J. B. West

Mary Lynn Kotz

Provides intimate recollections, from the Chief Usher of the White House, of the social events, life-styles, and decorative preferences that characterized presidential households from Roosevelt to Nixon.

My Life with the First Ladies

Upstairs at the White House

In this New York Times bestseller, the White House chief usher for nearly three decades offers a behind-the-scenes look at America’s first families. 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.

Jan Talkington

In 2019 I read "Five Presidents" by Clint Hill so it's only logical I would read this book. Interesting without being gossipy. Well written and I enjoyed another look at life in the White House.

Upstairs at the White House My Life with the First Ladies

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