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Barbara Bush: A Memoir
Barbara Bush endures as one of America's most popular First Ladies. She has won worldwide acclaim for her wit, compassion, and candor as both a presidential wife and mother. In this #1 New York Times bestselling memoir, Mrs. Bush offers a heartfelt portrait of her life in and out of the White House, from her small-town schoolgirl days in Rye, New York, to her fateful union with George H.W. Bush, to her role as First Lady of the United States. Here, she writes candidly
• her early years with George Bush in West Texas
• the tragic death of her young daughter
• the world of Washington politics and the famous figures she's met
• her role as the nation's leading literacy champion
• her feelings about the Iran-Contra scandal, the Persian Gulf conflict, and the Cold War
• the disappointment of the 1992 presidential campaign -- and the mixed blessing of regaining her private life
...and much more. Filled with entertaining anecdotes, dozens of personal photographs, and a healthy dose of humor, this memoir is as compelling and honest as the former First Lady herself.
• her early years with George Bush in West Texas
• the tragic death of her young daughter
• the world of Washington politics and the famous figures she's met
• her role as the nation's leading literacy champion
• her feelings about the Iran-Contra scandal, the Persian Gulf conflict, and the Cold War
• the disappointment of the 1992 presidential campaign -- and the mixed blessing of regaining her private life
...and much more. Filled with entertaining anecdotes, dozens of personal photographs, and a healthy dose of humor, this memoir is as compelling and honest as the former First Lady herself.
592 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
Barbara Bush
45 books52 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Barbara Bush, First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993 as the wife of George Herbert Walker Bush, president, actively promoted literacy.
She mothered George Walker Bush and Jeb Bush, governor of Florida. From 1981, she served as the second to her husband, vice to Ronald Wilson Reagan. Barbara Pierce Bush made the 41st.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara...
Barbara Bush, First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993 as the wife of George Herbert Walker Bush, president, actively promoted literacy.
She mothered George Walker Bush and Jeb Bush, governor of Florida. From 1981, she served as the second to her husband, vice to Ronald Wilson Reagan. Barbara Pierce Bush made the 41st.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
May 12, 2011
I loved this book and have repeatedly recommended it. I believe this book is 600 pages long and I read it in less than 3 days because I could not put it down. Hands down, BB is my favorite first lady of all time. She never ceases to crack me up with her unpretentious, sarcastic wit that even has me blushing on occasions and asking if she really just said that! I was not as crazy with the follow-up to this book so make sure to get the right book as the covers are very similiar.
May 31, 2018
This book was so well written. It starts out with her as a young child and ends in 1994. Her gentle manner of writing makes the book an easy read. She tells lots of stories and jokes about herself and never takes herself too seriously. A wonderful book to read.
February 2, 2017
First off, I want to make it clear I think Barbara Bush and her husband George are genuinely good and nice people. I don’t agree with their politics, but with all we contend with in Washington these days, their politics look extremely moderate. Motivated by recent health scares for both these nonagenarians, I decided I wanted to know more about them both. I picked up Barbara’s 1994 memoir, Barbara Bush: A Memoir, and began reading. At first, I found it fascinating, learning about them both in the early days of their lives and marriage. Holding a 562 page book in my hands, I should have known that it could eventually get tedious. Mrs. Bush has led a full, interesting life, and despite her admonition she won’t fill us in on every moment of it, she pretty much covers most of it. We are “treated” to endless details of every visit with political associates, world leaders, personal friends, the Bush children, the Bush grandchildren, and political enemies. Every trip, every campaign, every White House gala is related in detail, down to what everyone was wearing, what they ate, and what was said. And despite the fact she gave herself those 500+ pages to delineate her years on this earth, she is compelled to pad her narrative with numerous excerpts from her personal diary. These are printed in a smaller font to show they are quoted from the diary, and had they been in the same font, this book, no doubt, would have been upwards of 750 to 800 pages! Early on, Mrs. Bush tells us her editor banned her from using the word “wonderful” more than once a page. This editor also remarked at how many friends the Bushes have. I truly believe that Barbara Bush makes friends wherever she goes and those friends remain close to her. She just seems to be that sort of person. But while the editor was banning “wonderful,” I wish there had been a ban put on the phrase “good friend” as well. At times, we, as readers, admire both the Bushes, and at times, we wonder how this book isn’t dripping from the syrup Mrs. Bush dishes out. It all got to be too much for me. I admit I skimmed the last 150 pages, but I didn’t miss anything, for by and large, she just delineated every detail of the final, failed campaign and its aftermath. As a Houstonian, I would love to “run into” Mrs. Bush somewhere and actually meet this remarkable woman. But if she is considering publishing a memoir of the last twelve years, I won’t be reading it.
