A Slave in the White House

Paul Jennings, a freed man who once was a slave owned by James Madison, wrote about his experiences with the president. His brief account--only the last 16 minutes of this audiobook--concentrates on the War of 1812, including anecdotes about black soldiers and the removal of Washington's portrait. Kevin Kenerly's reading sets the mood well, particularly in the war stories. Judith West reads Elizabeth Dowling Taylor's history of the Madisons and the times Jennings lived in with emphasis on the attitudes of the era. Taylor sets the stage well for Jennings's writing. Still, Jennings's book will likely be just enough to make listeners wish that more of his words had survived. J.A.S. (c) AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine