Rating: 
Summary: An insightful glimpse
Review: Unlike biographies and autobiographies which allow time to alter the perspective of events in the mind of the author, reading about George H.W. Bush's life through his letters and diary entries allows one to see events from the perspective Bush saw them as they were happening. I found this to be a refreshing approach to a life many may find in contradiction. I was in high school during the Bush presidency and watched, in amazment, the world as I knew it, change right before my eyes. While this book may not provide a look at the "real" George Bush (can any book really do that?), it does provide a glimpse into, perhaps, what it was that helped him steer us through those world changing events and make us a stronger country. Many of us know someone that is a letter writer who, for them any reason to write a letter is a good one. It quickly becomes clear that George Bush is one of those people. Most of the letters and diary entries are heartwarming and reveal a strong, kind and patriotic person with a soft heart who tries to keep his priorities straight, despite the pressures that come from the life he chose. While some of the letters are a little dry, there are many which will lighten your spirit and wet your eyes. But most of all, they demonstrate what kind of heart a leader should have and renew ones faith that there people in government who, for good or bad, are trying to do their best to make decisions which will benefit our country and its citizens.
Rating: 
Summary: An Intimate Description of a Fascinating Life
Review: These letters serve as a wonderfully personal account of a man who is clearly dedicated to his family and public service. If anything, it is clear that the former is more important than the latter when one reads this volume. I should stress that this praise is made by someone who actively worked for President Bush's defeat and has no desire to see his son in the White House. Yet in reading this book, it is impossible not to have respect for the former President. While in one sense the lack of vision that he was often criticized for is apparent, it is also clear that his vision of public service as a means of making America a better place comes through clearly. As the letters take the reader from the South Pacific and Texas to Congress and the UN to China and the CIA and finally the White House, the reader sees a man acting to protect and improve America as he sees most fit. At the same time, a very humorous side of Mr. Bush is readily apparent. If you want a definitive biography of George Bush, this is not it; if you want some deep interpretation of his political philosophy, you will not find it here (if it really exists at all); but if you want to better understand the man and understand a man who shows that the noble vision of public service does still exist, READ THIS BOOK.
Rating: 
Summary: The letters I REALLY wanted to see...
Review: ...were the ones he wrote to Jennifer Fitzgerald. But, for some reason he didn't include them. Unfortunately, the letters he DID include, to Barbara, etc... are clearly contrived and illustrate how gullible those around him are. George HW Bush's top three priorities in his life has been $, $ and even more $. Also missing were the letters he wrote to the families of the crewmen he abandoned when he jumped from his lightly-damaged plane during WW2. Perhaps he never wrote them?
Rating:
Summary: tasteful and informative autobiography
Review: This is an intriguing and enticing look at former President George Bush through five plus decades of letters and diaries. The writings demonstrate that Mr. Bush's personal life mirror his public demeanor as a quiet, uncomplicated individual who strongly believes in family values. The entries include impressions of world leaders of the past two decades, adding to the interest. Anyone seeking dirty laundry and partisan politics needs to skip this memoir. Instead, Mr. Bush treats everyone except the nagging press as a friend. The book serves as a refreshing look inside the guts of the former President as well as how he perceived some of his colleagues and events on the world stage. Fans of autobiographies, the American presidency, and American history will gain much pleasure from this memoir that is much more interesting than the sanitized version of greatness that many of the modern day autobiographies present. Mr. Bush shows his pride of simply being Mr. Bush. Harriet Klausner
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Summary: as a bush fan...
Review: .... you may want to look for another book. this one is full of "corrections" of what the actual man himself said. parts about family money made off the holocaust have been edited out, unfortunately. specifically in some letters addressed to leslie baukerberg (his life-long accountant) and tina goethe (his admitted former girlfriend) who both had invested in a brilliant stock some of that same money that granted him the ability to pay off campgain debts! as a fan of bush sr's work in the white house i was shocked to see these glaring omissions from letters i had previously read via the internet. perhaps the best book for this subject is the less-heavily-edited "sons of tommorrows sunshine" compiled by son jeb bush and the late author benjamin kowlestein will guide you more in the history of this man and his family.
Rating:
Summary: sappy self-aggrandizement
Review: Horrible book from a terrible man! Why not step outside for a breath of fresh air, instead of subjecting yourself with your nose in this one. And if outside reading it, go inside and do something around the house more productive and gratifying, than reading a self-absored moribund tome to a corrupt, misguided, old man.
