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Are You Prepared for the Storm of Love Making?
Letters of Love and Lust from the White House
By Dorothy Hoobler and Thomas Hoobler
Table of Contents
About The Book
A delightful collection of love letters by American presidents to their wives—and lovers—revealing an intimate and deeply personal side of our leaders.
Our presidents loom so large in history that we often forget they are human. Are You Prepared for the Storm of Love Making? is a collection of handwritten love letters that offers a surprising and intimate portrait of the men who occupied the White House. From George Washington to Barack Obama, these are not the presidents we see in history books. Instead, when they courted the women they wanted to marry, or seduced women outside of their marriage, they often showed a side the public did not see—playful, passionate, tender, consumed by desire.
Some of the letters are incredibly romantic—and surprisingly so.
It took Richard Nixon years to convince Pat Ryan to marry him: “Someday let me see you again? In September? Maybe?”
Others will make you blush.
Staid-looking Woodrow Wilson, about to return home from a trip, warned his wife of ten years: “Do you think you can stand the unnumerable kisses and the passionate embraces you will receive? Are you prepared for the storm of lovemaking with which you will be assailed?” In letters to one of his mistresses, Warren G. Harding referred to his penis as “Jerry”—letters which would later be used to blackmail him.
All the letters show the writer at his most vulnerable. We see letters of sorrow written about the death of a child or during a time of separation while the president was away on the battlefield. This beautiful book is a captivating collection of love stories revealing a human side of the men we still honor today.
Our presidents loom so large in history that we often forget they are human. Are You Prepared for the Storm of Love Making? is a collection of handwritten love letters that offers a surprising and intimate portrait of the men who occupied the White House. From George Washington to Barack Obama, these are not the presidents we see in history books. Instead, when they courted the women they wanted to marry, or seduced women outside of their marriage, they often showed a side the public did not see—playful, passionate, tender, consumed by desire.
Some of the letters are incredibly romantic—and surprisingly so.
It took Richard Nixon years to convince Pat Ryan to marry him: “Someday let me see you again? In September? Maybe?”
Others will make you blush.
Staid-looking Woodrow Wilson, about to return home from a trip, warned his wife of ten years: “Do you think you can stand the unnumerable kisses and the passionate embraces you will receive? Are you prepared for the storm of lovemaking with which you will be assailed?” In letters to one of his mistresses, Warren G. Harding referred to his penis as “Jerry”—letters which would later be used to blackmail him.
All the letters show the writer at his most vulnerable. We see letters of sorrow written about the death of a child or during a time of separation while the president was away on the battlefield. This beautiful book is a captivating collection of love stories revealing a human side of the men we still honor today.
About The Authors
Photograph by Ellen Hoobler
Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler have written many award-winning books for adults and young adults. Their young adult mystery set in medieval Japan won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. Their ten-book series on American ethnic groups, published by Oxford University Press, received many favorable reviews from such publications as The New York Times and the Miami Herald. The Hooblers’ other books for adults include The Monsters, which tells the story of Mary Shelley and the four people who helped inspire her classic novel Frankenstein; and The Crimes of Paris, a collection of famous French crimes that was excerpted in Vanity Fair. Dorothy has a master’s degree in American history from New York University.
Photograph by Thomas Hoobler
Thomas and Dorothy Hoobler have written many award-winning books for adults and young adults. Their young adult mystery set in medieval Japan won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. Their ten-book series on American ethnic groups, published by Oxford University Press, received many favorable reviews from such publications as The New York Times and the Miami Herald. The Hooblers’ other books for adults include The Monsters, which tells the story of Mary Shelley and the four people who helped inspire her classic novel Frankenstein; and The Crimes of Paris, a collection of famous French crimes that was excerpted in Vanity Fair. Tom received his master’s in education from Xavier University.
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster (February 6, 2024)
- Length: 304 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668014844
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Raves and Reviews
“A lovely book, stuffed with romantic details…and many revelations…a helpful reminder that historical figures are also human beings: petty, sappy and flawed.” — The New York Times Book Review
“A Valentine’s Day-worthy compilation.” — The Wall Street Journal
“For the romance reader who also likes history, or the history lover who wants a hint of spice, here’s your book. You’ll love every letter of it.” — Eagle Times
“By tradition, presidents are expected to have fewer amorous distractions than the rest of us. But this high-spirited and richly sourced chronicle of White House heat—erudite yet irresistibly readable—peels back the curtains of the Residence, while ripping open surprisingly adult items in the Oval Office outbox, to reveal that the grand and glorious People’s House where Lincoln walks at night has always been and still remains home to people no less real, adoring, infatuated, or just plain whipped after a day at the office, than you or I." — David Michaelis, New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor
“Like looking through a peephole into the Oval Office! A delightful book for a quick glimpse into a secret history.” —Tara Deal, novelist and poet
"You will blush, you will laugh, and you will swoon knowing that love and passion existed amongst the history makers of this country." — Lydia Kang, author of A Beautiful Poison
"A riveting and revealing behind-the-scenes glimpse into the love lives and marital relationships of the nation’s presidents. Filled with intriguing insights and fascinating facts, this engrossing book casts a fresh light on these men’s personalities and character. Proof that public figures’ private lives can be just as interesting as their political conduct." — Steven Mintz, Professor of History, The University of Texas at Austin
"The Hooblers have provided us with a smorgasbord of fascinating letters of American presidents, spiced with exquisitely researched anecdotes which put these historical gems in their proper context. A delightful and informative trip through presidential history." — Steven Lomazow M.D, author of FDR Unmasked
"For the romance reader who also likes history, or the history lover who wants a hint of spice, here’s your book. Read Are You Prepared For the Storm of Love Making? You’ll love every letter of it." — The Bradford Era
"Often touching and sometimes racy…the presidents’ love letters reveal not only the depth of feeling in their relationships but also intriguing details about historic events and people." — Publishers Weekly
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- Author Photo (jpg): Dorothy Hoobler Photograph by Ellen Hoobler(0.1 MB)
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- Author Photo (jpg): Thomas Hoobler Photograph by Thomas Hoobler(0.1 MB)
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