
First Women
The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed

Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $24.29
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Karen White
About this listen
From the number-one New York Times best-selling author of the groundbreaking backstairs look at the White House The Residence comes an intimate, news-making look at the true modern power brokers at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: the first ladies, from Jackie Kennedy to Michelle Obama.
In one of the most underestimated - and challenging - positions in the world, the first lady of the United States must be many things: an inspiring leader with a forward-thinking agenda of her own; a savvy politician, skilled at navigating the treacherous rapids of Washington; a wife and mother operating under constant scrutiny; and an able CEO responsible for the smooth operation of countless services and special events at the White House.
Now, as she did in her smash number-one best seller The Residence, former White House correspondent Kate Andersen Brower draws on a wide array of untapped, candid sources - from residence staff and social secretaries to friends and political advisers - to tell the stories of the 10 remarkable women who have defined that role since 1960.
Brower offers new insights into this privileged group of remarkable women, including Jacqueline Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Patricia Nixon, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama. The stories she shares range from the heartwarming to the shocking and tragic, exploring everything from the first ladies' political crusades to their rivalries with Washington figures; from their friendships with other first ladies to their public and private relationships with their husbands. She also offers a detailed and insightful new portrait of one of the most-watched first ladies of all time, Hillary Clinton, asking what her tumultuous years in the White House may tell us about her own historic presidential run...and what life could be like with the nation's first first husband.
Candid and illuminating, this first group biography of the modern first ladies provides a revealing look at life upstairs and downstairs at the world's most powerful address.
©2016 Kate Andersen Brower (P)2016 HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Residence
- Inside the Private World of the White House
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
America's first families are unknowable in many ways. No one has insight into their true character like the people who serve their meals and make their beds every day. Full of stories and details by turns dramatic, humorous, and heartwarming, The Residence reveals daily life in the White House as it is really lived through the voices of the maids, butlers, cooks, florists, doormen, engineers, and others who tend to the needs of the president and first family.
-
-
The White House Explored & Exposed
- By Sara on 04-15-15
-
Astor
- The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune
- By: Anderson Cooper, Katherine Howe
- Narrated by: Anderson Cooper
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From 1783, when German immigrant John Jacob Astor first arrived in the United States, until 2009, when Brooke Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, was convicted of defrauding his elderly mother, the Astor name occupied a unique place in American society. The family fortune, first made by a beaver trapping business that grew into an empire, was then amplified by holdings in Manhattan real estate. Over the ensuing generations, Astors ruled Gilded Age New York society and inserted themselves into political and cultural life, but also suffered the most famous loss on the Titanic.
-
-
A family first made, then destroyed by wealth.
- By Barbara W. on 09-23-23
By: Anderson Cooper, and others
-
Upstairs at the White House
- My Life with the First Ladies
- By: J. B. West
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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, funerals, gardens, playgrounds, and extensive renovations; and with a large staff, supervised every activity in the presidential home.
-
-
A tasteful taste of history
- By Mark on 04-27-15
By: J. B. West
-
Betty Ford
- First Lady, Women's Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer
- By: Lisa McCubbin Hill
- Narrated by: Amanda Carlin
- Length: 15 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Betty Ford: First Lady, Women’s Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer is the inspiring story of an ordinary Midwestern girl thrust onto the world stage and into the White House under extraordinary circumstances. Setting a precedent as first lady, Betty Ford refused to be silenced by her critics as she publicly championed equal rights for women and spoke out about issues that had previously been taboo - breast cancer, depression, abortion, and sexuality.
-
-
Wonderful back story!
- By WesternCOriver on 11-24-18
-
Team of Five
- The Presidents Club in the Age of Trump
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Erin Bennett
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the number one New York Times best-selling author of The Residence and First Women - also a New York Times best seller - comes a poignant, news-making look at the lives of the five former presidents in the wake of their White House years, including the surprising friendships they have formed through shared perspective and empathy.
