washington steps out of his White House portrait to

introduce Sara -- and the reader -- to the ghosts of thirty-five other presidents. Brief biographies of all the presidents, loads of fascinating trivia, and a time line round out this unique history of the presidency.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

makes learning about the White House fun
I purchased this book for my 9 yr old daughter because the author was coming to her school. I'm really glad I did. My daughter loved reading this book. It's got a really cute story, and lots of interesting facts about the white house and former presidents. This book is a great tool to help get kids interested in American History.

Fun look at history and the White House
This is a beautifully illustrated book filled with interesting and fun facts about each president.My nine-year old as well as my 12-year old found it entertaining.Even if your children haven't visited the White House, they will enjoy this book. I would definitely recommend it for a classroom library.

History comes alive with "Ghosts of the White House"
My eight-year old son received this book as a Christmaspresent. He is very interested in presidential trivia and has at leasta dozen other books about presidents.

In the three months he has hadthe book, he has read it so many times it is already starting to fall apart! Since it's really a collection of anecdotes and facts, it's easy to pick up when he has a minute.

The book provides many interesting bits of trivia about the presidents -- even the relatively obscure ones. While many books concentrate on Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and the Roosevelts, this book includes tidbits on all of the presidents. It's not just a list of dates of birth and death, first lady's name, party affiliation, etc.

The illustrations are beautiful.

If you know a child who is interested in presidential trivia or American history, this book is a must. And it may spark the interest of a child who isn't interested in history (yet). ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (12)

INTERESTING BOOK
It's not a real pop up book, But
it was a informed book about the
White house.

Not a real pop-up book
I was so looking forward to unwrapping this book, and couldn't believe how disappointing it was.I'm a huge fan of pop-up books, and this is the worst one I've ever seen.There are very few pop-ups!And some of them don't even work--are hopelessly stuck after only one use.There is material in little booklets which you open (they do not "pop"), and it's hard to imagine them being less interesting or visually appealing.They're stuck willy-nilly on the pages.

I especially wanted to see the different rooms in the White House, but the way they're displayed in a very weird pull-out on the back page which wobbles as you try to open it, you can't really get a sense of them.I wanted to show this book to children in the family, but there's no way they could enjoy it.

I can't believe someone decided to publish this book.

not enough pop-up
I bought this book for my daughter-in-law for Christmas, along with another pop-up-book.I was dissappointed because while there are slide-outs and lots of information, the only real pop-up is in the center of the book.The other pop-up book was wonderful, and maybe I'm only comparing the two, but like I said; a real dissappointment.

Almost gives one the feeling of being there.
As far as Pop-Up books go;this has to rank right up there with the best.I will not bother to detail what is inside the book since that has already been done very well by the Editorial and Customer Reviews.
I have already reviewed other Pop-Up books and believe a different approach needs to be taken depending on the subject of the book.For example;"America the Beautiful"and "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Robert Sabudacould be described as delightful and fanciful in the case of "Alice" and majestically in the case of "America" and so should they be in these cases. The "White House" needs to be done in a completely different way.It requires formality,seriousness and utmost respect in the way it is handled. This has been carried off extremely well by Fischer and results in an excellent book,presentation and given the respect the subject demands and deserves.
I am surprised that no one has brought up the construction involved in this book in particular ,as well as the other two I mentioned.It takes great skill figure out how to make pop-ups work,and I am sure the printing of such intricate stuff must also be real challenging.The quality of the paper,printing and color rendering are likewise very important and well done. All that being said; these 3 books all suffer from one major weakness.One cannot, and should not, expect them to survive rough usage and they are definately not suitable for kids to handle roughly.However; a much better job and design is needed at the hinges where the spline connects to the front and back covers.I noticed there were several copies in the store where the hinges were already split.Even with care,it won't take much handling for others to split as well;it's just a matter of time and use. There is simply no way these books will stand up to use in schools or libraries ,or in fact even with normal use in the home.Applying "Scotch" brand Book Tape;along both edges of the spline will help on the outside,but that still leaves the inside hinges which are likewise too fragile and subject to cracking and spliting.
It is a shame that such an otherwise excellently constructed,albeit a difficult project ; has such a weakness and is so prone to failure.

