The Residence audiobook

My inspiration for this book was no other - than..... our wonderful Michelle Obama ...who might have just written the most popular - well respected - and enjoyed memoir of the year - possibly BEST BOOK of the year!!!This was good - I did the Audiobook/ ebook sync combination ( I’m becoming a fan of this combination).... It’s a different experience to read a book than to listen: both have special aspects for different reasons. I’m sitting by the pool - listening to ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’.... ‘Sugar Sugar’ and other oldies that’s playing in the background that has TOTALLY interrupted my REVIEW TRAIN OF THOUGHT....Heck with it - I’m getting lazy these day’s anyway - I’m on vacation - ( first couple of days here in Mexico were days I HOPE we laugh about one day).— This book gave a great historical view about staff members ( juicy gossip of course - haha) who worked in the most famous house in America. I liked it - 4 strong stars ... but given that Michelle Obama’s stories during her time was A STRONG MELTING MISSING AND LOVING HER 5 stars .... I’ll take this book down a notch. ... but it was good!!!Any review I write for the next couple of weeks - if I do -be kind! LolI’m sooooo on vacation!!!! I’m reading a bunch of books - tossing as many back as staying with them - crazy reading period! But this was GREAT compared to other books I tossed back!!Hugs love peace happy holidays!!!!!

I recently read JB West's memoir of life as the chief usher in the White House for Presidents FDR - Nixon (briefly). I eagerly picked up The Residence hoping for a continuation of that.In many ways, that is what I got. This is a sort of collective memoir of the domestic staff of the White House for Presidents JFK - Obama.The thing is, though... This book was sort of a mess. I really enjoyed all the accounts of White House life. It was very unique to weave so many stories together. But the organization was sort of a disaster. Instead of doing a chapter or two per president (which I was expecting), this tried to chronologically through a presidency's various stages. There was a chapter all about the presidents all moving into the White House and the transition periods, but the stories were all mixed together. It went from Obama to Johnson to Clinton, etc. I was hoping for something a bit more cohesive.But still definitely worth a read! Among other things, it give insight into the Lewinski scandal, JFK's funeral, Nixon's resignation, and 9/11. Definitely check this out if you're interested in American history, or the various presidents.

A very entertaining and emotional book about the White House staff. A very general review of the history and plenty of interviews of those who the author could interview from more recent years. This book is a great memorialization of the importance, sacrifice and diligence of the people who actually do the work of the United States of America. Very well written.

There are so many fascinating and wonderful stories in this book. I have been worrying my brain over which ones to tell.This book is about the people who lived and worked in the White House from the Kennedy's to the Obama's. It's not a gossipy tell all about the first families although there are some very riveting tales about certain Presidents and First Ladies. It's mostly about the members of the staff and their utter devotion to their work. A devotion that left many in the staff divorced. The White House came first in their lives and many wives and children had to take a back seat to their family member's job. Some staff members would just arrive home and have to turn around and come back to work because of some need with the First Family. I love Barbara Bush's description of the White House as an " 18 star hotel". Both Bush families, along with the Kennedy's receive kudos from the staff. Their caring attitude toward the staff members left warm and loving memories. What was remembered was that members of the Bush family treated the staff as people they were interested in and cared about. Of course this attitude made staff members very devoted and happy to serve. Lyndon Johnson, Nancy Reagan and Hillary Clinton were difficult in the extreme and caused the staff great stress. The staff worked hard to provide the best service for both the easy and the hard to please members of the First Families. The Hope and Tragedy chapter gave insight into what the staff was feeling during the days after the assassination and also 911. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

At first this book appears to be nothing more than what you could get on an hour long PBS special, but after a slow start it does begin to reveal several interesting tidbits about both the first families and what working in the White House is really like. I gathered that there is usually a strict code of silence between the White House staff and the outside world, which often persists until long after they retire. They talk to almost no one, but many of them spoke to this author, that alone makes this book worth reading. A much needed addition to the very few books on the White House itself.