-
-
Fascinating
- By Jean on 06-18-20
-
First in Line
- Presidents, Vice Presidents, and the Pursuit of Power
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the author of the New York Times best sellers First Women and The Residence, an intimate, news-making look at the men who are next in line to the most powerful office in the world - the vice presidents of the modern era - from Richard Nixon to Joe Biden to Mike Pence. In interviews with more than 200 people, Kate Andersen Brower pulls back the curtain and reveals the sometimes cold, sometimes close, and always complicated relationship between our modern presidents and their vice presidents.
-
-
Engrossing
- By Jean on 07-26-18
-
The Residence
- Inside the Private World of the White House
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
America's first families are unknowable in many ways. No one has insight into their true character like the people who serve their meals and make their beds every day. Full of stories and details by turns dramatic, humorous, and heartwarming, The Residence reveals daily life in the White House as it is really lived through the voices of the maids, butlers, cooks, florists, doormen, engineers, and others who tend to the needs of the president and first family.
-
-
The White House Explored & Exposed
- By Sara on 04-15-15
-
Astor
- The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune
- By: Anderson Cooper, Katherine Howe
- Narrated by: Anderson Cooper
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From 1783, when German immigrant John Jacob Astor first arrived in the United States, until 2009, when Brooke Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, was convicted of defrauding his elderly mother, the Astor name occupied a unique place in American society. The family fortune, first made by a beaver trapping business that grew into an empire, was then amplified by holdings in Manhattan real estate. Over the ensuing generations, Astors ruled Gilded Age New York society and inserted themselves into political and cultural life, but also suffered the most famous loss on the Titanic.
-
-
A family first made, then destroyed by wealth.
- By Barbara W. on 09-23-23
By: Anderson Cooper, and others
-
Upstairs at the White House
- My Life with the First Ladies
- By: J. B. West
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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, funerals, gardens, playgrounds, and extensive renovations; and with a large staff, supervised every activity in the presidential home.
-
-
A tasteful taste of history
- By Mark on 04-27-15
By: J. B. West
-
Betty Ford
- First Lady, Women's Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer
- By: Lisa McCubbin Hill
- Narrated by: Amanda Carlin
- Length: 15 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Betty Ford: First Lady, Women’s Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer is the inspiring story of an ordinary Midwestern girl thrust onto the world stage and into the White House under extraordinary circumstances. Setting a precedent as first lady, Betty Ford refused to be silenced by her critics as she publicly championed equal rights for women and spoke out about issues that had previously been taboo - breast cancer, depression, abortion, and sexuality.
-
-
Wonderful back story!
- By WesternCOriver on 11-24-18
-
Team of Five
- The Presidents Club in the Age of Trump
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Erin Bennett
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the number one New York Times best-selling author of The Residence and First Women - also a New York Times best seller - comes a poignant, news-making look at the lives of the five former presidents in the wake of their White House years, including the surprising friendships they have formed through shared perspective and empathy.
-
-
Fascinating
- By Jean on 06-18-20
-
First in Line
- Presidents, Vice Presidents, and the Pursuit of Power
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the author of the New York Times best sellers First Women and The Residence, an intimate, news-making look at the men who are next in line to the most powerful office in the world - the vice presidents of the modern era - from Richard Nixon to Joe Biden to Mike Pence. In interviews with more than 200 people, Kate Andersen Brower pulls back the curtain and reveals the sometimes cold, sometimes close, and always complicated relationship between our modern presidents and their vice presidents.
-
-
Engrossing
- By Jean on 07-26-18
-
White House Usher
- Stories from the Inside
- By: Christopher B. Emery
- Narrated by: Jonathan Salkoff
- Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For more than 200 years, a small office has operated on the state floor of the White House executive residence. Known as the Usher's Office, whose mission is to accommodate the personal needs of the first family, and to make the White House feel like a home. The Usher's Office is the managing office of the executive residence and its staff of 90-plus. The staff consists of butlers, carpenters, grounds personnel, electricians, painters, plumbers, florists, maids, housemen, cooks, chefs, storekeepers, curators, calligraphers, doormen, and administrative support.
-
-
Interesting. Maybe a little unfinished?