March 17, 2021
Exceptional memoir of a grand first lady! I so enjoyed all of her name-dropping chatty style of writing while giving a behind the scenes view of their White House years. She appears such a warm and kind lady but with a sharp wit and self-deprecating humor. There were so many laugh out loud moments and others that were just heartbreaking. I loved reading of her family, her literacy interests, their Kennebunkport home, their global travels and meetings, Millie, and her ever-loving pearls! I only wish she were still alive so that I may write to tell her how much I enjoyed her book. As she and George says "Faith, Family, and Friends"!
March 6, 2019
3.5 stars. To be fair to Barbara Bush, she was raised in a very different generation of women than what exists now. I shouldn't have listened to this after Michelle Obama's book. Obama talks a lot about how she feels about the events in her life while Bush sometimes sounds like she is narrating a Wikipedia page. There are some revealing moments in the book. She talks about the loss of her daughter as well as her bout of depression and there are a few moments where I laughed out loud, but mostly, she is just narrating the events in her life. That's ok. It was just different than the previous First Lady book that I listened to.
A couple of interesting observations:
1) Barbara Bush is not really relatable to the everyday man/woman. I like her, but she talks about how hard it was to find tennis partners during the Nixon scandal. #firstworldproblems
2) Barbara Bush was pro-choice!! I guess I shouldn't be shocked. The Republican Party is very different than what it was 20+ years ago.
3) I loved her compassion to victims of the AIDS epidemic.
Bottom line: It's a solid memoir outlining her time during her husband's political career, but it lacked the emotion that I wanted.
A couple of interesting observations:
1) Barbara Bush is not really relatable to the everyday man/woman. I like her, but she talks about how hard it was to find tennis partners during the Nixon scandal. #firstworldproblems
2) Barbara Bush was pro-choice!! I guess I shouldn't be shocked. The Republican Party is very different than what it was 20+ years ago.
3) I loved her compassion to victims of the AIDS epidemic.
Bottom line: It's a solid memoir outlining her time during her husband's political career, but it lacked the emotion that I wanted.
May 4, 2020
Very interesting history by a well-known lady. I loved the personal insight on a political life and all they did before they became famous. Losing their 3 yr old daughter to leukemia was heartbreaking, and she faced many hardships in her life. I found it interesting that she felt busier as Vice President’s wife than President’s wife. Her grandmother voice was soothing and fun to listen to! 💛
August 9, 2019
I enjoy reading all Firsy Lady’s Bios
November 14, 2018
“A Memoir” reads like a diary. It is set in the mind of First Lady Barbara Bush and discusses, in detail, her support of George Bush’s political career. She does have a sense of humor, and portions of the book are narrated with dry sarcasm. However, she is too detailed only with respect to the number of diplomats and politicians she’s met on their journeys.
Although the former first lady covers the span of her lifetime with George Bush, including his role in key historical events, she plays it safe by discussing experiences and not necessarily through any insight to the actual events themselves. One thing is for sure, Mrs. Bush takes any attacks on her husband, whether through the media or his colleagues, personally. Oddly, she does make light of the critiques made against her.
Throughout her bio, Mrs. Bush reveals all the “wonderful” friends she’s met along George Bush’s long political career as a UN ambassador, head honcho of the CIA and in the White House. She’s also very nice about her relationship with her daughter-in-law, Laura Bush, although the former’s bio reveals otherwise. Once again, we’re dealing with Southern belles here, although Barbara Bush is originally from New York. As the wife of a politician, from Texas, of course, it’s safe to assume she had to adapt to her new role rather than her genuine self. That is to say, “The Memoir” is not as revealing (or genuine) as Laura Bush’s bio. That may explain why the two had a rough start for the first decade of their relationship.
I say, go ahead and give this one a try, but expect to do a whole lot of skimming after the first few chapters. Frankly, I have enough trouble remembering the names of my own friends lately, so the numerous people introduced in each chapter of the book, and each phase of George Bush’s career, is a bit too much for this reader.
