I have read the novel before, and forgot that it left a bitter and depressing "aftertaste" in my mind. It's very gloomy, long-forgotten old time of WWI in Europe, and Russian Revolution (on the side) of miserable events.... Pretty much has a continuous theme of death, unending doom and suffering.... The ending has minimum amount of satisfaction and happiness. I do not suggest it to elderly or ailing people, at all.
It's a good source to visit the inside of the White House. It's just too old (only by year 2012) and needs to be renewed and offer more photo-images of all the rooms, in old conditions and renewed or restored.
The small book is about the residents of the People's House, and not about its history and architecture ! And the sketches are bland and without character... I cannot advice this to anyone: old or young.
An amazingly wonderful story ! About how anyone can survive and flourish after being dealt a heavy personal blows throughout their lives. The very best of Danielle Steel, yet ! Deep inside analysis into our inner feelings toward ourselves and close others: raw and truthful. Who can we really rely on when we're physically and emotionally harmed yet have a hope to live and create a beauty for the world and our own creative selves.
Very well illustrated and presented account of overall invention of paper and paper-printing tools and mechanisms of its mass-production and betterment. But a too sofisticated and difficult to read for a normal person. Perhaps, it's better suited for specialists in that field.
