As someone who is fascinated by the workings of the American government, and of the presidency, in particular, from the time of F.D.R. forward, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As lead reporter for UPI at the White House, Helen Thomas was a unique personality, a pioneering for her gender in her field, persistent in her questioning of the presidents she covered, and a clear, concise and entertaining historian and memoirist. I found her book to be a good single source of the important events of the history of the country and presidents from J.F.K. to W. J. Clinton. Her anecdotes from the "inside" reveal much of a personal nature concerning herself, her many colleagues, and her subjects. Highly recommended.
Helen Thomas is able to share her unique perspective of the White House and its residents thanks to the 30+ years she spent in the press corps. The insights range from the political (the inner workings of the Watergate scandal) to the personal (a better understanding of the lives of the first ladies).
The sequence of the book is a bit uneven as Thomas covers first her personal history and then goes back in time to cover the presidencies and their relationships with the media over the years.
Especially in an election year - it was interesting to see just how "real" the presidents and their families truly are, even when they are "imprisoned" in the White House.
we all know this woman as the person who would say at the end of Presidential news confrences:"Thank You , Mr.President.
she is gritty,funny and the first woman to hold this post.
a good read to see and remember the times that she recalls in this book.