Although the former first lady covers the span of her lifetime with George Bush, including his role in key historical events, she plays it safe by discussing experiences and not necessarily through any insight to the actual events themselves. One thing is for sure, Mrs. Bush takes any attacks on her husband, whether through the media or his colleagues, personally. Oddly, she does make light of the critiques made against her.
Throughout her bio, Mrs. Bush reveals all the “wonderful” friends she’s met along George Bush’s long political career as a UN ambassador, head honcho of the CIA and in the White House. She’s also very nice about her relationship with her daughter-in-law, Laura Bush, although the former’s bio reveals otherwise. Once again, we’re dealing with Southern belles here, although Barbara Bush is originally from New York. As the wife of a politician, from Texas, of course, it’s safe to assume she had to adapt to her new role rather than her genuine self. That is to say, “The Memoir” is not as revealing (or genuine) as Laura Bush’s bio. That may explain why the two had a rough start for the first decade of their relationship.
I say, go ahead and give this one a try, but expect to do a whole lot of skimming after the first few chapters. Frankly, I have enough trouble remembering the names of my own friends lately, so the numerous people introduced in each chapter of the book, and each phase of George Bush’s career, is a bit too much for this reader.
February 25, 2010
Barbara started her preface by stating that she had led a life of privilege and no one has ever had a better life. Seriously, it made me want to gag and I thought about not even reading the book. But I am so glad I decided to continue on. She truly made the best of everything that life dealt to her and made her own life of privilege.
I loved reading about her and George in their early years of marriage, and wish there would have been more of it.
She is such a devoted wife and mother. I had no idea that the Bush's had lost a young daughter to leukemia.
She had so many silly funny things happen to her, I found myself laughing out loud more than once.
I was surprised by her rant against the press during the re-election campaign, but even more surprised at all the lies being reported.
I really enjoyed this book, the only reason for four instead of five stars is because I felt it was too long.
I loved reading about her and George in their early years of marriage, and wish there would have been more of it.
She is such a devoted wife and mother. I had no idea that the Bush's had lost a young daughter to leukemia.
She had so many silly funny things happen to her, I found myself laughing out loud more than once.
I was surprised by her rant against the press during the re-election campaign, but even more surprised at all the lies being reported.
I really enjoyed this book, the only reason for four instead of five stars is because I felt it was too long.
April 14, 2008
This is a fun, rollicking read. Barbara Bush was very well-suited to the job of first lady. She is blessed with charm, fortitude, the ability to enjoy (or at least pretend to enjoy) attending one function after another, and a seemingly cast-iron stomach. She also has a wonderful sense of humor, which makes the book a joy to read. Looking for the inside story? Barbara Bush tells it like it is, and doesn't clean up her stories to protect the sensibilities of anyone, whether they be a former head of state or a family member. There are tears, here, as well. The Bush family lost their beloved little girl, Robin, to leukemia at an early age. The story of raising her family of 5 boys and a second daughter, Doro, trekking to China, campaigning, and living in the White House makes for a fun and relaxing read and brings back memories. (Yes, Millie is in here, too!)
April 19, 2018
I want to reread this after the passing of such an amazing woman.
A very well written memoir by Barbara Bush (no ghost writer). She writes about her growing up years, marriage to George, the death of their daughter, getting into politics, and being First Lady. She shared some great inside stories. She is a classy, down to earth lady, who promoted literacy while she was in the White House - one more reason I admire her.
A very well written memoir by Barbara Bush (no ghost writer). She writes about her growing up years, marriage to George, the death of their daughter, getting into politics, and being First Lady. She shared some great inside stories. She is a classy, down to earth lady, who promoted literacy while she was in the White House - one more reason I admire her.
March 26, 2012
I love Barbara Bush, her style, her personality, her mothering, her stand on things she believes in, her love of family and her husband, her loyalty, and more! I supported her husband as our president, and later her son as our president. I believe she had great influence on these men in her life and helped them to be the great leaders and great in personal values that they were. I enjoyed reading about her in this book. It just helped me admire her more.
July 4, 2012
What a remarkable woman.
January 7, 2014
I fell in love with this woman and love who she is and what she represents. A great read.
April 29, 2015
It's in my house. on my mantle
in my fire.place
in my fire.place
July 13, 2017
I read this book a long time ago and I intend to read it again in the future. I must have not had my goodreads account when I read it since it wasn't in my read folder.
