A Natural History of New York Book

Katharine Graham really loved Washington. She REALLY loved Washington. I think she loved Washington even more than I love it. Which is saying a great deal.

Katharine Graham's Washington is a collection of stories, articles, cartoons, and even a poem or two, each of which says something special about my favorite city. Kay Graham collected them over the course of her lifetime and cherished her collection as lovingly as can be imagined. When she passed away, this collection was found among her possessions ready for posthumous publication, with everything completed, down to the introduction of the book as well as introductions to each section she designated, and even brief remarks or annotations about each piece she chose, explaining her reasons for liking the particular piece and her own reminiscences about the subject matter of the essay in question. In fact, these brief introductory notes to each selection were my favorite part of the book. Kay Graham was intelligent, well-connected, and a very shrewd observer of the Washington scene she loved so much and reading her thoughts was almost more interesting than some of the selections she chose!

The book is broken into different sections, including "Washington Events," "Washington Women," "Washington Humor," "Visits to Washington," and "President Watching." Each section has its outstanding selections, but some of my favorite pieces included:

-Agnes Ernst Meyer's (Kay Graham's mother) diary entries and observations of some of the characters she encountered during a very well-lived Washington life.

-The intensely moving pieces about John F. Kennedy's tragic death and "The Man In The Emergency Room," an essay about the day Reagan was shot, written by one of his closest friends, which made me sob.

-An absolutely hilarious essay describing a day in the life of a "native Washingtonian." I was rolling on the floor during the part about the Secretary of State making an ambiguous remark to confuse the French (just 'cause), which then led the press to speculate that the U.S. would be breaking off diplomatic relations with India and/or selling nukes to Nicaragua and/or going to war with Canada. Oh, and did you hear the one about the security-conscious secretary who left the Pentagon to take a job with a bishop? She filed all of his correspondence under two categories - Sacred and Top Sacred. Oh, just read it. You'll see why I was laughing hysterically on the Metro.

-David McCullough's essay "I Love Washington." I love both Washington and David McCullough.

-"The First Christmas With The Roosevelts," as seen through the eyes of a White House housekeeper... and in fact, every mention of Eleanor Roosevelt, who is one of my favorite historical figures.

-A sweet, funny and touching excerpt from Traphes Bryant's memoir, "Dog Days at the White House: The Outrageous Memories of the Presidential Kennel Keeper," which inspired me to track down a copy of the out-of-print book to give my mother-in-law for Christmas. She's going to love it.

-Essays about Cissy Patterson, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, and the hordes of "government girls" in the "Washington Women" section.

I could go on and on, but the book is over 800 pages... and worth every second I spent reading - no, devouring - it. Read it for yourself and see. Washingtonians will remember why they love this city, why most of us moved here in the first place... and they will feel an urge to spend a few weekend days rediscovering our town, wandering through the monuments or down the National Mall, or just standing and grinning while a motorcade goes screaming by. And those of you non-Washingtonians... well, read this book and I guarantee it won't be long before you pay us a visit.