Book Review: The President's House by William Seale

This massive two-volume history of the White House looks imposing, as befits the venerable mansion it portrays. With more than 1,200 pages of text, it tells a long and involved story, beginning with George Washington, who never lived in the White House, but did use his experience as a surveyor to personally position the stakes that began its construction.

The narrative is well-written, and while the book may look like an encyclopedic reference work, the many stories contained in The President’s House actually make it very entertaining. A lover of history could spend many hours absorbing the story of America as seen through the prism of the president’s residence.

Since the day when Washington walked the grounds with a surveyor’s chain, the White House has reflected the personality of each president. Its first resident, John Adams, found the unfinished mansion cold and uncomfortable. But his successor Thomas Jefferson created a private office filled with books, globes, a caged mockingbird, and drawers that held gardening tools.

Author William Seale has organized his many years of research in a logical fashion, with chapters devoted to each presidency. Some events, such as the burning of the White House by British invaders in 1814, are given considerable attention, but even presidencies considered fairly obscure today are portrayed. It seems that every president has made some contribution, lasting or not, to the house’s history.

The President's House would make a fine present for someone who loves reading history. Yet the two-volume set isn't for everyone, and would not be an ideal choice for someone looking for a lavishly illustrated coffee table book on the White House, or someone seeking a concise guidebook. But as a narrative history it's hard to imagine a more impressive account of America's most famous house.