Synopses & Reviews
In this revealing social history, one remarkable White House dinner becomes a lens through which to examine race, politics, and the lives and legacies of two of Americaand#8217;s most iconic figures. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;In 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt invited Booker T. Washington to have dinner at the executive mansion with the First Family. The next morning, news that the president had dined with a black manand#8212;and former slaveand#8212;sent shock waves through the nation. Although African Americans had helped build the White House and had worked for most of the presidents, not a single one had ever been invited to dine there. Fueled by inflammatory newspaper articles, political cartoons, and even vulgar songs, the scandal escalated and threatened to topple two of Americaand#8217;s greatest men. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;In this smart, accessible narrative, one seemingly ordinary dinner becomes a window onto postand#8211;Civil War American history and politics, and onto the lives of two dynamic men whose experiences and philosophies connect in unexpected ways. Deborah Davis also introduces dozens of other fascinating figures who have previously occupied the margins and footnotes of history, creating a lively and vastly entertaining book that reconfirms her place as one of our most talented popular historians.
Review
"A well-researched, highly readable treatment of an important era in racial relations, encapsulated in the meeting of two of the eraand#8217;s most significant men."andlt;BRandgt; --andlt;iandgt;Kirkus Reviewsandlt;/iandgt;, starred reviewandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; "This is history that excites. This is history that inspires. And this is history that will make readers sit up all night."andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Betty DeRamus, author of andlt;iandgt;Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories from the Underground Railroadandlt;/iandgt; and andlt;iandgt;Freedom by Any Means. andlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;In fluid prose and with clear respect for her subject matter, Davis paints a vivid picture of race relations at the turn of the 20th century and#8211; a story resonating with todayand#8217;s fraught political and racial landscape.and#8221; and#8211; andlt;iandgt;Publishers Weeklyandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Valuable because it gives us not only a picture of how things have changed in the century since TR was President but also how much really hasnand#8217;t changed.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; --andlt;iandgt;The Moderate Voiceandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;[Davis] does an excellent job of sketching the backgorund of this remarkable period." -- andlt;iandgt;Wilmington Star Newsandlt;/iandgt;
Review
andlt;divandgt;"Provide[s] a panoramic view of America at the turn of the 20th century.
Review
"Provide[s] a panoramic view of America at the turn of the 20th century. . .Davisand#8217;s book is a marker of how far the country has come." --andlt;Iandgt;Washington Postandlt;/Iandgt;
About the Author
Deborah Davis is the author of andlt;iandgt;Fabritius and the Goldfinch: A True Story of Art, Tragedy, and Immortalityandlt;/iandgt;; andlt;iandgt;Guest of Honor: Booker T. Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and the White House Dinner That Shocked a Nationandlt;/iandgt;; andlt;iandgt;Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame Xandlt;/iandgt;; andlt;iandgt;Party of the Century: The Fabulous Story of Truman Capote and His Black and White Ballandlt;/iandgt;; and andlt;iandgt;Gilded: How Newport Became the Richest Resort in Americaandlt;/iandgt;. She formerly worked as an executive, story editor, and story analyst for several major film companies.