Combing Through the White House

Hair and Its Shocking Impact on the Politics, Private Lives, and Legacies of the Presidents

Theodore Pappas

• Publisher: Harper Celebrate
• Year: 2024
• eBook ISBN: 9781400246144
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Discover a fascinating and novel look at the U.S. presidents, the first families, and American history—all through the lens of hair. With meticulous detail, engaging storytelling, and full-color visuals, encyclopedia editor Theodore Pappas combs through American history, teasing out long-forgotten and little-known ways that hair has influenced the presidency and the public and private lives, personal scandals, and tragedies of the men and women who have occupied the White House.

Go deep into the history of such topics as:

• Abraham Lincoln's famously ridiculed appearance and the surprising role hair played in both his presidency and assassination
• John F. Kennedy's connection to James Bond and how hair factored into his vast image-making and infidelities
• The lush tradition of collecting hair as a way of honoring leaders, remembering our loved ones, and preserving their memories
• Scientific hair analysis and how DNA has been used to solve long-standing presidential mysteries
• The connection of hair to the lives, loves, scandals, and tragedies that shaped presidents, first ladies, and the nation at large

 

This unique window into the past shines entertaining new light on the decisions, relationships, and tragedies that have shaped the role of the president and the place of the U.S. in the world. Whether you're interested in presidential trivia or historical mysteries, Combing Through the White House personalizes the past through an element of life we can all relate to—hair—giving us new glimpses into our country and even ourselves.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Note to the Reader
• Introduction: A Novel Look At the Presidency
• 1. The “Body Politic” of a President: Hair and the Life and Death of Abraham Lincoln
• 2. Locks and Presidential Legacies: The Long, Lush History of Collecting Hair
• 3. Politics, Diplomacy, and Family Life: Hair’s Mighty Impact, At Home and Abroad
• 4. Hair, Image, and Infidelities: The Case of John F. Kennedy
• 5. Parallel Tragedies: The Pierces, the Bushes, and the Death of a Child
• 6. Follicle Forensics: Solving Presidential Mysteries Through Science and DNA
• Notes
• Acknowledgments
• Image Credits
• About the Author