February 3, 2019
The book was a bit boring and contained way too many words. The level of detail was excruciating, but I can see how others may have enjoyed that aspect. I struggled with the book mostly because she came across as one of the most smug, arrogant, and superficial people I've ever read about. I liked her before reading this, but it's impossible to maintain that after reading 544 pages of her assessments of the physical appearance of everyone in the world and her deeply held belief that no one related to her ever does anything wrong.
January 26, 2019
The indominable Bar! I loved her and George's love story and her fierce determination for what she believes is right and true. She did not suffer fools! and is an amazing example of loyalty, service, compassion and candor in a world full of phony and clouded judgements. Highly recommend!
May 28, 2018
Took a while to get through it because I would stop and look up people and events she mentions in the book. Love her personality!
December 16, 2019
I enjoyed this book very much and appreciated that her faith was such a solid part of the book. I would have enjoyed more details on politics and fewer details on the names of friends, party menus, and things like that.
October 25, 2020
Such a classic lady! Enjoyed hearing her memoirs read by Mrs. Bush!
March 15, 2011
I only have a few memories of Barbara Bush, all of them good, but it is funny how someone who once so dominated the headlines can disappear with nary a word later in life. Having found the time to read her memoir, it was a fun experience to step into the Bush 41 White House for a few days and meet a real terrific woman.
Barbara Bush: A Memoir is one of the best edited political autobiographies, it avoids the usually pratfalls that doom many a reader. The auto-bio always seems to start off page 1 hearing about how some famous person was born in a barn and how doing farm chores made them a better Senator. At that point, it becomes a better sleep aid than Advil PM. One suspects, Bush also one wanted to write about her childhood and young girlhood at length but the editor knew better. Her early life before meeting George H.W. Bush covers only 25 pages in a 532 page book. In it we learn everything we want and nothing we don't.
One suspects that Barbara Bush's memoir would be better than the former President’s himself (as he has never written one). He would have wanted to point out the political implications of this and the ramifications of that and overall it wouldn't have stood out some 13 years later. With the first lady's perspective you get to the social side of important meetings and conferences and realize the art to all these things. Of course President Bush had a very busy life from Special Envoy to China, Congressman, CIA Director, VP and President not to mention oil man. All of which lets us the reader meet some fascinating people who we only read about in history books.
Barbara Bush kids about her writing style and indeed she repeats some words more times than I care to count. Her tone is one of unrelenting politeness but you do get that famous "Barbara-chill" effect in certain passages. It's clear that like many children born into wealth she has no idea what it's like to struggle or suffer in terms of finances. And her most controversial statement in the book was when she criticizes a husband of an Army reservist who tells about how his family is suffering with the loss of income from his wife's regular job, in which she says she was offended over the statement because "they knew what they were getting into when they signed up". That may be true but I'd like to see Mrs. Bush's reaction in the former President was called up and she had to survive and a reservist pay. I don't say that with anger but her worldview in terms of economics is sheltered but not malicious.
We learn interesting things about her and the President and their views on certain issues. Such as the fact that she confirms that she is pro-choice (though conservative pro-choice) and for certain forms of gun control. She also confirms that the 92 convention was a disaster and that she and the President were very disturbed about the gay bashing that took place writing "It didn't represent George's views at all".
Her biggest flaw is the most common in political autobiographies especially female ones and that is the constant name dropping. It's not to inflate oneself like so many do but instead to cover the party circuit and not make any waves in certain circles. Really though it's the fact that many women are taught from age 5 to always do their thank you notes. Overall the memoir is fun, enjoyable and informative. The best thing to be said for it is its editing which makes this heavy book faster paced than one expects.
Quick note: This review was written at my old blog on Townhall.com (a website for political conservatives), all reviews were written when I was a Republican, and do not necessarily reflect my political views as of today. Thanks!
Barbara Bush: A Memoir is one of the best edited political autobiographies, it avoids the usually pratfalls that doom many a reader. The auto-bio always seems to start off page 1 hearing about how some famous person was born in a barn and how doing farm chores made them a better Senator. At that point, it becomes a better sleep aid than Advil PM. One suspects, Bush also one wanted to write about her childhood and young girlhood at length but the editor knew better. Her early life before meeting George H.W. Bush covers only 25 pages in a 532 page book. In it we learn everything we want and nothing we don't.
One suspects that Barbara Bush's memoir would be better than the former President’s himself (as he has never written one). He would have wanted to point out the political implications of this and the ramifications of that and overall it wouldn't have stood out some 13 years later. With the first lady's perspective you get to the social side of important meetings and conferences and realize the art to all these things. Of course President Bush had a very busy life from Special Envoy to China, Congressman, CIA Director, VP and President not to mention oil man. All of which lets us the reader meet some fascinating people who we only read about in history books.
