Presidents & Politics (U.S.), Presidents of the U.S.A. - Biography

President George W. Bush

Name: President George W. Bush
Author: Beatrice Gormley
ISBN: 9780689878343

by Beatrice Gormley

Available on Bookshop Write a review

Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.

Overview

President George W. Bush once said, "I never dreamed about becoming president. When I was growing up, I wanted to be Willie Mays."

George W. was born in 1946 and attended Yale University. As a young man he trained as a fighter pilot in the Texas Air National Guard before beginning a career in business. He then turned to Texas politics and served as the state's governor from 1994 to 2000.

In 2001 George W. Bush won one of the closest and most disputed presidential elections in United States history. During his first term Bush launched a war against terrorism after the devastating attacks of September 11, 2001.

This biography of the forty-third president of the United States includes information about his early life, his first term as president, and coverage of his 2004 reelection campaign and subsequent election for a second term.

This biography is essential reading for every young student of American history.

Profiles the life of the forty-third president, including his childhood, education, early career, role as governor of Texas, and the 2000 campaign and election.

Synopsis

Aladdin Paperbacks is preparing two biographies for this presidential season: one of the Democratic nominee for president, one of the Republican nominee. Only one of the books--the one about the winner!--will be released immediately following the election results.

Children's Literature

This first children's biography of President George W. Bush covers the new president's life from his childhood through the hotly contested 2000 election. The story is presented with clarity, and the author takes a matter-of-fact approach to describe a life that has alternated between circumstances of extreme privilege and those more typical of small-town middle America. He was a boy who knew how to use finger bowls and play pickup ball. The focus is about George W. Bush the person (conservative, personable, extremely loyal to family) rather than about the political conflicts of the times. For instance, young George Bush is painted as someone who chose loyalty to his family's establishment views rather than questioning established policy during the fight for civil rights. 2001, Aladdin Paperbacks, $4.99. Ages 9 to 14. Reviewer: Sally Heldrich

Reviews

There are no reviews yet. Log in to write one.

Editorials

Children's Literature

KLIATT

This well-written biography provides younger readers with an appropriate introduction to the 43rd president of the United States. It begins in 1946 with George W.'s christening and ends with Al Gore's concession speech in 2000. The author portrays the Bush clan as a tight, hardworking and loving family. She strives to present a picture of an "average" family and points out that while George was growing up, his parents were active in the community and the church. She calls the young George W. "a rascal" and mentions some of his childhood mischief. The family wealth is played down and advantages such as two maids, private schools, and investing in a baseball team are handled in a matter-of-fact manner. The author compares father and son and the reader will find that the younger Bush is quite different from his father. George W. followed in his father's footsteps to an exclusive private boarding school and then to Yale University, but he did not excel in the classroom or on the athletic field whereas the elder Bush was an outstanding student and very good athlete. George W.'s father had been a fighter pilot in WW II and was shot down and rescued while George W. joined the Texas Air National Guard and never flew in combat. The story then moves to politics and follows George W.'s career in Texas as governor and on to the presidential campaign and eventual election. The photographs are assets but the sparse list of sources adds little. This is certainly appropriate for the intended audience. KLIATT Codes: J—Recommended for junior high school students. 2001, Simon & Schuster/Aladdin, 160p, illus, bibliog, 20cm, $4.99. Ages 13 to 15. Reviewer: Professor John E. Boyd; Jenkintown,PA, May 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 3)

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8-A brisk and informative biography. Gormley delves into Bush's childhood, his famous family, his bumpy road as a student, and his equally bumpy road to the White House. She discusses his lifelong adulation for his father, who, as both a congressman and president, gave George W. a front-and-center view of high-level politics. Drawing frequently from the letters and memoirs of Bush's parents, peers, and business partners, the author reveals fascinating dichotomies in the man: a seemingly carefree child who was devastated by the death of his younger sister; a mere dabbler in academics who named education his first priority when he ran for public office; a problem drinker and carouser who became a sober figure espousing family values; a descendant of wealth who had virtually no success in creating it for himself. True, much of the book is a rehashing of campaign factoids, but the author deserves credit for creating a cohesive and digestible biography from so many different vignettes. Bush's story is inspirational if nothing else.-William McLoughlin, Brookside School, Worthington, OH Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.