His best-selling book, Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies (with Mary Lynn Kotz), documents his time in the executive mansion and is considered a good source of material on the First Families he served.

West began work in the White House as assistant to the chief usher, Howell G. Crim, on March 1, 1941.

[4] Letitia Baldrige, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's social secretary, called him "the miracle maker of the White House".

[5] Mrs. Kennedy herself gave him a vermeil cigarette case inscribed "With deep appreciation for Jan. 20, 1961 - Nov. 22, 1963" with the following letter:[5] [6] Dear Mr. West, This little gold box is a sad substitute for the Citation of Merit which President Kennedy was going to give you this last Fourth of July, for all that you did for your country for so many years, serving four Presidents with such extraordinary energy, tact and devotion.

[8] Jonathan Yardley of The Washington Post later characterized West's book as one of two of the most useful memoirs written by a White House staffer, President, First Lady, or member of the First Family.