Barbara Bush kids about her writing style and indeed she repeats some words more times than I care to count. Her tone is one of unrelenting politeness but you do get that famous "Barbara-chill" effect in certain passages. It's clear that like many children born into wealth she has no idea what it's like to struggle or suffer in terms of finances. And her most controversial statement in the book was when she criticizes a husband of an Army reservist who tells about how his family is suffering with the loss of income from his wife's regular job, in which she says she was offended over the statement because "they knew what they were getting into when they signed up". That may be true but I'd like to see Mrs. Bush's reaction in the former President was called up and she had to survive and a reservist pay. I don't say that with anger but her worldview in terms of economics is sheltered but not malicious.
We learn interesting things about her and the President and their views on certain issues. Such as the fact that she confirms that she is pro-choice (though conservative pro-choice) and for certain forms of gun control. She also confirms that the 92 convention was a disaster and that she and the President were very disturbed about the gay bashing that took place writing "It didn't represent George's views at all".
Her biggest flaw is the most common in political autobiographies especially female ones and that is the constant name dropping. It's not to inflate oneself like so many do but instead to cover the party circuit and not make any waves in certain circles. Really though it's the fact that many women are taught from age 5 to always do their thank you notes. Overall the memoir is fun, enjoyable and informative. The best thing to be said for it is its editing which makes this heavy book faster paced than one expects.
Quick note: This review was written at my old blog on Townhall.com (a website for political conservatives), all reviews were written when I was a Republican, and do not necessarily reflect my political views as of today. Thanks!
July 21, 2016
Generally speaking, I don’t spend a lot of my reading time reading political memoires, and especially not autobiographies. I feel certain they are edited to present the best possible light on the subject. However, it is December, and I often round out the year by reading books that I might not otherwise pick up in an effort to expand my horizons. This book came to me via my parents’ bookshelves and I thought since both Barbara and George Bush are nearing the end of fascinating lives I would take a dip into this book.
Right up front, this book is obviously not a political book in very many respects. Barbara Bush has been one of the most popular first ladies in our nation’s history due largely to her down-to-earth approach, her candor, and her wit. By all accounts, their marriage is as rock solid as it gets and of course, her words in this book are full of love and devotion for her husband. The best parts though were the behind-the-scenes look at everyday life, not only in the White House, but also during the fascinating George Bush years when he was Ambassador to China, the CIA chief, and Vice President. There are tons of anecdotes in here, especially with all of the people they met over so many years, both famous and powerful, as well as ordinary people around the world. I am not a fan of politicians in general but I do remember well the devotion Barbara Bush had (and still has) to the cause of literacy. This was her number one cause and she has made large contributions.
So that’s the good news about this book. The bad news is that it is just too long. Too many mentions of all the guests at particular dinners, too much about what they wore and how they looked and what great people they are. Much of that could have been trimmed. While it is interesting to read about Boris Yeltsin playing footsie with her under the dining table and Barbara reciprocating, I just don’t need to know about all of the wives of all of the diplomats, etc. There are a lot of Barbara’s diary entries sprinkled throughout and even they often include too many details of gobs of people I have never heard of nor need to know. Of course there is some politics but generally Barbara seems to respect those on the other side of the aisle even if disagreeing with their points of view. Bill Clinton and Al Gore come off quite well. However, Ross Perot and Dan Rather…not so much.
So all in all, an interesting read, at least when I could wade through the top layer and get to the meat. Barbara Bush is truly an interesting woman with a fantastic view of major world events, regardless of your political views.
Right up front, this book is obviously not a political book in very many respects. Barbara Bush has been one of the most popular first ladies in our nation’s history due largely to her down-to-earth approach, her candor, and her wit. By all accounts, their marriage is as rock solid as it gets and of course, her words in this book are full of love and devotion for her husband. The best parts though were the behind-the-scenes look at everyday life, not only in the White House, but also during the fascinating George Bush years when he was Ambassador to China, the CIA chief, and Vice President. There are tons of anecdotes in here, especially with all of the people they met over so many years, both famous and powerful, as well as ordinary people around the world. I am not a fan of politicians in general but I do remember well the devotion Barbara Bush had (and still has) to the cause of literacy. This was her number one cause and she has made large contributions.