- By Crystal Stapleton on 06-25-22
-
Mrs. Kennedy and Me
- An Intimate Memoir
- By: Clint Hill, Lisa McCubbin Hill
- Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For four years, from the election of John Fitzgerald Kennedy until after the election of Lyndon Johnson, Clint Hill was the Secret Service agent assigned to guard the glamorous and private Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. During those four years, he went from being a reluctant guardian to a fiercely loyal watchdog and friend. Looking back, Clint Hill tells his story for the first time, offering a tender and tragic portrayal of how a Secret Service agent who started life in an orphanage became the most trusted man in the life of the First Lady who captivated first the nation and then the world.
-
-
This Memoir is a Blessing!
- By Alexis on 04-08-12
By: Clint Hill, and others
-
The Matriarch
- Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty
- By: Susan Page
- Narrated by: Kate Levy
- Length: 12 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A vivid biography of former first lady Barbara Bush, one of the most influential and underappreciated women in American political history.
-
-
Insightful
- By Jean on 04-14-19
By: Susan Page
-
Five Presidents
- My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford
- By: Clint Hill, Lisa McCubbin Hill
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 14 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Secret Service agent Clint Hill brings history intimately and vividly to life as he reflects on his 17 years protecting the most powerful office in the nation. Hill walked alongside Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, and Gerald R. Ford, seeing them through a long, tumultuous era - the Cold War; the Cuban Missile Crisis; the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy; the Vietnam War; Watergate; and the resignations of Spiro Agnew and Richard M. Nixon.
-
-
Interesting, but....
- By Papa Charlie on 07-09-17
By: Clint Hill, and others
-
The Palace Papers
- Inside the House of Windsor - the Truth and the Turmoil
- By: Tina Brown
- Narrated by: Tina Brown
- Length: 18 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tina Brown has been observing and chronicling the British monarchy for three decades, and her sweeping account is full of powerful revelations, newly reported details, and searing insight gleaned from remarkable access to royal insiders. Stylish, witty, and erudite, The Palace Papers will irrevocably change how the world perceives and understands the royal family.
-
-
Audible narration is dreadful
- By M M. on 05-03-22
By: Tina Brown
-
First Ladies
- The Ever Changing Role, from Martha Washington to Melania Trump
- By: Betty Boyd Caroli
- Narrated by: Susan Ericksen
- Length: 20 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Betty Boyd Caroli's engrossing and informative First Ladies is an essential resource for anyone interested in the role of America's First Ladies. Caroli observes the role as it has shifted and evolved from ceremonial backdrop to substantive world figure. This expanded and updated fifth edition presents Caroli's keen political analysis and astute observations of recent developments, including Melania Trump's reluctance to take on the mantle and former First Lady Hilary Clinton's recent run for president. Caroli here contributes a new preface and updated chapters.
-
-
Thorough
- By Kindle Customer on 10-11-20
-
Eleanor and Hick
- The Love Affair That Shaped a First Lady
- By: Susan Quinn
- Narrated by: Kimberly Farr
- Length: 13 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1932 Eleanor Roosevelt entered the claustrophobic, duty-bound existence of the first lady with dread. By that time she had put her deep disappointment in her marriage behind her and developed an independent life - now threatened by the public role she would be forced to play. A lifeline came to her in the form of a feisty campaign reporter for the Associated Press: Lorena Hickok. Over the next 30 years, until Eleanor's death, the two women carried on an extraordinary relationship.
-
-
An Icon who was real.
- By Francine Fields on 08-17-17
By: Susan Quinn
-
The Presidents Club
- Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity
- By: Nancy Gibbs, Michael Duffy
- Narrated by: Bob Walter
- Length: 22 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Presidents Club was born at Eisenhower’s inauguration when Harry Truman and Herbert Hoover first conceived the idea. Over the years that followed - and to this day - the presidents relied on, misunderstood, sabotaged, and formed alliances with one another that changed history. The world’s most exclusive fraternity is a complicated place: its members are bound forever because they sat in the Oval Office and know its secrets, yet they are immortal rivals for history’s favor.
