The Residence

America’s First Families are among the most private public figures on earth. From the mystique of the glamourous Kennedys, to the tumult that surrounded Bill and Hillary Clinton during the president’s impeachment, to the historic yet polarizing Barack and Michelle Obama, each new administration brings a new and unique set of personalities to the White House—and a new set of challenges to the fiercely loyal and hard-working people who serve them: the White House residence staff.

No one understands the president of the United States, and his family, like the men and women who make the White House run every day. Now, for the first time, their stories of fifty years, ten administrations, and countless crises large and small, are told in The Residence. Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews with butlers, maids, chefs, florists, doormen, engineers, and others, White House correspondent Kate Andersen Brower offers a group portrait of the dedicated professionals who coordinate the smooth running of elaborate state dinners; stand ready during meetings with foreign dignitaries; care for the president and first lady’s young children; and cater to every need the first couple may have, however sublime or, on occasion, ridiculous.

In the voices of the residence workers themselves—sometimes wry, often affectionate, always gracious and proud—here are stories of:

• The Kennedys, from intimate glimpses of their marriage to the chaotic days after JFK’s assassination
• The Johnsons, featuring the saga of LBJ’s obsession with White House plumbing
• The Nixons—including Richard Nixon’s unexpected appearance in the White House kitchen the morning he resigned
• The Reagans, from a fire that endangered Ronald Reagan late in his administration, to Nancy’s control of details large and small
• The Clintons, whose private battles—including shouting matches and flying objects—unsettled residence workers
• The Obamas, who danced to Mary J. Blige on their first night in the White House

And just as compelling are the stories of the workers themselves—including storeroom manager Bill Hamilton, who served eleven presidents over fifty-five years; chief housekeeper Christine Limerick, who married a fellow residence worker; Stephen Rochon, who became the first African American chief usher; executive pastry chef Roland Mesnier, who feuded fiercely with executive chef Walter Scheib; and James Ramsey, who made friends with presidents Clinton and George W. Bush and whose spirit animated the White House through six presidencies before his death in 2014.

Working tirelessly to provide impeccable service, earning the trust and undying admiration of each new First Family, these extraordinary White House workers serve every day in the midst of history—and lived to tell the tales.