Kate Andersen Brower weaves an almost seamless, intimate narrative that takes the reader through a tour of First Families living in the White House over the last 80 years, as told through the eyes of the domestic staff (Butlers, Maids, Doormen, Painters, Chefs, electricians, florists etc., that work at the White House).The domestic staff, unlike the President and his political aides and family, do not leave their jobs at the White House when a new President moves in... Much of the domestic staff has worked at the White House, and for as many as six First Families, as long as 30 to 40 years until they retire and most of the staff is comprised of African Americans. They have been witness to countless Presidents and their families, as one might say, with their make-up off and cameras out of view. They live by a code, almost Mafia like, "Of see, but never tell" while working in the world's most famous house. The interviews that were given, that make up most of this wonderful book, were given almost entirely by retired staff, relatives of retired staff that have passed away, and the First families themselves. The staff were witness to First Families during difficult, personal times like President Clinton's affair with a 22 year old and through tragic times like the assassination of President Kennedy. They were often the consolers and therapist to Mrs. Kennedy, and First Lady Hillary Clinton.They adored President George Herbert Bush and his wife Barbara, and to little lesser extent President George W. Bush and his family. President Kennedy and his family were a joy, especially with their two young children, and Nancy Reagan could be difficult, President Johnson quite disgusting, and President Reagan quite friendly and always telling stories."The Residence" by a less capable author could easily have turned into a piece of tabloid journalism, but in the hands of Mrs. Brower it turns into a powerful and beautiful piece of history that sheds light on many unsung heroes. Strongly recommend.

So what I’ve gathered from reading this book: The Kennedy’s loved to party and kept the staff awake long into the night but they were always grateful. Johnson was a philandering bully with a weird obsession with his shower but Lady Bird would go behind him and apologize to the staffNixon is rarely mentioned but he was pretty demanding but also kind hearted during the Watergate Scandal. Reagan and Nancy were complete assholes and even made a maid go on hiatus because Nancy was so mean to her. George H W was the nicest guy to the staff and they all adored him and were very sad when he left office. The Clinton’s were also demanding and kept the staff awake late at night and rarely spoke to the staff. They were also demanding and liked to change things in the White House that made it difficult for the staff.George W would speak to them but it was brief and short. The Obamas were very “we can do this ourselves”, private, and humble. They initially felt bad for the staff until they realized that it was their jobs to serve the first family. Michelle also told the maids that their daughters would be doing their own laundry so they knew how to do it.

Fascinating!

This was a Book Club Selection for April at my local library. I put off reading it until the last minute mainly because I thought it would be dry. It was not. The first thing I'd say is that it is a very readable book. Very easy to read and I love that Ms. Brower didn't offer her own opinions or try to speak for the men and women she interviewed.Even after having been to the White House and been on the tour, I had no idea what goes into running such a huge house, and I also had no idea exactly how big it is. Way over the three stories I had thought! We hear what working at the house means through the memories of the maids, butlers, chefs, florists, doormen, plumbers, secretaries who have worked there through multiple administrations. They are the house. The first families are really just renters for however long they are there. I'm not sure I could work in such a place where every four to eight years, on a day's notice, you had a new family living with you and you had no idea what they were like and you couldn't really grieve the loss of the outgoing family.If you want to know what some of our first families are really like in private you must read this book. However I found the memories of all those who have served generation after generation to be much more compelling. The pride in what they do. The professionalism they maintain day after day. It is definitely a juggling act!The poignant moments when Mrs. Kennedy returned from Dallas with her blood stained pink suit, that was a truly tender moment that spoke volumes about the characters of the staff and of Mrs. Kennedy. It was not shocking to me that some of the First Ladies weren't as nice as they appeared. I think you should all read this book! I actually read it out loud to my friend as I kept saying, " Oh, my, listen to this!" He finally said, just read it to me.Great job Ms.Brower! And great job to those men and women who keep out White House running so flawlessly!

A nonfiction book that combines archival research and interviews with retired White House staff to show readers what goes on behind the scenes at the White House. How does the staff keep that mansion running smoothly? Who are those ushers and maids who scramble out of the way when journalists with cameras enter the room? It’s a fascinating look at recent American history with bits of gossip and a few scandals thrown in. If you love Downton Abbey, this is a must-read.My only complaint is that it glorifies working yourself to death. The author never misses an opportunity to remind readers that the staff is thrilled/grateful/happy/lucky to work thousands of overtime hours while getting verbally abused by their bosses. I rolled my eyes a few times, but mostly it’s a short, captivating book. Please pick it up if you get the chance.Do you like opinions, giveaways, and bookish nonsense? I have a blog for that.

The title tells it all. Fascinating.

