-
White House Usher
- Stories from the Inside
- Narrated by: Jonathan Salkoff
- Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners 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
-
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
-
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
-
First Women
- The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 12 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Who is missing?
- By Southern belle on 05-07-16
-
One Damn Thing After Another
- Memoirs of an Attorney General
- By: William P. Barr
- Narrated by: Mark Deakins
- Length: 22 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
William Barr’s first tenure as attorney general under President George H.W. Bush was largely the result of chance, while his second tenure under President Donald Trump a deliberate and difficult choice. In this candid memoir, Barr takes listeners behind the scenes during seminal moments of the 1990s, from the LA riots to Pan Am 103 and Iran Contra. Thirty years later, Barr faced an unrelenting barrage of issues, such as Russiagate, the COVID outbreak, civil unrest, the impeachments, and the 2020 election fallout.
-
-
Very disappointing and so partisan
- By William J Brown on 03-09-22
By: William P. Barr
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
First Women
- The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 12 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Who is missing?
- By Southern belle on 05-07-16
-
One Damn Thing After Another
- Memoirs of an Attorney General
- By: William P. Barr
- Narrated by: Mark Deakins
- Length: 22 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
William Barr’s first tenure as attorney general under President George H.W. Bush was largely the result of chance, while his second tenure under President Donald Trump a deliberate and difficult choice. In this candid memoir, Barr takes listeners behind the scenes during seminal moments of the 1990s, from the LA riots to Pan Am 103 and Iran Contra. Thirty years later, Barr faced an unrelenting barrage of issues, such as Russiagate, the COVID outbreak, civil unrest, the impeachments, and the 2020 election fallout.
-
-
Very disappointing and so partisan
- By William J Brown on 03-09-22
By: William P. Barr
-
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
-
Under This Roof
- The White House and the Presidency - 21 Presidents, 21 Rooms, 21 Inside Stories
- By: Paul Brandus
- Narrated by: Tom Zingarelli
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Under This Roof, award-winning White House journalist Paul Brandus weaves together stories of the presidents, their families, the events of their time, and an oft-ignored major character, the White House itself. From George Washington to the current occupant, Barack Obama - the story of the White House is the story of America itself, Brandus writes.
-
-
Interesting but Glaring Omission
- By Syd Young on 07-03-20
By: Paul Brandus
-
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
-
20 Years in the Secret Service: New Edition
- My Life with Five Presidents
- By: Rufus W. Youngblood
- Narrated by: Tony Messano
- Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While highlighting his 20-year career in the Secret Service during which he protected Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon, US Secret Service Agent Rufus W. Youngblood describes the complexities, risks, and constant tensions involved in protecting America's chief executive. Along with several humorous anecdotes, archival audio inserts enhance this personalized journey through a critical period in American history.
-
-
Great first hand look into the USSS
- By Anonymous User on 06-05-18
-
The Palace Papers
- Inside the House of Windsor - the Truth and the Turmoil
- By: Tina Brown
- Narrated by: Tina Brown
- Length: 17 hrs and 56 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.
-
-
Tina Brown reads her book
- By Karen on 04-26-22
By: Tina Brown
-
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 Man I Knew
- The Amazing Story of George H. W. Bush's Post-Presidency
- By: Jean Becker
- Narrated by: Kathleen McInerney, George Dvorsky
- Length: 11 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A heartfelt portrait of President George H.W. Bush - and his post-presidential life - by the confidante who knew him best.
-
-
You Will NOT Be Disappointed!
- By Andrea M. Damitio on 06-07-21
By: Jean Becker
-
Here's the Deal
- A Memoir
- By: Kellyanne Conway
- Narrated by: Kellyanne Conway
- Length: 19 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a highly respected pollster for corporate and Republican clients and a frequent television talk show guest, Kellyanne Conway had already established herself as one of the brightest lights on the national political scene when Donald Trump asked her to run his presidential campaign. She agreed, delivering him to the White House, becoming the first woman in American history to manage a winning presidential campaign. Who she is, how she did it, and who tried to stop her is a fascinating story of personal triumph and political intrigue that has never been told…until now.
-
-
I vote Democrat and I like Kellyanne however,
- By patrikiwi on 06-01-22
By: Kellyanne Conway
-
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
-
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.
-
-
Inflection of narrator really annoying
- By Sparky on 06-18-12
By: Nancy Gibbs, and others
-
The President's House
- History and Secrets of the World's Most Famous Home
- By: Margaret Truman
- Narrated by: Sandra Burr
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As Margaret Truman knows from firsthand experience, living in the White House can be exhilarating and maddening, alarming and exhausting, but it is certainly never dull. Part private residence, part goldfish bowl, and part national shrine, the White House is both the most important address in America and the most intensely scrutinized.
-
-
Awesome History!
