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129th out of 224 books
—
166 voters
The White House Doctor: Behind the Scenes with the Clinton and Bush Families
A riveting look into the personal lives of our presidents through the eyes of their White House doctor. Dr. Connie Mariano served 9 years at the White House under Presidents George H.W. Bush, William J. Clinton, and George W. Bush. She participated in world headline-making news events and traveled all over the world. She cared for visiting dignitaries and was charged with...more
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
June 22nd 2010
by Thomas Dunne Books
(first published 2010)
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As memoirs go The White House Doctor was both fun and informative. I like both political and medical memoirs, so this book was one that I gravitated toward naturally.
I hadn’t realized prior to reading this book that the White House had its own medical team that travels everywhere with the president, but it does make sense if you think about it. I had been hoping for the inside scoop on the lives of the presidents and their families, but realized that there is doctor-patient confidentiality, so I...more
I hadn’t realized prior to reading this book that the White House had its own medical team that travels everywhere with the president, but it does make sense if you think about it. I had been hoping for the inside scoop on the lives of the presidents and their families, but realized that there is doctor-patient confidentiality, so I...more
Connie Mariano is only the second female doctor -- and first Filipina -- to be the President's physician and to head the White House Medical Unit. In this memoir, Dr. Connie, a Navy officer, recounts stories of preparing for the worst-case-scenario (assassination) to digging for a BandAid in her medical bag on a golf course for President George H. Bush to forming lasting bonds with Filipino cooks who served in the kitchen like her father before them.
Dr. Connie served the last year of George H....more
Dr. Connie served the last year of George H....more
2.5 Stars
This autobiography of Connie Mariano is very interesting story of the behind the scenes workings of protecting the first families. The White House doctor is a crucial role in the team of folks that are ALWAYS with the president and as such, develop close relationships. Connie serves under Bush, Sr and then all 8 years of the Clinton administration. During this time, she gets promoted to rear admiral, becomes director of the white house medical unit, and travels quite extensively. Unfort...more
This autobiography of Connie Mariano is very interesting story of the behind the scenes workings of protecting the first families. The White House doctor is a crucial role in the team of folks that are ALWAYS with the president and as such, develop close relationships. Connie serves under Bush, Sr and then all 8 years of the Clinton administration. During this time, she gets promoted to rear admiral, becomes director of the white house medical unit, and travels quite extensively. Unfort...more
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First, thumbs up to Dr. Connie Mariano for being only the second female white house phsycian in American history and the FIRST Filipino American White House Doctor AND becoming the first Filipino American Admiral in the US Navy. That's all quite an accomplishment.
Now, about the book.. It was a very eye opening read about life in the white house and following the president around for 9 years. Dr. M, a Navy doctor, first steps into the position as a white house doctor thinking it will be a two ye...more
Now, about the book.. It was a very eye opening read about life in the white house and following the president around for 9 years. Dr. M, a Navy doctor, first steps into the position as a white house doctor thinking it will be a two ye...more
I had such high hopes for this book when I first picked it up at a Borders. I wanted to know her story; I wanted to know about Dr Connie Mariano and how she got to be a Navy Doctor, what it was like in the military for her, and of course, her job serving President Bush and Clinton as White House Doctor.
Now, while I did get bits of the information i wanted, I had to read through self-aggrandizing and plainly just bad writing to get there. I kept on hoping it would improve but alas, I got to the...more
Now, while I did get bits of the information i wanted, I had to read through self-aggrandizing and plainly just bad writing to get there. I kept on hoping it would improve but alas, I got to the...more
Rear Admiral Connie Mariano was only the second woman to serve as the President's primary physician and she was the first Filipina officer to become an Admiral. Pretty impressive. An interesting look at the responsibilities of medical personnel who serve in the White House. Dr. Mariano served there for 9 years--a year with George and Barbara Bush and 8 years with the Clintons. This book would have been vastly improved with the assistance of an experienced editor. As it is, it rambles and retells...more
Connie Mariano's book "The White House Doctor" is really a memoir, which includes many stories about her upbringing as well as her time spent as a White Doctor during the Bush and Clinton administrations. It is more about the workings of the White House than a story of a medical doctor, as she is lucky to have few emergencies on her watch. It is a fast, easy read and it is told with humor and grace, I recommend it. I appreciated the fact that in the last chapter, she updated the reader on her li...more
Interesting "behind the scenes" look at the White House Medical Unit. Dr. Marino was certainly an overachiever, but, as you'll see, at the expense of her family. maybe that's the real story here (Tip for Rahm Emanuel - read this book!). Otherwise, a somewhat overdramatic chronology of the unit's work during the Cinton Administration. Somewhat rambling toward the end, as if her editor said that she needed to fill x number of pages, but really didn't have anything else to say. None theless, nod a...more
I liked this. However, I also thought that the author was a bit dramatic in her presentation of her time in the White House. While many historic events took place, she didn't have much to do with them and seems to force herself into them. (She did have to do the blood draw that was used to provide Clinton's DNA in the Lewinsky investigation. Interesting.) Most of the stories are tame and any points of interest come from the daily details describing life in the White House.
