The books on American Icons seem to have taken me back to the White House Trail.

I started with Inside the White House: Stories From the World's Most Famous Residence, by Noel Grove (with William b. Bushong and Joel D. Treese). This is a National Geographic book so the photographs are beautiful. There are chapters on the history, of course, but also on the First Ladies and their impact, and what happens in times of crisis.

From slaves on the construction crew for the original White House to President Obama, the history of black Americans has been a twisted and torturous one. The Black History of the White House by Clarence Lusane is that history. The first black secret service men could not bunk with the other agents when traveling in some states. The first time a black person was invited to the White House caused a huge scandal. Dense and detailed this was a some times uncomfortable read, but well worth it.

Every resident likes to make a few changes, and of course, the White House needed to be updated from time to time as well, but in the past, it seems, that was done without too much thought as to how it affected the structure. When Harry Truman and his family moved in they noticed lots of creaks and groans, chandeliers swayed dramatically, and sometimes the floor seemed to roll like a wave on the ocean. The more they looked, the worse damage became .... supporting beams were notched or cut, debris (such as sawdust) was left between walls near electric wires, charred walls from the fire in 1914 had not been replaced and were still in use ... the Trumans moved out and a massive reconstruction job was started. The Hidden White House: Harry Truman and the Reconstruction of America’s Most Famous Residence, by Robert Klare is the compelling and frustrating store of that job. (Imagine doing a job this size where every move had to be approved by a government agency ... good grief)! Sadly, some of the decisions were more of a 'remuddle' than restoration but that would improve thanks to future first ladies. An excellent read!

This book also provided a wonderful quote from President Calvin Coolidge, who was taking a walk one evening with Missouri senator Selden Spencer. Mr. Spencer, gazing at the glowing structure of the White House at night jokingly commented "I wonder who lives there." The laconic Coolidge responded "Nobody. They just come and go."

It takes a huge staff to run the White House, and yet, for the most part, they seem almost invisible. They avoid cameras, will not answer questions, and guard the privacy of the First Family vehemently. The Residence: Inside the Private World of The White House, by Kate Andersen Brower is a wonderful collection of memoirs from retired staff, who, while willing to talk with the author, often did so without naming names, dates, etc. Sometimes a story (such as the one about LBJ's shower) had been made public by another family member so there's a bit more detail, but it was not going to come from someone of the staff first. I like that! Especially poignant were the stories from staff that were there during the Kennedy administration.

Other White House books: March 15 and May 6 2014 and May 5, 2015 posts.

Reading Hermit With Dog