Under This Roof: The White House and the Presidency--21 Presidents, 21 Rooms, 21 Inside Stories Hardcover – Illustrated, September 29, 2015

I bought this book because I thought it was going to be mostly about the White House, the building. It turned out to be much more about the Presidents, but I enjoyed it all the same. I've read lots of books about the Presidents, but this book did contain quite a lot of interesting facts that I never knew. For instance, I had no idea Warren Harding was considered to be a heartthrob. Really! Google his picture; he is not my idea of a matinee idol, but in his day, he was. There is some information about the WH, but not as much as I wanted. Also, I marked it down a star, because I wished for more pictures of the interiors. Be aware that although the book is in chronological order, it skips a lot of Presidents.

How many times have you been in an old building and have said to yourself, “If only these walls could talk?”Well, apparently, day after day, the walls of the White House talked to one of its current residents, award-winning White House Press Corp reporter Paul Brandus.And Paul wrote it all down, added some tantalizing tidbits of behind-the-scenes American History that occurred between these walls, and published this ‘can’t-put-it-down’ inside story of one of America’s greatest icons, The White House.Behind its solid façade, The White House has been one of America’s greatest fixer-uppers.Right from day one and given a choice between affairs-of-state and home-repair, American Presidents have always chosen the former.Many Americans living today only know Jackie Kennedy’s White House, a beautiful showcase to the grandeur and history of the American Presidency.But the White House walls told Paul a different story, of John Adams freezing and coughing in a smoke filled shell of an unfinished building that was heated by poorly ventilated fireplaces and located in an otherwise empty swamp, while his wife hung his underwear and the rest of the wash in the East Room to dry.Of Dolly Madison, home alone, escaping with as much as she and her staff could pack into wagons, as the White House burned during the War of 1812. It seems that her husband had decided that the British would not attack Washington and had left the White House undefended.And then there are Harry Truman’s unsuspecting guests who were unaware that the upper floors of the White House could collapse on them at any moment.Not since Nixon and his White House taping system, has there been so much to tell about goings on inside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.Not wanting to write ‘just another history book’, Paul masterfully makes the reader a ‘fly-on-the-wall’ during daily life at The White House. It’s a view of history only seen by White House insiders, until now.And there is much more to tell. Under This Roof: The White House and the Presidency--21 Presidents, 21 Rooms, 21 Inside Stories is a very readable and enjoyable book. Thanks Paul!And one final comment. Watch what you say in your home, because Seri may be listening!

I enjoy following Paul Brandus and his reporting as West Wing Reports and was really was looking forward to his book, "Under This Roof". He did not disappoint. Brandus brings his wealth of knowledge of presidential history to the table and is a masterful storyteller. He really makes history come alive. I have read a lot about our presidents and l earned so much more in his book. The chapter on Polk was laugh out loud funny and the chapters on Adams, Jackson, TR and Harding were my favorites. Each chapter can be a jumping off point to further learn about our country's chief executives. "Under This Roof" is the kind of history book that should be read by all. Hoping there are more history books to come from Mr. Brandus.

I found the book very interesting for the most part, but lacked in interesting and informative stories about the presidents from JFK on. The author also smiled over many presidents. I'm assuming either the author find not interesting or informative stories on them or just didn't feel like including them. Something on President James Buchanan would have been interesting since during his administration the gap between the North and South widened giving rise to the civil war.

Even if you're just a little interested in the rich history of the White House and the U.S. Presidency, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. It is a very well written series of stories about the incredible history of our white house, and the presidents that occupied it. In addition, there is also a lot of interesting information about the families of the presidents, and the wide variety of First-Ladies, and their impact on the building while they lived there. After reading the book, it made me thirst for even more information on the presidents and U.S. history in general, and that's a sign of a good writer. Highly recommend!

Many people read very tiny amounts on history anymore. This is an easy read, well written and offers an excellent quick history into many presidents and the ongoing battle with the White House itself. I think it's an excellent and interesting book. If your not the kind of person who wants to dive deep into longer more detailed historical books, this is a an excellent choice. If you have read more in depth, it's still an excellent read and hard to put down.

This book is a clever idea that worked. It recounts stories and histories involving different rooms of the White House in the context of the lives and times of the people who lived in the mansion. This book is wonderful because even history buffs will find fascinating, intriguing details that they had never known before—in every chapter. I even learned something new in the preface!If you like history and personal stories involving historical figures, you’ll enjoy this book.

This is an interesting book full of historical anecdotes about the Presidents, the first ladies and the White House. It's amazing how many times the White House has been remodeled, renovated and re-decorated. At least until you consider how old it is. Author Paul Brandus tells us the historical significance of how things in the White House came to be the way they are today. And he throws in some juicy scandals from past administrations.

Tres bon livre