FIRST FAMILIES weaves together the stories of presidents and their families, from George Washington to George W. Bush, to capture the intense ups and downs of their lives, both public and private, at the White House. In addition to chronicling dark moments in the lives of the first families and the nation––when presidents walked within the living rooms and bedrooms of White House determining whether or not to go to war––Bonnie Angelo also provides fascinating behind–the–scenes accounts of the illnesses and deaths of children and spouses within those same rooms, the stirrings of love, the squabbles of marriage, the joyful weddings of sons and daughters. The first book of its kind, FIRST FAMILIES will provide a lively look at how first families struggle to deal with the new life imposed on them, find a balance between their public and private selves, and create a family home amid the grandeur. Indeed, over the years the White House has taken on the character of a living force, shaping and warping the families it shelters. FIRST FAMILIES is the more than 200–year–old story of these wives, children, extended families and pets of 42 presidents who have lived in the White House, all with mixed feelings about the delights and drawbacks of the dwelling that is both a symbol and a home.