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This book was good, definitely not great. She tries to organize it by topics, rather than chronologically. That made things confusing at times, but I really enjoyed the anecdotes about the presidents and their families. I'd liked the "insider info". She was rather redundant at times and made way too many references to overcoming her Philippine ancestry. Ultimately, though, I found it interesting and enjoyed it.
The story is interesting and the style engaging, but I found myself skimming through the last third or so of the book. Each chapter just started to seem like more of the same. Also, the author skips around a lot chronologically, and this was very confusing and off-putting. It would have been better if it had been shorter and better-organized.
Truly enjoyed this book. It is a great behind-the-scenes look into the life of the POTUS and his Dr. I enjoyed getting a grasp of the grueling schedule they maintain, day in and day out! I recommend this book if you have any interest in the medical profession.
I liked this. It was a random pull off the library's "New" shelf, but it was well-written and an interesting look at one particular perspective on the presidency. Nothing earth-shattering, but worth the time to read.
she really could've halved the length by substituting an acronym for "first asian-american woman filipina doctor and admiral, daughter of a navy steward."
alas, i will read anything any doctor of bill clinton writes, and you heard that here first.
alas, i will read anything any doctor of bill clinton writes, and you heard that here first.
In some ways, this was an interesting book because I knew nothing about presidential doctors. On the other hand, it wasn't a book I'd recommend others read! Dr. Mariano is to be respected for all that she achieved, although she lost her family in the process. It sure is hard to imagine working so closely with the president.
Read Dec. 2010. Interesting. Surprised she had such low self-esteem but she is also boastful ("I said without missing a beat…" (bravado))
Interesting book but I would have enjoyed it more if she stuck to a pattern. She jumps around both in time and topic.
Not terribly exciting, but did provide some nice detail about what is like behind the scenes at the White House.
hard to believe what the Doctor for the White House has to give up-not a 9-5 job!!! but how exciting!!
Overall, this is a well-written anecdotal autobiography about her career as only the 2nd woman appointed Chief of the White House Medical Unit. It does meander a bit in the end, but this doesn't take away from it being an important must-read for Filipino Americans and/or U.S. history buffs.
Good book about some of the inside workings of several administrations.
I enjoyed this book. It's an interesting look inside the White House.
This is a fascinating look behind the scenes at the White House.
Only read half way through and was through.
I never knew there was such an extensive medical unit @ the White House. Slow at times but very, very interesting.
Mar 05, 2011
Thing Two
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommended to Thing Two by:
Book Club
Shelves:
book-club-local-neighborhood
Yawn.
This book recounts Dr. Connie Mariano's 9 years as the White House doctor to George Bush and Bill Clinton. So, read the title and pick a new book.
This book recounts Dr. Connie Mariano's 9 years as the White House doctor to George Bush and Bill Clinton. So, read the title and pick a new book.
Saw her interviewed on Jon Stewart and this sounds like an interesting book.
I saw her on the Daily Show and was pretty fascinated by the snippet she provided. I never thought that they would have a doctor who followed the president around, even though that makes sense. She provides a cool behind the scenes look about herself, her upbringing, and the job
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| Forward by Clinton | 1 | 4 | Jun 25, 2010 10:44am |
Oct 12, 2010 07:27am