- By LisaB on 02-18-20
By: Margaret Truman
-
Crisis of Character
- A White House Secret Service Officer Discloses His Firsthand Experience with Hillary, Bill, and How They Operate
- By: Gary J. Byrne
- Narrated by: Brian Troxell
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Posted directly outside President Clinton's Oval Office, former Secret Service uniformed officer Gary Byrne reveals what he observed of Hillary Clinton's character and the culture inside the White House while protecting the first family in Crisis of Character, the most anticipated book of the 2016 election.
-
-
Great listen!!
- By Michelle Tilton on 11-07-16
By: Gary J. Byrne
-
Within Arm's Length
- A Secret Service Agent's Definitive Inside Account of Protecting the President
- By: Dan Emmett
- Narrated by: Kevin Foley
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dan Emmett was just eight years old when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The events surrounding the president's death shaped the course of young Emmett's life as he set a goal of becoming a U.S. Secret Service agent-one of a special group of people willing to trade their lives for that of the president, if necessary. Within Arm's Length is a revealing and compelling inside look at the Secret Service and the elite Presidential Protective Division (PPD).
-
-
Not What I Was Expecting
- By VC on 07-07-16
By: Dan Emmett
Publisher's Summary
From January 1986 until March 1994, Chris Emery was part of one of the most unique services in the U.S. government - an usher in the White House.
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.
Ushers work closely with the first family, senior staff, social office, press office, secret service agency, and military leaders to carry out White House functions: luncheons, dinners, teas, receptions, meetings, conferences, and more.
Chris Emery was only the 18th White House usher since 1891, and had the honor and privilege to serve presidential families for three years during the Reagan administration, four years for President H. W. Bush, and 14 months under President Clinton. His vignettes recreate intimate White House happenings from an insider’s viewpoint.
Chris Emery was the only White House usher to be terminated in the 20th century. Tune in to find out which first lady fired him....
“With his book, White House Usher: Stories from the Inside, former usher Chris Emery gives his readers a peek inside what happens upstairs at the White House. Chris’ anecdotes tell a rich story of how America’s house really is the first families’ home. I loved my trip down memory lane.” (former first lady Barbara Bush, October 2017)
What listeners say about White House Usher
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dennis
- 03-17-21
As close as you will come to being Residence Staff
Loved the stories. Brought me back to the good old days at the White House. Thanks Chris for the memories.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Callie
- 04-20-21
An Enjoyable Read
The author writes candidly about his time at the White House sharing his personal observations. He enjoyed quite a bit of personal time with the presidential families. It shares the difficulty the staff goes through in adjusting to a new administration and saying goodbye to the old. They all work very hard and long hours.
The writing was well done clear and concise while the narrator did a good job of reading. I found it engaging and entertaining.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Windsorsmith9
- 12-30-20
Really enjoyed this!
I love the way this is narrated and I truly enjoyed the book overall! I’m not really big into politics, so this was refreshing, as it gave a more personal perspective to our presidents.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Crystal Stapleton
- 06-25-22
Interesting. Maybe a little unfinished?
The stories were interesting - definitely only a perspective that a White House Usher would have, which I find so fascinating. I appreciate the stories and pranks. The one thing that I felt was lacking was more details after the phrases "What a sight to see!". I was left wanting more....like tell me what it looked like! Help me feel like I'm in your shoes and experiencing it from your eyes. Everything was matter of fact, which was fine, I would have just felt a deeper connection had those details been there. Overall great book and Chris should not have been terminated as White House Usher. You can tell he has a great heart.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- scott cohen
- 02-11-22
Excellent
What an insight enjoyed the book and learned a lot. To bad he did not retire from the White House
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Wayne Keith
- 12-24-21
Quite enjoyable.
Excellent narrator. I would recommend this book. The author takes the reader on humorous and fascinating trips through the halls of the White House. It was interesting to find out what is a typical day for the President.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Hey Zeus
- 10-18-21
Boring
Too much about himself, not enough important information. Lots of useless info. Not recommended.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- R. Squyres
- 10-05-21
Facetime with the Presidents
What makes this book real fun is that it is full of private little moments with the presidents and their families. There are only historical notes to anchor the book in what was happening at the time; but almost all of the stories are from Emery's point of view. The reader gets lots of time with the Reagan's, the Bush's and the Clintons. The inner workings of the 90's White House is revealed.
I came away liking the Regan's more, loving the Bushes and Hillary . . . I guess you should read it yourself.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- William Hill
- 07-19-21
Very good listen.
Only once did I question the accuracy of this book.
Regan never said what was quoted.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Paula
- 12-23-20
Fascinating Glimpses of Life in the White House
I really enjoyed this book as it gave insight on three different presidents and their First Ladies plus how the running of the White House is organised. I had a slight misgiving with the narrator who came over a bit smug and smarmy. I think if I had read the book to myself I probably wouldn’t have got that impression of the author. Mr Emery served two presidential families for years before the Clintons and I think that is validation enough of his reputation.