Upstairs at the White House

My Life with the First Ladies

By: J. B. West

Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin

Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at life on Pennsylvania Avenue with America's first families, by the man who spent nearly three decades in their midst.

J. B. West, chief usher of the White House, directed the operations and maintenance of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue - and coordinated its daily life - at the request of the president and his family. He directed state functions; planned parties, weddings, funerals, gardens, playgrounds, and extensive renovations; and with a large staff, supervised every activity in the presidential home. For 28 years, first as assistant to the chief usher, then as chief usher, he witnessed national crises and triumphs, and interacted daily with six consecutive presidents and first ladies, their parents, children and grandchildren, and houseguests - including friends, relatives, and heads of state.

In Upstairs at the White House, West offers an absorbing and novel glimpse at America's first families, from the Roosevelts to the Kennedys and the Nixons. Alive with anecdotes ranging from the quotidian (Lyndon B. Johnson's showerheads) to the tragic (the aftermath of John F. Kennedy's assassination), West's audiobook is an enlightening and rich account of the American history that took place just behind the Palladian doors of the North Portico.

©1973 J. B. West (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Fabulous!

Really was sorry when Mr. West retired! Nicely told. No gossip! Just great stories told with dignity. I never heard so much about Mamie Eisenhower. What a lady! Such different views of the first families! Great humor!

Great Read!

Loved finding out about the first ladies! There was so much I did not know. It was dreamy just imagining living in the white house. I wish it went on and on and on.

Just loved it!

I found myself stopping to google photos and historical facts about the First Ladies. It opened up my curiosities.

Fascinating!

I was a little worried that this might be a kiss and tell type book, however I was pleasantly surprised that he spent time on the personalities of the Presidents and First Ladies, with no hidden bad stories.

I loved listening to the details necessary to run the White House with every detail from the house keepers, kitchen chefs, aides, etc. And the changes made to the white house by each first lady.

This book is written with the tact that and respect the story deserves.

Great for falling asleep to

The reader’s voice is perfect, and so is his pacing. I set my Audible App to 30 minutes.... put my iPad on my pillow in low volume, the listening to this story is fascinating and I usually fall asleep around the 15 minute mark. When I wake up, I hit the back button and rewind to where I think I fell asleep. This is not like a mystery or a story that if you miss a couple of minutes you’ll get lost. Perfect!

Great book. Well written and read.

I’ve listened to several biographies about the Presidents mentioned. I found the perspective of “the help” very interesting since I have been “the help” most of my life.
The reader was excellent and I imagine that Mr West probably sounded like him. I loved that the reader gave the calm, in charge, and respectful intonation to Mr. West.

Very insisting worth your time

Learned things I never thought about taking place inside the residence. I admire all the people who dedicate themselves
with so much heart.

Great story.

Great story! The behind the scenes look at the former First Ladies makes up for the lack of emotion from the narrator.

The difficulty in being a First Lady!

I was really impressed with the details in the story. Mr. West must have kept great records of what happened.

Loved it!

Where does Upstairs at the White House rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

So far, it's Number 2. Excellent book, great narration, fascinating material. It was one of those that grab you by the collar and just yank you in before you even know it.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I enjoyed the author's enlightenment on the First Ladies. Very interesting.

What about Eric Martin’s performance did you like?

Seemed real, not memorized or even read, really.

Any additional comments?

It really peaked my interest, and I'll be looking for other books of a similar nature.