Book review / The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House

The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Andersen Brower

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really enjoyed reading this book. Even more than the author's book dedicated to the First Ladies.

This is a collection of stories told by many different voices, and that's what makes it special. I'm not a fan of scandals and embarrassing details, so I liked that this book is focused on domestic routines, funny moments, as well as on people's emotions and attitudes.

It's impossible to imagine what the life is behind the doors of private quarters of the White House. Nowadays, when all kind of information regarding celebrities' private lives is available due to social media and mobile phone cameras, it seems that we know everything. But, as I see it, behind this seeming openness, we lose the sense that we don't see the nature of things. That's what made this book special for me - a lot of tiny, maybe insignificant details about food preferences, furniture rearraning for every new President, unexpected accidents during official dinners.

I haven't read a lot about Lyndon Johnson, and the story about his shower was the most hilarious part of the book.



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