Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies

Publisher Marketing: 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." Contributor Bio:  West, J B J. B. West (1912-1983), chief usher of the White House--or executive director of the executive mansion and grounds--was once called "the most powerful man in Washington next to the president." Discreet and witty, he supervised the large permanent staff that provided for every personal want and need for six presidents and first ladies, including at state dinners, weddings, and funerals, redecorating the facilities for each family and tending to every special request. He served first as assistant to the chief usher and then as chief usher after retiring as a high-level civilian officer of the US Navy. A native Iowan, his White House tenure (1941-1969) followed a career in the Veterans Administration. "Upstairs at the White House" was published in 1973 and remained on the "New York Times "bestseller list for months, with more than five hundred extraordinarily positive reviews, editions in seven languages, and more than two million copies sold in the US across hardcover and paperback formats. Contributor Bio:  Kotz, Mary Lynn Mary Lynn Kotz is the author of the best-selling "Upstairs at the White House, "Marvella, and "A Passion for Equality (with Nick Kotz). She is a contributing editor to "ARTnews and has written for many major magazines in her 20-year career as a journalist. She lives in Washington, D. C.