Title: Upstairs at the White House Pdf My Life with the First Ladies
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 and funerals, gardens and playgrounds, and extensive renovations; and, with a large staff, supervised every activity in the presidential home. For twenty-eight 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, as well as their parents, children and grandchildren, and houseguests—including friends, relatives, and heads of state.
J. B. West, whom Jackie Kennedy called “one of the most extraordinary men I have ever met,” provides an absorbing, one-of-a-kind history of life among the first ladies. Alive with anecdotes ranging from Eleanor Roosevelt’s fascinating political strategies to Jackie Kennedy’s tragic loss and the personal struggles of Pat Nixon, Upstairs at the White House is a rich account of a slice of American history that usually remains behind closed doors.
I really enjoyed this book! I'm usually not a big fan of non-fiction books, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one! The author has a very personable way of writing that made me feel like I was having a nice, informal dinner with him and his wife. I also appreciated the fact that this wasn't a tell-all type of book that tried to show the reader the ugly side of the occupants of the White House. Instead, it struck me as being extremely truthful and down to earth. It was written with great warmth and respect. As a result Mr. West has shown the first ladies and their families as human beings, and made them very accessible to those of us who will never find ourselves serving in any comparable position. I'm old enough to remember the Eisenhower presidency, and to have lived through the Cuban missile crisis and Kennedy assassination. As a native Texas I remember very well Lyndon Johnson's presidency and his big personality, as well as Lady Bird's highly-successful beautification efforts. But these weren't the only reasons the book made me quite nostalgic. We now live in an age where everyone seems determined to undermine each other and treat opponents as sub-human. It was good to remember the times when opponents could duke it out during the day but then go out for dinner or drinks, or have a meal at each other's homes while the kids played together. I wish Mr. West was still alive so I could hope he would see this review and know that his stories have touched my heart.History through the eyes of J.B. West An extremely entertaining book on the comings and goings at the White House. To be honest, this book, though it focuses exclusively on the domestic arrangements of Presidents Roosevelt through Nixon, this is also a good depiction of how any federal agency functions. There are people who cultivate loyalty with their staff (the Trumans and Kennedys), who tend to leave all too soon. There are the somewhat crazy eccentrics (Mamie Eisenhower, who once mistook a bottle of ink for Vick’s vapor rub) who require looking after, a lot of looking after. The difficult prima donas (LBJ and his quest for a shower that resembled in effects a car wash). The over taxed and under focused (the Roosevelts). The various interpersonal relationships by the staff are also very familiar. Like all government agencies there is never enough money, pointless rules to follow (all White House china damaged must be smashed and tossed off Hayne’s Point), and daily the staff must perform miracles in as inefficient manner as possible. Pay is never consistent with private industry.J.B. West presided over the circus that was the White House for 28 years and with the pre-Reagan civil service pension was able to retire after only 30 years of government service. This book is very anecdotal. It is clear his favorite occupant was Jacqueline Kennedy whose restoration of the White House occupied Mr. West for several years and is very much always on West’s mind whether I’m the White House or not.West was only on hand for two months of the Nixon White House, but for those of us who know how that story ends, there are a number of ironic passages. Involving electronic devices and Nixon’s determination to do without those of his predecessors. The Nixons also revealed their mean spiritedness by trying to eradicate evidence of their Kennedy predecessors. Yes, all of this would catch up when these particular chickens came home to roost five years later. One wonders what he and any of the other members of staff depicted in the book would have made of Donald Trump.This book was published in the early 70s and there are a number of mores that probably will be incomprehensible to anyone born after 1980 (does anyone understand the difference between black and white tie anymore?). The intricacies of rail travel are another. These are some of the more charming aspects of the book. J.B. West is an insightful and charming observer of the history of the presidential mansion.
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