So that’s the good news about this book. The bad news is that it is just too long. Too many mentions of all the guests at particular dinners, too much about what they wore and how they looked and what great people they are. Much of that could have been trimmed. While it is interesting to read about Boris Yeltsin playing footsie with her under the dining table and Barbara reciprocating, I just don’t need to know about all of the wives of all of the diplomats, etc. There are a lot of Barbara’s diary entries sprinkled throughout and even they often include too many details of gobs of people I have never heard of nor need to know. Of course there is some politics but generally Barbara seems to respect those on the other side of the aisle even if disagreeing with their points of view. Bill Clinton and Al Gore come off quite well. However, Ross Perot and Dan Rather…not so much.
So all in all, an interesting read, at least when I could wade through the top layer and get to the meat. Barbara Bush is truly an interesting woman with a fantastic view of major world events, regardless of your political views.
June 30, 2014
Every time I picked up this book, it was like kicking off my shoes, curling up in an armchair with a cup of tea and chatting with Mrs. Bush just as if she were in my living room. I found her to be honest, witty, caring, and "real".
Faith, family, friends. That's what Mrs. Bush believes in and that comes across in every incident that she relates from her times as Vice Presidents' wife and then First Lady. Her diary entries were fascinating and kept my head spinning with all the events she attended, projects and committees that she devoted time to, people she she met, and places that she traveled. She had me from the beginning with her devotion to literacy for both adults and children.
Yes, she does have opinions and she makes them known, but this is not a bashing, tell-all book of politics. If she has been quick to act or react to those who did not back her husband, it's understandable. She loves and believes in her husband. She is a wife, after all.
Mrs. Bush is able to laugh at her "image" when those around her criticized the color of her hair, wear designer clothes, perhaps hide the wrinkles....it takes a strong woman to remain true to her sense of self and style. She tells of her penchant for wearing Keds and mixing one color shoe with another to delight the grandchildren. She is able to cry for those serving their country and for those they left behind. She is able to tell of losing her daughter to leukemia and still remain strong. She is able to tell of the period of depression that plagued her for a period of time. She is able to tell of being cheered and booed by the public. She is able to tell of the times the media reported half-truths or mere speculations. She is able to tell about being giddy in the presence of such personalities as Katherine Hepburn and John Travolta. She is able to admit when she is wrong. She shares her joys and her sorrows at being in a position that she did not ask for, but one that she took because of her belief in her husband as Commander in Chief. She may not like what was said about her husband's term, but she upholds everyone's right to speak their mind as one of the great freedoms of our country.
Mrs. Bush, I don't care about the politics. You did a wonderful job of sharing your experiences and feelings as a public figure. I admire your grace and dignity. I always thought that I could not be in the spotlight's scrutiny the way any First Lady is, and now I am sure that I could not. May you enjoy your private life with your faith, family, and friends.
Faith, family, friends. That's what Mrs. Bush believes in and that comes across in every incident that she relates from her times as Vice Presidents' wife and then First Lady. Her diary entries were fascinating and kept my head spinning with all the events she attended, projects and committees that she devoted time to, people she she met, and places that she traveled. She had me from the beginning with her devotion to literacy for both adults and children.
Yes, she does have opinions and she makes them known, but this is not a bashing, tell-all book of politics. If she has been quick to act or react to those who did not back her husband, it's understandable. She loves and believes in her husband. She is a wife, after all.
Mrs. Bush is able to laugh at her "image" when those around her criticized the color of her hair, wear designer clothes, perhaps hide the wrinkles....it takes a strong woman to remain true to her sense of self and style. She tells of her penchant for wearing Keds and mixing one color shoe with another to delight the grandchildren. She is able to cry for those serving their country and for those they left behind. She is able to tell of losing her daughter to leukemia and still remain strong. She is able to tell of the period of depression that plagued her for a period of time. She is able to tell of being cheered and booed by the public. She is able to tell of the times the media reported half-truths or mere speculations. She is able to tell about being giddy in the presence of such personalities as Katherine Hepburn and John Travolta. She is able to admit when she is wrong. She shares her joys and her sorrows at being in a position that she did not ask for, but one that she took because of her belief in her husband as Commander in Chief. She may not like what was said about her husband's term, but she upholds everyone's right to speak their mind as one of the great freedoms of our country.
Mrs. Bush, I don't care about the politics. You did a wonderful job of sharing your experiences and feelings as a public figure. I admire your grace and dignity. I always thought that I could not be in the spotlight's scrutiny the way any First Lady is, and now I am sure that I could not. May you enjoy your private life with your faith, family, and friends.