-
-
Engaging subject, but fact-checking needed
- By loix on 04-25-12
By: Nancy Gibbs, and others
-
Jackie
- By: J. Randy Taraborrelli
- Narrated by: Jane Oppenheimer
- Length: 16 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Based on hundreds of interviews with friends, family, and lovers over a thirty-year period—as well as previously unreleased material from the JFK Library—Kennedy historian J. Randy Taraborrelli paints an unforgettable new portrait of a woman whose flaws and contradictions only serve to make her even more iconic. “I have three lives,” Jackie told a former lover, “public, private and secret.” In this revealing biography, listeners will become intimately familiar with all three.
-
-
Very thorough!
- By LaurieB. on 06-26-24
-
Barbara Bush
- A Memoir
- By: Barbara Bush
- Narrated by: Barbara Bush
- Length: 4 hrs and 31 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In her memoir, Mrs. Bush for the first time gives listeners a very private look at a life lived in the public eye for more than 25 years. She begins with a compelling portrait of her early years, including: growing up in Rye, New York, and meeting George Bush; life as a young bride and mother, moving far away from home to West Texas; and the almost unbearable pain of losing a child.
-
-
Delighted To The Bone
- By Diana Bloyd on 04-05-16
By: Barbara Bush
-
Thirty-Six Years in the White House
- By: Thomas F. Pendel
- Narrated by: Brian V. Hunt
- Length: 2 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For 36 years, from Lincoln to Teddy Roosevelt, Tom Pendel saw the daily comings and goings at the center of American political life in the White House. As doorkeeper, he saw senators, congressmen, royalty, citizens, and scoundrels appear on the White House steps.
-
-
Very interesting
- By Crystal Stapleton on 06-28-22
By: Thomas F. Pendel
-
Elizabeth the Queen
- The Life of a Modern Monarch
- By: Sally Bedell Smith
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 21 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the moment of her ascension to the throne in 1952 at the age of twenty-five, Queen Elizabeth II has been the object of unparalleled scrutiny. But through the fog of glamour and gossip, how well do we really know the world’s most famous monarch? Drawing on numerous interviews and never-before-revealed documents, acclaimed biographer Sally Bedell Smith pulls back the curtain to show in intimate detail the public and private lives of Queen Elizabeth II.
-
-
The world's longest public relations statement
- By Truth Speaker on 01-30-12
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
The Residence
- Inside the Private World of the White House
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
America's first families are unknowable in many ways. No one has insight into their true character like the people who serve their meals and make their beds every day. Full of stories and details by turns dramatic, humorous, and heartwarming, The Residence reveals daily life in the White House as it is really lived through the voices of the maids, butlers, cooks, florists, doormen, engineers, and others who tend to the needs of the president and first family.
-
-
The White House Explored & Exposed
- By Sara on 04-15-15
-
The Hidden History of the White House
- Power Struggles, Scandals, and Defining Moments
- By: Corey Mead
- Narrated by: Lindsay Graham, Jeremy Arthur
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For more than two centuries, the White House in Washington, DC, has been the stage for some of the most climactic moments in American history. Its walls and portraits have witnessed fierce power struggles, history-altering decisions, shocking scandals, and intimate moments among the First Family, their guests, and the staff.
-
-
They pieced a bunch of Wondery episodes together and it’s awful
- By Kim Dawe on 10-04-24
By: Corey Mead
-
Upstairs at the White House
- My Life with the First Ladies
- By: J. B. West
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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, funerals, gardens, playgrounds, and extensive renovations; and with a large staff, supervised every activity in the presidential home.
-
-
A tasteful taste of history
- By Mark on 04-27-15
By: J. B. West
-
First Ladies
- The Ever Changing Role, from Martha Washington to Melania Trump
- By: Betty Boyd Caroli
- Narrated by: Susan Ericksen
- Length: 20 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Betty Boyd Caroli's engrossing and informative First Ladies is an essential resource for anyone interested in the role of America's First Ladies. Caroli observes the role as it has shifted and evolved from ceremonial backdrop to substantive world figure. This expanded and updated fifth edition presents Caroli's keen political analysis and astute observations of recent developments, including Melania Trump's reluctance to take on the mantle and former First Lady Hilary Clinton's recent run for president. Caroli here contributes a new preface and updated chapters.
