9 Books That Open the White House's Doors

For nearly three decades, J. B. West served as the White House Chief Usher, directing the daily life, massive renovations, and every state function for six presidential families.

Alive with unparalleled, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, this New York Times bestseller offers a one-of-a-kind history of America's First Ladies—from Eleanor Roosevelt's political maneuvering to Jackie Kennedy's personal struggles. West, whom Jackie called "one of the most extraordinary men I have ever met," pulls back the curtain on the triumphs and private dramas that played out behind 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue's closed doors.

In 1814, enemies marched through the streets of Washington, D.C. for 26 hours, culminating in the unprecedented attack that saw the British set fire to the U.S. Capitol and the White House.

Relying on vivid first-hand accounts, historian Jane Hampton Cook weaves together the narratives of figures like James and Dolley Madison and the British admiral who ordered the burning. This is the compelling story of a city invaded, a presidential family displaced, and the American spirit that was humbled yet somehow remained unbroken.

After President Harry Truman nearly fell through the second-floor ceiling, an inspection revealed the White House was in imminent danger of collapse, forcing the First Family's immediate eviction. What followed was the most complex and controversial home-improvement job in American history: a complete demolition of the interior, leaving only the facade untouched. 

Historian Robert Klara reveals how this forgotten project gave birth to the modern White House, replacing it with a massive steel frame and a secret underground labyrinth that included a nuclear fallout shelter.

Elizabeth Keckley's groundbreaking 1868 memoir traces her harrowing journey from enslavement in Virginia and North Carolina to becoming the trusted seamstress and confidante of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln in the Civil War White House. With calm and unsparing clarity, Keckley recounts the injustices of her life in bondage, her determined fight to purchase freedom for herself and her son, and her subsequent rise in Washington society.

Drawing on her experience as a young woman in the Clinton White House, political aide Stacey Parker Aab offers an eye-opening, intimate look at life inside the halls of presidential power.

Government Girl is both a candid personal coming-of-age story and a rare insider's account of the feverish excitement, idealism, and eventual tragedy of the Clinton administration. Aab shares her memories and draws compelling parallels between her time as an intern and the experiences of current staffers.

Drawing on extensive interviews, former White House correspondent Kate Andersen Brower pulls back the curtain on the presidential palace to reveal the intimate lives of America's First Families, as seen by the residence staff. From the butlers, maids, and cooks who maintain the 132-room mansion, this remarkable history shares dramatic, humorous, and heartwarming anecdotes of life behind closed doors. 

The Residence illuminates everything from Jackie Kennedy's private grief after her husband's assassination to the staff's experiences during Nixon's resignation and Clinton's impeachment, showcasing the tension and the bonds forged over decades of dedicated service.

Historian Bob Arnebeck dives into the little-known world of the enslaved and free laborers who literally built the nation's capital, revealing that, in 1798, nearly half the workforce building the Capitol and the White House were slaves.

Drawing on commissioners' records, the book meticulously describes the brutal reality of these black men's lives—from dawn-to-dusk labor and meager rations to moments when the construction depended entirely on their skill. This is a vivid, essential history of the harsh exploitation and quiet resilience of the men whose uncredited work built America's most iconic landmarks.

From a lifetime of obscurity, Eugene Allen—a White House butler who served eight American presidents from Truman to Reagan—ignited the nation's imagination and inspired the major motion picture, Lee Daniels' The Butler.

Wil Haygood offers a deep dive into Allen's life and service throughout this remarkable book, revealing the fascinating life of a quiet witness to decades of American history.

Presented by the popular American History Tellers podcast, this book offers a gripping, behind-the-scenes tour of the White House, as the stage for over two centuries of American drama. Placing readers directly in the shoes of historical figures, it dives into the intimate, history-altering moments that occurred within the mansion's walls, from Andrew Jackson's inaugural mob to FDR and Churchill plotting World War II. 

Equal parts political, social, and cultural history, The Hidden History of the White House reveals the shocking power struggles, scandalous secrets, and climactic decisions that shaped the nation.