Barbara Bush: A Memoir

Politics aside, people worldwide have come to admire Barbara Bush's wit, candor and compassion, as well as her unswerving devotion to her husband and children. Now, she gives listeners a very private look at a life she lived in the public eye for more than 25 years. With the contemporary American history as the backdrop, Mrs. Bush remembers the experiences that led to the White House, from growing up in Rye, New York and meeting George Bush, through life as a young bride and mother and the almost unbearable pain of losing a child. She talks candidly about her years in public life in Washington, New York and China, and describes her role as the wife of the Vice President, culminating in the climactic White House years. Drawing upon excerpts from the diary she has compiled for more than 30 years, Mrs. Bush takes us behind the scenes of the Persian Gulf conflict and the end of the Cold War, and introduces us to the world leaders and their spouses with whom she has developed friendships over the years. She also talks about both the Bushes' struggle to overcome Graves Disease, the disappointment of the 1992 Presidential campaign and the joys of rediscovering private life, and tells us why she threw so much of her energy and compassion behind the important cause of making America more literate. Filled with the funny, often self-deprecating and occasionally touching anecdotes for which she is well-known, Mrs. Bush's memoir will charm her millions of admirers and earn her many more.