The best!
I have been fascinated by pop-ups since I was a kid and now collect them. I also have a love of history. This is the best pop-up I own. Fischer is a great artist,engineer and, as shown in this project, historian. This is a must have and a terrific gift. ... Read more

Book Description
Through fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpses of the White House captured in more than 200 photographs, many of which were taken specifically for the book, andunprecendented personal interviews with the staff so that their faces and voices could be brought to life, weaved together with an engaging narrative that leads the reader through the lifespan of the house, The White House: An Illustrated is an all encompassing look at this famous American landmark. The author explores the four main roles of the White House: ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

This is a wonderful book!
I wanted this book because I have read about the different rooms in the White House, but I couldn't visualize where they were in relation to each other.I'm very pleased with the book, in that regard.

This book had a cutaway, so you could see the interior rooms from the outside perspective.If I ever get to visit the White House, I want to study it well before I get there.This even shows you where the tour starts and the route it takes through the White House rooms.

A fascinating look at the history and rooms of the White House
"The White House: An Illustrated History" was published in cooperation with the White House Historical Association and includes an introduction by the current First Lady, Laura Bush.No wonder this is a first rate look at the most famous building in America.Catherine O. Grace not only looks at the history of the building but also behind the scenes at what it takes to run a mansion with 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 12 chimneys.Regardless of whether you are old enough to remember Jackie Kennedy taking television viewers on a tour of the White House or learned most of what you know about the Executive Mansion from watching "The West Wing," you will find this a fascinating look at the home that is also an office, a museum, and a ceremonial stage.

Grace interviewed current staff members, such as the chief usher and president's photographer, and throughout the book these people are profiled in Faces & Voices sections.The book is divided into five chapters.Chapter 1, Rooms with a View: Building the President's House, looks at the history of the building century by century, including a cutaway of the White House and a look at the Visitor Center located near the mansion.Chapter 2, "Working at the White House," looks at key parts of the White House such as the West Wing, Oval Office, Cabinet Room, and Residence.Chapter 3, Celebrating at the White House, covers everything from state dinners and rose garden ceremonies to celebrating the arts and various holiday traditions.Chapter 4, A White House Tour, Room by Room, looks at what you actually get to see when you visit the WHite House, starting with the library and ending up in the state dining room, with the China Room, East Room, and others in between.Chapter 5, Living at the White House, looks at the family quarters, famous White House pets like Millie and Socks, and what various first families have done there.

By the end of the first chapter I knew this was a great look at the White House.I like the history aspects more than the decorating, but even the latter gets pretty interesting (the paintings in the Red Room include Gilbert Stuart's portrait of Dolley Madison).The back of the book has an Epilogue: A White House Album, which looks at what each president from George Washington to George W. Bush has done about the White House.There is also a Selected Bibliography, Internet sites where readers can go For More Information, and Other Media about the White House.You also learn where to write (or fax) the president (or first lady).If you are looking for something specific the Index at the end will be of help as well, but the Table of Contents will certainly get you in the ballpark.

There are over 200 photographs and other illustrations showing both the people and the events that mark the history of the White House.You will find a painting of First Lady Abigail Adams watching a servant hang laundry in the East Room, a photograph of the White House when it was gutted during the Truman administration, and a diagram of some of the trees planted by presidents and first ladies.There are several shots of the model White House built by the Zweifels on a scale of one inch to one foot, a photograph of President Eisenhower cooking burgers, and Amy Carter carving a jack-o-lantern with her friends in the China Room (on a white sheet to protect the concert).There are also five special double pages that open up for a close up look at the amazing building through a 19th-century painting of Washington, D.C. or a shot of the Oval Office.

The Real West Wing
This is a great book for children and adults alike. It is filled with fascinating details and beautiful illustrations about our nation's most important residence. The book artfully covers the long history of the White House and offers behind-the-scenes insights into how it lives, breathes, and operates today. I particularly appreciate the Epilogue, which features vignettes about the influence of each President (and First Lady) and gives readers a real sense of the house's evolution. Also enjoyable are the interviews with White House staff, such as the director of student correspondence and the pastry chef. After reading Catherine Grace's delightful volume, I can appreciate John Adams' benediction, now carved in the State Dining Room mantlepiece: "I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof." ... Read more