With gorgeous photos and a rich, fascinating text . . . HOUSES OF THE PRESIDENTS is the gift book that will grab everyone on your list, from your history-buff grandfather to your real-estate-obsessed sister. . . . The photographs are highly evocative, with a strong sense of place. The text encompasses architectural history, family stories and presidential lore. . . . A visual treat and an entertaining and informative read. -
More MagazineAmong the book's pleasures is the way it delivers American history in manageable bites. If you had to point to one thing that distinguishes the homes of American presidents from those of ordinary mortals, ultimately it wouldn't be the wallpaper or the plumbing, but the way history inhabits the walls. -
The Wall Street JournalThe White House is just a place to live for a few years; the places in this book are homes. A marvelous volume for the whole family to enjoy. -
-Louisville Courier-JournalAuthor Hugh Howard uses the houses as a device to relate the stories of the presidents and the forces that shaped them. . . . Photos by Roger Straus III let us see how the presidents lived. -
-Akron Beacon JournalIt's easy to be cynical after a bruising election, but this patriotic homage to the lodgings of our nation's leaders - many of them humble - will give you a frisson of pride. -
-- USA TodayStartFragment
Presidential houses tell us much about those who
lived in them. Some, like
Jefferson's Monticello, tell how these men shaped their places. Others, like
Washington's Mount Vernon and FDR's Springwood at Hyde Park, tell how they were
shaped by them. And still others, like Madison's Montpelier and Lincoln's
Cottage, tell how the ideas they propagated there shaped the nation. These
stories and more are all here in this wonderfully written and beautifully
photographed book by Hugh Howard and Roger Straus III. It is certain to remain
the definitive work on this fascinating subject for many years to come.
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Richard Moe, president emeritus, National Trust
for Historic Preservation
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Houses of the Presidents is a marvelous contribution to American history. Meticulously preserved childhood and family homes-from the humble to the most majestic-are included in this brilliantly illustrated book. No home should be without it!
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Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History, Rice University, and Fellow, James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy
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