Posted by
Young Republican on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 11:38:53 AM
I only have a few memories of Barbara Bush all of them good but it is funny how someone who so once 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, avoid the usually pratfalls that doom many a reader. One always it seems starts 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 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 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 let's 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 one self 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 it's editing which makes the heavy book faster paced than one expects. *** Out of ****.