Our next Book Club meeting will take place on September 13, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. We will be reading Upstairs at the White House by J.B. West and will meet on the deck of the Clubhouse.  If the weather is bad, we will meet inside.

Please join us for the discussion. We have no rules except to enjoy discussing books of interest with our neighbors!

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.

Everyone is invited to join the discussions. Please contact Susan Magazine via email or phone (301-213-1799) if you would like to join the group.