June 4, 2014
I had a very hard time getting through this book and yet there were parts of it that I thoroughly enjoyed reading; in particular the behind the scenes personal relationships with all the foreign ambassadors, pranks and private jokes, real life in the White House etc. The e-version of my book was chocked full of errors so that in itself was hard to ignore. How does this happen? Doesn't someone check these things? My expectations for the book were to "get the know" the former First Lady and that was easily accomplished. She always seemed like everyone's grandmother to me when they were in office so it was nice to read about the young Barbara. Her life of privilege denied her many experiences that would make her relatable to the masses but it's clear her love for people extends beyond any political, financial, status, color, or racial boundaries. SHe is humble and has a great sense of humor. Actually, she reminds me of my friend Margie; friendly to everyone but don't get on her bad side! I was surprised that she liked to swim laps daily and play tennis and hadn't known that she insisted on flying commercial flights for personal trips while in the White House. It did make me smile to think that as first lady, traveling most days of the year, she would pack her purse with all the free toiletry samples from all the hotels until she could get to a local mission to donate them. Despite her knack for proper etiquette and protocol, she is pretty much a no nonsense kind of gal, comfortable in her own skin and yet still fragile and sensitive when criticized for her appearance. Although I normally prefer chronological storytelling, I would have changed the format of this book entirely. 50% of the book could have been condensed into one chapter called "A typical day in the life of a public official's wife". Then I would have added chapters titled "Most Embarrassing Moments", "Most interesting White House Guests", "Fact of Fiction", "Family highs and lows", etc. I guess the whole book just felt like a run on sentence when I would have preferred more bullet points to highlight the really funny and interesting parts. I'm not even sure how to rate this. It has potential to be great but isn't in its current format.
February 14, 2016
Barbara Bush seems to be one of the nicest people on earth. The funniest and most heart-warming part about this book is that she genuinely likes everyone and can't compliment people enough. You just don't find that in America, let along someone who was involved in state, federal, and international politics all her life via her husband. She shows it is both good and honorable to treat people with respect, and she really values friendships and loyalty. And therefore she is quite a devoted wife and mom.
I received this book as a gift from my former assistant who adores Barbara Bush and has read the book several times. I probably wouldn't have chosen the book otherwise. But I do like biographies so I did read it all teh way through.
Mrs Bush is not much of a writer. But she admits up front, much of the content of the book is from her daily diary she has kept throughout her life. So some things that are included are not that detailed while other memories seem to spring forth. The main part of the book where she is telling her life story and various anticdotes are fun to read. The seemingly endless diary entries with little detail are tedious reading and completely sucked the life out of me by the end. For me the last 100 pages were mostly torture.
But I agree with my former assistant, I would like to meet Mrs. Bush. She carries herself well and is self-confident despite the fact she is not a grand beauty like some other first ladies and the Press cares more about what she is wearing or not wearing that what her husband was doing as President. We live in a world with a free press -which has both good and bad points I guess.
I doubt I will read this book again, but for someone interested in Presidential history and maybe even wants to get an idea of where Father and Son Bush's get some of their character I think it would be hard not to pick this book up and see her influence on two modern presidents.
I received this book as a gift from my former assistant who adores Barbara Bush and has read the book several times. I probably wouldn't have chosen the book otherwise. But I do like biographies so I did read it all teh way through.
Mrs Bush is not much of a writer. But she admits up front, much of the content of the book is from her daily diary she has kept throughout her life. So some things that are included are not that detailed while other memories seem to spring forth. The main part of the book where she is telling her life story and various anticdotes are fun to read. The seemingly endless diary entries with little detail are tedious reading and completely sucked the life out of me by the end. For me the last 100 pages were mostly torture.
But I agree with my former assistant, I would like to meet Mrs. Bush. She carries herself well and is self-confident despite the fact she is not a grand beauty like some other first ladies and the Press cares more about what she is wearing or not wearing that what her husband was doing as President. We live in a world with a free press -which has both good and bad points I guess.
I doubt I will read this book again, but for someone interested in Presidential history and maybe even wants to get an idea of where Father and Son Bush's get some of their character I think it would be hard not to pick this book up and see her influence on two modern presidents.