I wish I could've given this book more than 5 stars if it was possible, this book deserves 10 stars, or more!! My Mom read this book last year, checking it out from the library, she thought it sounded good, and she couldn't stop raving about it, she kept telling me I had to read it, so I asked for it for my birthday, and I finally got to reading it myself! It's a wonderful behind-the-scenes tour of our Nation's Capitol and the residents that occupy it, and the way it's described, it almost makes you feel like you're really there! Kate Andersen Brower really reaches out to the people who have occupied the White House going back many years, residents who have served with many of the Presidents, the Obamas, the Bushes, Clintons, Reagan, Carter, Ford, Nixon, Johnson, Kennedy, and even Eisenhower! We are told stories from many of the Resident's POV, both funny and sad. Times when I was laughing out loud and others when I teared up a bit. Some comical events such as these, when Lyndon Johnson was in office, he had an obsession with a shower he wanted installed in the White House matching the one in his private Washington Residence, the shower would hit every part of his body, the writer describing the water pressure like red hot needles all over your body. JFK swimming nude in the White House pool with his White House Secretaries while Jackie wasn't around, and he would have the windows frosted so no one from inside saw. And while Ronald Reagan was in Office one of the maids walked in to the Presidential Suite, not thinking anyone was in there, she walks in and there's Reagan in bed with his robe open, and Nancy would get so mad at him. We also get an insight of the Lewinsky Scandal while Clinton was in office, and Hilary threw a book at his head, and Bill would keep saying he fell.They also touch on the JFK Assassination and how it hit hard all the staffers, and where everybody was on 9/11, when Laura Bush was planning a White House Luncheon while President Bush was visiting students at an Elementary School in Florida. It felt very surreal while reading, it almost made you feel like you were one of the ones there. I could go on forever, but I'll never be able to stop. I'll just end by saying this was a wonderful insight to our Nation's Capital, and tells me that people just like the rest of us run the White House, without the Staffers the White House would be uninhabitable! I think this is a book everyone should read, it's a small easy, fun historical read!

I rarely buy books when they are first released (mainly because, with my book addiction, I would be broke!), but as soon as I read about this one in the Washington Post, I knew I had to read it immediately. I am fascinated by stories about the inner workings of all aspects of the government, and this one seemed like it would provide a fresh perspective. Moreover, it promised to deliver inside stories about how the White House functions on a daily basis. As someone who grew up in the Northern Virginia suburbs, and a true lover of all things DC, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book.And it didn't disappoint. Every single moment was delicious. In fact, I savored it so much that I would stop and read passages to my kids and to my husband, especially those that related some heartwarming or interesting story about the presidential families. Other times I would stop reading so that I could teach my sons something that I was learning about White House protocol. Since I don't usually talk about what I'm reading right in the middle of it, I am thinking that I did it this time just so I could prolong the experience; I really did not want the book to end.I am a little irritated with the publicity surrounding this book that suggests that there are tons of salacious stories (like those about Hillary throwing items at Bill during raucous arguments) because that simply isn't an accurate portrayal of Brower's work. Although the staff members' anecdotes do reveal a few eyebrow-raising tidbits, most of the stories simply provide insight into the interactions between the staff and the presidents they served. If nothing else, almost all of the presidents and their families seem more human and more likeable. (Only one of the first ladies does not come across very well, but her controlling antics have been well-documented in other histories. And, unlike most of those previous works, Brower includes positive staff anecdotes about said first lady, as well.)I can't think of any other modern work that provides such interesting inside information about late-20th century White House's inhabitants and workers. Definitely recommended for all politicos and history buffs.

The people who work behind the scenes at the White House are really a remarkable group who should be applauded for their efforts! The author gives readers an astounding look at goes on in that famous house. Some of the Presidents and their families were wonderful and thoughtful, others, not so much. Some things were surprising, like who the immodest presidents were. Some things weren’t surprising, like who the unfaithful husbands were. We learned who argued and fought, who partied very late, who went to bed early, who yelled at staff, who was overly demanding, and who was kind. The staff had to put up with much, sometimes without much appreciation. It was certainly something special, to say you worked at the White House, but it took a toll on the workers, and especially on their families. The staff must have thought it was worth it, because they worked hard, above and beyond the call, and stayed for years. They were very kind to the children who lived there, to try to make their life more normal in place where it was anything but normal. It may take an extraordinary person to run the country, but it takes many extraordinary people to make the White House run smoothly.