FORTY TWO YEARS IN THE WHITE HOUSE

by Irwin Hood Hoover ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 18, 1934

The publishers expect to put a big push back of this; a few sections have appeared in the Post and may whet the appetite for more; ""Ike"" Hoover was in the position in the White House to have at his finger tips the sort of back stairs gossip that is tremendously appealing to the insatiably curious rank and file of readers. BUT the book is very disappointing. Rightly handled and adroitly put together it should make chatty, human interest stuff with wide popular appeal. As presented, Mr. Hoover skirts the subject, skips the really interesting sort of news about the presidents and their families and the daily round of life -- and skims the surface, without ever making anyone of the figures anything more than one-dimensional. Starting with Harrison, he outlines the changes in personnel, the changes in architectural structure, decoration, atmosphere, custom. But he does it by stating baldly that such and such is the case rather than by building the picture. His anecdotal bits are flimsy and unimportant. He answers, more or less categorically, the questions as to how the presidents and their families lived, what they wore, when and what they ate, and how one administration differed from another. But the general impression is colorless and dull. However, the book will doubtless have a certain sort of general sale, so watch it.

Pub Date: Sept. 18, 1934

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Houghton, Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1934

Categories: NONFICTION