June 5, 2019
I would never have read this book of my own choosing, but it was selected as our biography for this year for one of my book clubs. I will start by saying that I think Barbara Bush is a product of another time, obviously. I feel like a great many of her anecdotes and opinions aren't really relatable today. I found myself being really surprised that she was pro-choice.
On another note, this book needed a lot of content editing. I know she was relaying her life as she experienced it and included many excerpts from her diaries, but I think all the name-dropping is unnecessary and didn't really add much to the book. (I think if you are a part of politics, the names would be relatable but to the hoi polloi, there is little relevance.) There doesn't seem to be a cohesive flow to it, and a lot of times I feel like disparate incidents were shoehorned together. I wanted to declare a moratorium on the phrases "dear friends" and "lovely." This book altogether too much editorialized about random things and had a huge over-emphasis on mundane descriptions. I wanted it to feel quaint, but I slogged through it and felt tired. I think she was a woman that was absolutely passionate about her family and the work they were doing, and I think this book at least conveyed that.
PS. As a nit-picky aside, as someone born and raised in Indiana, I was bothered by her use of the word "Indianians." That's not a thing. We're Hoosiers.
On another note, this book needed a lot of content editing. I know she was relaying her life as she experienced it and included many excerpts from her diaries, but I think all the name-dropping is unnecessary and didn't really add much to the book. (I think if you are a part of politics, the names would be relatable but to the hoi polloi, there is little relevance.) There doesn't seem to be a cohesive flow to it, and a lot of times I feel like disparate incidents were shoehorned together. I wanted to declare a moratorium on the phrases "dear friends" and "lovely." This book altogether too much editorialized about random things and had a huge over-emphasis on mundane descriptions. I wanted it to feel quaint, but I slogged through it and felt tired. I think she was a woman that was absolutely passionate about her family and the work they were doing, and I think this book at least conveyed that.
PS. As a nit-picky aside, as someone born and raised in Indiana, I was bothered by her use of the word "Indianians." That's not a thing. We're Hoosiers.
July 30, 2019
Absolutely loved this book. I’m a literacy advocate as was Barbara (on a much bigger scale) which is why I originally picked it up, but reading this warm, often laugh-out-loud humorous, down to earth account of her life was so refreshing. Honestly, I have recommended it to everyone. At this time in our history it was a breath of fresh air. My biggest question was, how on earth did she have the energy to do all that was on her schedule. Inspirational.
Favorite quotes: “We are encouraging volunteerism and want people to try to take back their own communities by being responsible, supportive, and interested. In short, we are trying to live up to George’s Thousand Points of Light credo: “From now on any definition of a successful life must include service to others.” 529
“George Bush and I have been the two luckiest people in the world, and when all the dust is settled and all the crowds are gone, the things that matter are faith, family, and friends. We have been inordinately blessed, and we know that.”
And so many funny and interesting stories . . .
Favorite quotes: “We are encouraging volunteerism and want people to try to take back their own communities by being responsible, supportive, and interested. In short, we are trying to live up to George’s Thousand Points of Light credo: “From now on any definition of a successful life must include service to others.” 529
“George Bush and I have been the two luckiest people in the world, and when all the dust is settled and all the crowds are gone, the things that matter are faith, family, and friends. We have been inordinately blessed, and we know that.”
And so many funny and interesting stories . . .
January 26, 2015
I am sure that Michael is so done with me reading this book because I keep wanting to talk about it. I have every reason not to like this book: it is like 600 pages, full of name-dropping, and sometimes it digresses into the ramblings of an old lady...yet I really enjoyed it. The book is 20 years old, rather than make the book less interesting, it made it more so. She was writing it just as she was leaving the White House and the Clinton's were beginning their terms. One of the reasons I picked up this book now was because of the rumors her son, Jeb, will be running for president. I wanted to know more about this lady who was not only wife to a president but possibly mom to two of them too! I think that is what I wanted to discuss most: the relationship she has with her husband and the way they raised their kids.
July 14, 2007
Barbara Bush is a fun, engaging, interesting, poignant, self-effacing writer. I learned a lot about the Bush dynasty through her book; which is an intriguing subject by itself. It was fun to read about their lives as seen through her eyes. After reading this I ended up listening to it as an audio book, which is read by the author. I think I enjoyed it more! It was wonderful to listen to her tell her own stories. Whether you are Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, most can agree that Barbara Bush is a classy lady. She reaffirms that in her book when discussing the gracious way she met with the Clinton's and tried to help them get established in the White House. A fun story and I am glad that I read it (& listened to it!).
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