White House Autumn

Meatier than the well-crafted, believable The President's Daughter, White's sequel continues to chronicle events about the family of Katherine Powers, first woman President of the U.S. Meghan (Meg) is 17 and, with her younger brothers Steve and Neal, endures life in the spotlight while trying to carry on normally in private at home. Madame President and First Gentleman Russell are respected and she's doing well until a psycho wounds her seriously. Unsure whether she will recover, Russell and the children suffer severe traumas that they express in their own ways while relying on each other for solace and support. The media are more of a burden than ever; the author clearly delineates the effects of unremitting assaults as well as the Powerses' dignified ways of handling them. Apart from its novelistic merits, the book prompts thought on the burdens of public office, the need for character in the elect and their families. (12up)