A revealing look at life inside the White House…it’s Downton Abbey for the White House staff.” — The Today Show
“A juicy new book. . . . A touching story.” — The Daily Beast
“A work of great historical interest that is also quite entertaining.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Kate Andersen Brower’s The Residence is one of those rare books that is both elegant portraiture and highly readable, important White House history. The anecdotes are fresh and the analysis cogent. The stories about Kennedy, Reagan, Clinton, and Obama are irresistible. Highly recommended!” — Douglas Brinkley, editor of The Reagan Diaries
“The Residence is a true insider’s tour of the White House. Never before has the president’s home appeared so loud and so human.” — Chris Matthews, host, Hardball on MSNBC
“The tell-all The Residence, featuring intimate anecdotes collected from past and current White House staff members, is absolutely delicious.” — The Washington Post
“If you’ve been geeking out over the details of the Underwoods’ residence on House of Cards, or you loved that centerpiece story line on Sunday’s Veep premiere, prepare to encounter the motherlode: Kate Brower’s The Residence.” — Glamour
“This intimate portrait of what it’s like to take care of the first family is a compelling read. Whether you’re a political or history junkie or devoted Downton Abbey viewer, this book adds unique context to understanding our presidents as human beings.” — Chuck Todd, moderator, Meet the Press
“Superbly reported. . . . A fascinating backstage account of the world’s most famous residence.” — Judy Woodruff, anchor, PBS NewsHour and former White House Correspondent for NBC News
“Beautifully written, The Residence offers a unique and compelling view of what really happens inside the very private White House. An absolute must-read!” — Norah O'Donnell, co-host, CBS This Morning and former Chief White House Correspondent for CBS
If you’ve been geeking out over the details of the Underwoods’ residence on House of Cards, or you loved that centerpiece story line on Sunday’s Veep premiere, prepare to encounter the motherlode: Kate Brower’s The Residence.
The Residence is a true insider’s tour of the White House. Never before has the president’s home appeared so loud and so human.
A revealing look at life inside the White House…it’s Downton Abbey for the White House staff.
This intimate portrait of what it’s like to take care of the first family is a compelling read. Whether you’re a political or history junkie or devoted Downton Abbey viewer, this book adds unique context to understanding our presidents as human beings.
A juicy new book. . . . A touching story.
A revealing look at life inside the White House…it’s Downtown Abbey for the White House staff.
04/01/2015
America's first families have long been a source of fascination for the people of the United States, yet we rarely get a chance to glimpse anything but their professional and often stoic personalities. Journalist Brower, who spent four years covering the White House for Bloomberg News, explores the personal lives of American presidential families using stories from people who connect with them on a regular basis—the White House domestic staff. Her book provides a day-to-day look at the lives of maids, butlers, maitre d's, ushers, and chefs, as well as at their interactions with the presidents, first ladies, and first children they served. Although most of the interviewees keep their memories close to the vest, some share anecdotes that truly humanize their employers. Brower discusses everything that happens behind closed doors in the White House, from the mundane (Lyndon B. Johnson's shower specifications) to the dramatic (Hillary Rodham Clinton's response to her husband's cheating scandal). VERDICT Fans of Downton Abbey will find this look into the secret world of the White House fascinating. History buffs who would like to learn more about the personal lives of the presidents and their families will definitely enjoy all the intriguing vignettes.—Rebecca Kluberdanz, GB65 Lib., New York
2015-03-03
Anecdotes both touching and hilarious about living and working in the White House, "the country's most potent and enduring symbol of the presidency." While journalist Brower moves by theme in presenting the memories of select long-running staff at the White House—"Controlled Chaos," "Discretion," "Extraordinary Demands," "Dark Days," etc.—there is an irresistible, charmingly pell-mell quality to the arrangement of these dishy stories. The author has managed to track down numerous former staffers—ushers, electricians, maids, butlers, chefs, and florists—to share their mostly loyal thoughts on the illustrious families they served. They (and the families themselves) often compare living in the White House to a prison, albeit a fancy one. The White House has six floors, 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 28 fireplaces, with "shops" in the basement housing departments such as housekeeping and floral. Here, the staffers do not have the freedom to leave, and the work demands mean that they often sacrifice their own social and personal lives. First and foremost, they are fiercely devoted, sworn to be apolitical, serving each family that arrives after Inauguration Day as evenly as the next, despite emotional attachments—for example, chef Walter Scheib spent a stint teaching 17-year-old Chelsea Clinton to cook. The most delicious stories involve President Lyndon Johnson and his extreme shower demands—it needed to have multiple nozzles shooting water at fire-hydrant intensity—while the most heartbreaking delineate Jackie Kennedy's arrangements in the aftermath of the Kennedy assassination. There is also an affecting glimpse of Hillary Clinton attempting to enjoy a shred of privacy at the pool amid the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Brower is keen to sympathize with the plight of the hardworking help. For example, in her chapter "Race and the Residence," the author reveals the first "revolt" by the largely African-American staff to push for salary equality in the late 1960s. A work of great historical interest that is also quite entertaining.
Kate Andersen Brower’s The Residence is one of those rare books that is both elegant portraiture and highly readable, important White House history. The anecdotes are fresh and the analysis cogent. The stories about Kennedy, Reagan, Clinton, and Obama are irresistible. Highly recommended!
Superbly reported. . . . A fascinating backstage account of the world’s most famous residence.
Beautifully written, The Residence offers a unique and compelling view of what really happens inside the very private White House. An absolute must-read!
The tell-all The Residence, featuring intimate anecdotes collected from past and current White House staff members, is absolutely delicious.
Brower’s history is a tedious, frequently repetitive, account of the lives of the service staff of the White House from the early 1960s to the present. Narrator Karen White’s performance is coldly impersonal and poorly suited to the book’s theme of fierce loyalty. Combining historical sources and in-person interviews, Brower reveals bias as she chooses words and language constructs with a clear bent for positive comments on liberal Democrats and negative comments on conservative Republicans. Also, the text sounds as if the author wants listeners to be impressed with how much time she’s spent within the walls of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. White’s greatest weakness is her insistence on impersonating many of the staffers, making them sound similar or stereotypical. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine
