Real life at the White House Two hundred years of daily life at America's most famous residence

In celebration of the 200th anniversary of the White House, the Whitcombs provide an irresistible chronological overview of daily life in the presidential residence. Divided into 42 chapters representing each succeeding administration, this survey is brimming with fun facts, tantalizing tidbits, and memorable anecdotes detailing two centuries of domestic bliss and strife in the White House. From George Washington, who chose the sight and initiated work on the presidential mansion, to Bill Clinton, whose well-documented White House escapades titillated and scandalized the nation, each individual president has contributed to the mystique of the most readily recognized home in the U.S. Together with scores of drawings, portraits, and photographs, the breezy text chronicles the significant physical, social, and emotional changes wrought by each First Family as they sought to personalize daily life in the White House. A broadly appealing slice of Americana. --Margaret Flanagan

Filled with anecdotes, quotations, and photographs, this well-written book is the third collaboration of the father/ daughter team of historian John Whitcomb and journalist Claire Whitcomb (House & Garden, Victoria, House Beautiful). Their account of real life in the "President's House" includes the entertaining habits, decorating tastes, and daily routines of the presidents, starting with Washington, who never lived in the White House, and ending with Clinton. Each president's unique contributions to politics and his personal history while residing in the White House are detailed in brief individual chapters. As the authors show, the White House was once far less comfortable and much more accessible to the public; Congress could withhold funds for refurbishment if it disliked the politics of the president, and visitors literally took pieces of the carpeting or items on display for souvenirs. This work should be read not only to discern the personal impact of each administration on a famous residence but also to observe the evolving nature of the presidency itself and its relation to the citizenry. Recommended for public and academic libraries.DKathleen M. Conley, Illinois State Univ. Milner Lib., Normal (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.