-
-
Thorough
- By Kindle Customer on 10-11-20
-
The First Family Detail
- Secret Service Agents Reveal the Hidden Lives of the Presidents
- By: Ronald Kessler
- Narrated by: Michael Bybee
- Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From New York Times best-selling author and award-winning reporter Ronald Kessler, The First Family Detail tells eye-opening, behind-the-scenes stories from Secret Service agents about presidents and their families.
-
-
This was very, very interesting!
- By E.R. on 08-19-14
By: Ronald Kessler
-
Elizabeth Taylor
- The Grit & Glamour of an Icon
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Eleanor Caudill
- Length: 14 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No celebrity rivals Elizabeth Taylor’s glamour and guts or her level of fame. She was the last major star to come out of the old Hollywood studio system and she is a legend known for her beauty and her magnetic screen presence in a career that spanned most of the twentieth century and nearly sixty films. But her private life was even more compelling than her Oscar-winning on-screen performances. During her seventy-nine years of rapid-fire love and loss she was married eight times to seven different men.
-
-
Factually Incorrect in So Many Respects
- By Trudgette on 01-16-23
-
The Residence
- Inside the Private World of the White House
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
America's first families are unknowable in many ways. No one has insight into their true character like the people who serve their meals and make their beds every day. Full of stories and details by turns dramatic, humorous, and heartwarming, The Residence reveals daily life in the White House as it is really lived through the voices of the maids, butlers, cooks, florists, doormen, engineers, and others who tend to the needs of the president and first family.
-
-
The White House Explored & Exposed
- By Sara on 04-15-15
-
The Hidden History of the White House
- Power Struggles, Scandals, and Defining Moments
- By: Corey Mead
- Narrated by: Lindsay Graham, Jeremy Arthur
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For more than two centuries, the White House in Washington, DC, has been the stage for some of the most climactic moments in American history. Its walls and portraits have witnessed fierce power struggles, history-altering decisions, shocking scandals, and intimate moments among the First Family, their guests, and the staff.
-
-
They pieced a bunch of Wondery episodes together and it’s awful
- By Kim Dawe on 10-04-24
By: Corey Mead
-
Upstairs at the White House
- My Life with the First Ladies
- By: J. B. West
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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, funerals, gardens, playgrounds, and extensive renovations; and with a large staff, supervised every activity in the presidential home.
-
-
A tasteful taste of history
- By Mark on 04-27-15
By: J. B. West
-
First Ladies
- The Ever Changing Role, from Martha Washington to Melania Trump
- By: Betty Boyd Caroli
- Narrated by: Susan Ericksen
- Length: 20 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Betty Boyd Caroli's engrossing and informative First Ladies is an essential resource for anyone interested in the role of America's First Ladies. Caroli observes the role as it has shifted and evolved from ceremonial backdrop to substantive world figure. This expanded and updated fifth edition presents Caroli's keen political analysis and astute observations of recent developments, including Melania Trump's reluctance to take on the mantle and former First Lady Hilary Clinton's recent run for president. Caroli here contributes a new preface and updated chapters.
-
-
Thorough
- By Kindle Customer on 10-11-20
-
The First Family Detail
- Secret Service Agents Reveal the Hidden Lives of the Presidents
- By: Ronald Kessler
- Narrated by: Michael Bybee
- Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From New York Times best-selling author and award-winning reporter Ronald Kessler, The First Family Detail tells eye-opening, behind-the-scenes stories from Secret Service agents about presidents and their families.
-
-
This was very, very interesting!
- By E.R. on 08-19-14
By: Ronald Kessler
-
Elizabeth Taylor
- The Grit & Glamour of an Icon
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Eleanor Caudill
- Length: 14 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No celebrity rivals Elizabeth Taylor’s glamour and guts or her level of fame. She was the last major star to come out of the old Hollywood studio system and she is a legend known for her beauty and her magnetic screen presence in a career that spanned most of the twentieth century and nearly sixty films. But her private life was even more compelling than her Oscar-winning on-screen performances. During her seventy-nine years of rapid-fire love and loss she was married eight times to seven different men.
