From George Washington to George W. Bush, every one of our presidents has felt the need for a place where he could get away from the demands of the office. The basic reason was the same for all: a release from pressure. As Ronald Reagan said of the time he spent at his ranch—cumulatively nearly one year out of his eight in office—“I do some of my best thinking there.” For our early presidents, their homes in the country were their retreats. Some conducted business while they relaxed; others used these havens mostly to rest, think, read, write, as well as to enjoy fresh air and spend quality time with family. Many of the places are not open to the public, yet they all have tales to tell: political plotting and planning; important policy decisions made; foreign leaders met (and lobbied), children raised, even some romantic dalliances. Featuring contact information and website addresses for each site, readers experience them all firsthand in PRESIDENTIAL RETREATS.
Peter Hannaford is president of Hannaford Enterprises, Inc., a public relations/public affairs consultancy he founded in 1998. He also is a senior counselor for APCO Worldwide, a large public affairs/strategic communications firm based in Washington. In Ronald Reagan’s 1976 presidential nomination campaign Hannaford was co-director of issues and research; in the 1980 campaign, senior communications adviser to Reagan. Hannaford is the author of numerous articles and eleven published books.
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“There’s much more to learn about presidential retreats than the location of Camp David, as Hannaford shows in his book on the places where the chief executives recharge and rest…Hannaford brings everything up to date, including tour schedules, with a pleasing format and anecdotes catering to Americans’ taste for
history and tradition.” —Publishers Weekly
“Breezily written and enjoyable, this book opens up a different perspective on the presidency.” —Kirkus Reviews
“This tome dwells where U.S. presidents dwelt whenever they escaped from the capital, at their getaway places. Hannaford describes the refuges of every chief executive and supplies information for touring them if they are open to the public; not all are…With summaries of each president’s incumbency, Hannaford’s work may most interest readers inclined to visit a presidential home or vacation place.” —Booklist
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