Blends the political with the personal in this portrait of White House butler Eugene Allen. Allen, an African-American, served eight US Presidents (from Harry Truman to Ronald Reagan) for 34 years – a span of time that included remarkable gains in civil rights.

This is a lovely little book, and a nice accompaniment to the movie. The photos and history of the man whose life provided the inspiration for the movie were interesting, and I enjoyed reading about how this project came about. I also liked the history of Black people in the movie industry that led up to there being so many great actors available to be cast in this movie. It is crazy to think about how the United States was just a few decades ago, and to realize how impossible a movie like this would have been just 50 years ago. I definitely recommend reading this book and watching the movie. ( )

I listened to the audio edition. Not what I expected but interesting. ( )

Eugene Allen was a White House butler for over three decades serving eight presidents and their families. As a black man, Eugene was especially affected by the turbulent times; the civil rights movement, Vietnam War, the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Kennedys, apartheid in South Africa. Although he was witness to much that went on behind the scenes he kept his thoughts to himself and did not bring gossip home to his own family. At the age of 89 he was proud to vote for America's first black president.

I realize that such a short book (just over 100 pages) could not cover the life of Mr. Allen with much depth but this book is certainly not what I expected. It is more a 100-page movie trailer than a biography. There are some short passages that give a glimpse into the butler's life and some interesting tidbits about the history of blacks in Hollywood. On the whole, don't waste your time.
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The Butler is a brief but intriguing look at the life of Eugene Allen, who became a White House butler and served for more than three decades before, during, and after the civil rights movement. On one level, it is Allen’s personal story, and on another level, it is the story of African-Americans in the 20th century. Although the book left me wanting more – something the movie did not provide – The Butler is worth a read. ( )