-
-
Factually Incorrect in So Many Respects
- By Trudgette on 01-16-23
-
White House Usher
- Stories from the Inside
- By: Christopher B. Emery
- Narrated by: Jonathan Salkoff
- Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For more than 200 years, a small office has operated on the state floor of the White House executive residence. Known as the Usher's Office, whose mission is to accommodate the personal needs of the first family, and to make the White House feel like a home. The Usher's Office is the managing office of the executive residence and its staff of 90-plus. The staff consists of butlers, carpenters, grounds personnel, electricians, painters, plumbers, florists, maids, housemen, cooks, chefs, storekeepers, curators, calligraphers, doormen, and administrative support.
-
-
Interesting. Maybe a little unfinished?
- By Crystal Stapleton on 06-25-22
-
The Hill
- Inside the Secret World of the U.S. Capitol
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Patricia Santomasso
- Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s a secret world hidden in the halls of the U.S. Capitol! The first stone was laid by George Washington himself, and the building stands today as one of the most recognizable symbols of the oldest democracy in the world. In this home of America’s legislative branch, senators and representatives fight to pass laws they believe are for the good of the country.
-
Mrs. Kennedy and Me
- An Intimate Memoir
- By: Clint Hill, Lisa McCubbin Hill
- Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For four years, from the election of John Fitzgerald Kennedy until after the election of Lyndon Johnson, Clint Hill was the Secret Service agent assigned to guard the glamorous and private Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. During those four years, he went from being a reluctant guardian to a fiercely loyal watchdog and friend. Looking back, Clint Hill tells his story for the first time, offering a tender and tragic portrayal of how a Secret Service agent who started life in an orphanage became the most trusted man in the life of the First Lady who captivated first the nation and then the world.
-
-
This Memoir is a Blessing!
- By Alexis on 04-08-12
By: Clint Hill, and others
-
The First Ladies
- By: Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray
- Narrated by: Robin Miles, Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 14 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The daughter of formerly enslaved parents, Mary McLeod Bethune refuses to back down as white supremacists attempt to thwart her work. She marches on as an activist and an educator, and as her reputation grows she becomes a celebrity, revered by titans of business and recognized by U.S. Presidents. Eleanor Roosevelt herself is awestruck and eager to make her acquaintance.
-
-
A Wake Up Call to history and today
- By JoeKristina Smith on 07-11-23
By: Marie Benedict, and others
-
Untold Power
- The Fascinating Rise and Complex Legacy of First Lady Edith Wilson
- By: Rebecca Boggs Roberts
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While this nation has yet to elect its first woman president—and though history has downplayed her role—just over a century ago a woman became the nation’s first acting president. In fact, she was born in 1872, and her name was Edith Bolling Galt Wilson. For the first time, we have a biography that takes an unflinching look at the woman whose ascent mirrors that of many powerful American women before and since, one full of the compromises and complicities women have undertaken throughout time in order to find security for themselves and make their mark on history.
-
-
Readers voice lacked Edith’s strength
- By Heidi on 08-01-24
-
The Triumph of Nancy Reagan
- By: Karen Tumulty
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 25 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This book explores the multifaceted character of Nancy Reagan and reveals new details surrounding the tumultuous presidency. The Washington Post columnist Karen Tumulty spent four years interviewing the people who knew this couple best and draws on overlooked archives, letters, memoirs, and White House records, compiling the most extensive biography of Nancy Reagan yet. From the AIDS epidemic to tensions with the Soviets and the War on Drugs, this book shows how Nancy Reagan became one of the most influential First Ladies of the century.
-
-
A poignant and rich biography—well worth the time!
- By Amazon Customer on 04-26-21
By: Karen Tumulty
-
Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt
- By: Eleanor Roosevelt
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 18 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The daughter of one of New York's most influential families, niece of Theodore Roosevelt, and wife of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt witnessed some of the most remarkable decades in modern history, as America transitioned from the Gilded Age, the Progressive Era, and the Depression to World War II and the Cold War. A champion of the downtrodden, Eleanor drew on her experience and used her role as First Lady to help those in need.
