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Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... Hardwood Creek Library (Forest Lake) | 921 CLARKE | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury) | 921 CLARKE | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Stillwater Public Library | 920 CLA | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
In this book Nancy Clarke reveals the touching, funny, and illuminating story of what it was like to serve under six presidential administrations and to help each first lady find her own personal style when it came to planning flower designs, state dinners, and holiday festivities in the White House. You'll learn how Nancy gave comfort to Nancy Reagan when she discovered she had cancer and how she helped Laura Bush to gain the confidence to select bright, bold flower arrangements over the more conservative palettes she had used in her first years as first lady. You'll see the deep bond that developed between Nancy Clarke and Barbara Bush. You'll learn about the warmth and spontaneity of Hillary Clinton and you'll feel what it was like to be standing in a bunker right next to President Bush in the days following 9/11. Nancy shares her experiences and insights with a chapter devoted to each first lady from Rosalynn Carter to Michelle Obama. Only Nancy Clarke can reveal the inside story of what it was like to work for more than 30 years in the White House she called her second home.
Author Notes
Nancy Clarke was the White House Chief Floral Designer for three decades. She retired on May 31, 2009. Her only book, My First Ladies: Twenty-Five Years as the White House Chief Floral Designer, was published in 2011. She received the 2006 Award of Merit to Industry by the American Institute of Floral Designers. She died on January 14, 2012 at the age of 66.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In this light-hearted memoir, retired White House Chief Floral Designer Clarke shares her memories of working for first ladies from Rosalynn Carter to Michelle Obama. For 25 years, Clarke worked with the presidential spouses and their staffs on a daily basis, creating floral arrangements for everything from the president's private quarters, to elaborate state dinners fit for a queen. Clarke writes in glowing terms about all the first ladies, but she also paints an intimate portrait of each. Her success as chief floral designer depended on her being a careful student of their idiosyncratic tastes and temperaments. Readers may also be interested in learning how national events, such as the 2000 election uncertainty, the Clinton impeachment, and the terrifying events of 9/11, were experienced by the behind-the-scenes White House staff. There are no shocking revelations in these pages, but Clarke's memories will entertain those who would like a glimpse inside America's most famous house. 29 color photographs. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
The reader of this peculiar volume better like flowers, as well as chatty memories of six First Ladies. A florist by heritage (her grandfather managed estate gardens), former flight attendant Clarke stumbled into a White House job through her adult-education teacher: as a volunteer first and then, in 1981, as a paid full-time employee (and, soon, chief floral designer) under the thumb of the chief usher. The job itself was no cakewalk: with the White House's 132 rooms and many festive occasions and informal parties, being ready at a minute's notice was a key criterion. Clarke profiles each First Lady, describing her personal style and preferences (floral and otherwise), all embellished with menus, notes, and photographs. We learn Nancy Reagan was drawn to peonies, and Rosalynn Carter to roses. We also learn some tricks of the trade inject water lilies with muscle relaxant to keep them perky and afforded a glance into the doings of the rich and famous, from Gorbachev to Queen Elizabeth II.--Jacobs, Barbara Copyright 2010 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Chief floral designer at the White House for 25 years, Clarke regales us with stories that place a special emphasis on the First Ladies she knew. Beginning as a floral volunteer during the Carter administration, Clarke worked her way up, getting to know the women of the White House, from Rosalynn Carter through Michelle Obama, along the way. Readers gain insight into the experience of working in the White House, the tremendous planning that goes into events, and Clarke's relationships with the First Families. Overall, her observations are compelling, though details about a First Lady's jewelry or the distance Clarke commutes to work seem like fluffy filler. This memoir is not a tell-all. Though people sometimes seem demanding, no one mentioned in anecdotes, whether a First Family member, another staffer, or a volunteer, ever appears in a negative light, as happens in Roland Mesnier's All the Presidents' Pastries or Connie Mariano's The White House Doctor. VERDICT This is an enjoyable peek behind the scenes for those who can't read enough about our First Families.-Bonnie -Poquette, Milwaukee (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
