The basis of this book was a newspaper article and that is what it should have stayed. The book was written AFTER the movie (which was mostly fictional) and dealt more w/making the movie than with the butler. Our members didn't get a sense of the real butler, Eugene Allen, or his life at the White House.

Enjoyed this book very much.

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.