-
-
Fascinating
- By Jean on 03-26-18
-
Inside the White House
- By: Ronald Kessler
- Narrated by: Jeff Riggenbach
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"If the general public knew what was going on inside the White House, they would scream." So states one Secret Service agent, just a small link in the chain of security that has guarded the public image of the presidency and the men who define it - until now. With unprecedented access to Secret Service agents, domestic servants, Air Force One stewards, and military aides, journalist Ronald Kessler has gone behind the scenes to uncover the inside story of the White House.
-
-
Politically slanted, but interesting.
- By S. Horvath on 06-20-18
By: Ronald Kessler
-
The Kennedy Wives
- Triumph and Tragedy in America’s Most Public Family
- By: Amber Hunt, David Batcher
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Kennedy wives saw history up close - and made history in some cases. They knew wealth and privilege, but we are bonded to them by losses that are our losses, too. The Kennedy women - fierce, intelligent, and very private - belong to us. Not because of their glamour but because of their grief and misfortunes. The Kennedy Wives takes an unflinching look at the women who married into the Kennedy family and their distinct roles.
-
-
Royalty, American style
- By Silverthorne on 06-22-16
By: Amber Hunt, and others
-
Exploring the White House
- Inside America's Most Famous Home
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Patricia Santomasso
- Length: 4 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you ever wondered what exactly goes on inside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? Sure, the president of the United States works and resides there, but do you know who helps keep this historic house running? It’s no simple task, especially when there are important state events and foreign dignitaries - in addition to presidential pups, mischievous children, and even a couple of ghosts. And its Residence workers and first ladies make sure everything is in check and running smoothly.
-
-
Not bad, not bad at all.
- By brian on 12-09-20
-
Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight
- By: Julia Sweig
- Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
- Length: 18 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the spring of 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson had a decision to make. Just months after moving into the White House under the worst of circumstances - following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy - he had to decide whether to run to win the presidency in his own right. He turned to his most reliable, trusted political strategist: His wife, Lady Bird Johnson.
-
-
Fine, but lacking an intervention
- By Keith on 03-22-21
By: Julia Sweig
-
White House by the Sea
- A Century of the Kennedys at Hyannis Port
- By: Kate Storey
- Narrated by: Kathe Mazur
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, is synonymous with the Kennedy family. It is where, for a hundred years, America’s most storied political family has come to celebrate, bond, play, and grieve. It is also the setting of so many events we remember: JFK giving his presidential acceptance speech, Jackie speaking with a Life magazine reporter just days after her husband’s assassination, Senator Edward Kennedy seeking refuge after the Chappaquiddick crash, Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger tying the knot—and even Conor Kennedy courting pop star Taylor Swift.
-
-
A personal look at the Kennedys
- By CrezFive on 07-19-23
By: Kate Storey
Loved it
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
excellent read ,
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The book does not cover the first ladies chronologically but by topic. Under that topic the author may tell about each of the first ladies or only a few. At times I felt I was being yanked around and some information was repeated. Brower made a point that the majority of the first ladies did not want the position or to be in the spotlight. The author states the role is difficult, hard to quantify and often viewed through a lens of sexism. Brower noted that most of the first ladies became friends transcending political party differences. One of the examples given was that of Betty Ford and Lady Bird Johnson.
The book is well written and researched. The author appeared to be unbiased. Brower provides antidotes to make her points. Brower’s research included interviews of political advisors, friends, family and staff as well as letters, diaries and memoirs. The book provides general information. For those wanting more in-depth information, I suggest reading their biographies or memoirs.
The book is twelve and half hours. Karen White does a good job narrating the book. White is an actress and was an AudioFile Best Voice Award winner. She also has won multiple Earphone Awards and was an Audie Award finalist.
Engaging
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A Little Cloying
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great perspective on the lives of 1st Ladies
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Fascinating
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I am not sure I cared for the narrator.
Wonderful
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Very Interesting
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Good story, terrible narration.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Marnie Johnson.
Review
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.