bedtime and other stories from the president's guest house

by Benedicte Valentiner

Benedicte Valentiner invites the reader behind the scenes of one of the world's most prestigious official guest houses; the historic, charming, and beautiful Blair House, across from the White House. For more than 13 years Mrs. V hosted Chiefs of State and Heads of Government during their official visits with Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Her anecdotes about the world's most powerful leaders are dramatic, revealing, and entertaining; we are present when George H.W. Bush plays with his grandchildren, when an inebriated Boris Yeltsin is discovered wandering through Blair House, and when the Togo delegation's luggage reveals a smoked monkey, an enormous lizard and giant cockroaches.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Joseph J.]

The author spoke at the local library some years ago, and I have now read her book. I found it fascinating and so unlike the very good but very different memoir by 1960's Blair House director Mary Edith Wilroy. Ms. Valentiner pulls no punches, not only in the cases of foreign visitors now dead (Boris Yeltsin wandering drunk through the night) and the forgotten and overthrown. Surprisingly, she does not hide her affection for George H.W. and Barbara Bush, and her conversion to the Democrats after dealing with Bill and Hillary and their administration (Benedicte was that now extinct breed of traditional Rockefeller Republican). Similarly, she does not hide her disdain for the administration of "W" and for his policies-even wondering as she was writing if the endless wars and deepening deficit might warrant a Bush 43 impeachment. She also spares no words for the arrogant BiBI Netanyahu and his entitled wife-really no surprise there. If Mrs. Wilroy some 38 years ago was circumspect in her memoir of Blair House and its guests, this is a blunt and no holes barred account of arrogant bureaucrats, thin skinned politics and demanding guests. I do wonder if Barbara Bush read those words about her son before penning the book's praises on the back jacket.

[Karina G.]

Exciting reading because I have visited Blair House. So lovely reading about all the nice people working there :-)

[Kristen Holland Shear]

I'm calling it. I don't remember the last time I didn't finish a book, but I just can't get into this one. =I usually love behind-the-scenes stories, but this one really drags along.