Rating:
Summary: Not to be missed
Review: This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is funny, poignant and a revelation of the private man we all only knew publicly. Historians, teachers and the press should be forced to read this so they can teach people the true character of this man. If you liked George Bush before, you will love him after reading this. If you didn't like him before, I suggest you read this and discover who this man really is...you will certainly change your opinion. The letters transported me back to WWII, Watergate, etc...But this isn't as much about a President and his policies as it is about a father, a husband, a son and a friend. I laughed, I cried. Thoroughly enjoyable...the editorial reviews didn't give it enough credit. I was sad when I finished as I wanted more...what more can one say?
Rating:
Summary: Easy Read Instructive
Review: Easy book to read. Hundreds of letters each standing on its own. The letters span the range of drama from great sorrows to great joys. In between it is light hearted, whimsical, funny and at times deeply insightful. Delivers a more vivid understanding of George Bush than a memoir: 1.Honorable man devoting nearly all his life to country, 2. Striving to engage both political parties to do what is best, 3. All to often pushed aside by the press and both ends of the political spectrum in disbelief. All politics is local. Even more micro, George Bush 41 was the consummate one on one communicator by letters. WWII combat flier, businessman and endless high level government jobs could not keep him from touching thousands of people one at a time through letters. Many letters were responding to people with no chance of winning over. These letters are very instructive in showing the space where he really functioned and probably kept him one of the most well grounded presidents of all time. As a book of letters it is free to cover more ground. Explanations and foot notes are strikingly short and limited through out the book. A typical memoir would take volumes to cover life of George Bush 41 and still touch all the subjects in this book of letters. GHWB's personal relationships with world leaders are authenticated by the relevant letters in this book. We had the right President a critical time. Going into the Gulf War, partisan dissent was astounding and helped to limit the objectives in Iraq. Though blatantly obvious why the Gulf War had to be fought, it was not for many senators. I was disappointed that a greater effort was not make to help the reader understand how so many senators could be so out of touch with the world. Would it be for the following reasons. The average American voter is not that interested in the rest of the world. Those rare moments in history when America is committed to a plan that affects other nations brings about breathtaking changes. The rest of the time our government sits back and tries to lead us in very petty mundane causes. At the time of the Gulf War many senators were saying to hell with the future if the public is not ready, they were certainly not. So often congress looks like a disfunctional family. Allowing the media to lead the public 80% of the time but hopefully by the government at least 20% of the time. The media never takes credit for the ugly stampedes, but is always there to tend the herd. The media is not looking for insight but is looking for the largest number of eyes and ears in the moment and to heck with the future. The media may write or say the dumbest things in the quest for readers and viewers. We have the freedom to overlook much it all the time. While none of us are fully informed we as a nation tend to be headed in the right general direction much of the time. The power to tune the media out is stronger than the abuse of trust by the protected free press. Particularly as past president, the personal letters to many, many members of the press show the powerful impact of the media on government actions. Near the end the book gives much of the bitter taste the media has left in his mouth but then he returns to the restrained high ground. While the press will remain free, we all need to better understand its impact on the political process. It may have made it a better selling book by pulling that punch, but it is less of a service to the nation. As political discourse sinks lower and lower each decade, this book awakens us to the world that could be.
Rating:
Summary: It's All About Heartbeat
Review: And you thought Ronald Reagan was the Great Communicator? Pick up this collection of letters from President Bush (version 41) and you'll be amazed - this prolific letter writer put himself at the nexus of many of this past half-century's great events through a diligent practice of correspondence with friends, leaders, benefactors and the general public. And you get the impression that he never considered it a chore. There are important lessons to be learned here. Gene Siskel was quoted once as saying "Everything I got in life happened because I wrote a letter." This book is a living manifesto of that principle. This book is worth every penny. At 600+ pages, it still seems too short. People used to carp at GHWB that he didn't have "the vision thing." But you'll see his vision clearly articulated in these letters. As he puts it in the intro, "It's all about heartbeat." The man has it in spades. Buy it today.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting peek into the mind of 41
Review: First things first, where else could you find a book in which our current President is referred to as "little Googen"? (p.64, hardcover ed.) Since George (HW) Bush is not only a former President but also the father of the current President, "All the Best" is an even more interesting book now than when it was released in 1999. This collection of letters and diary entries is a window into the fascinating life of our 41st President, in his own words. Because it is a collection of letters and other contemporaneous writings, you get a "real time" feel for what was happening at the time, as opposed to memories viewed through a lens of time and perspective. The letters written home during World War II are a great example of this. He was a bit of a fish out of water in basic training, a preppie mixing in with guys from all walks of life and his letters reflect his impressions and observations at the time. And how do you write home to tell your family that your plane was shot down, you ejected, you floated in the ocean for a few hours and were finally rescued by a passing ship? The letter explaining this harrowing experience is in here. Clearly he was very close to his mother and even confided in her his concerns when he thought his girlfriend (soon-to-be wife) Barbara wasn't writing him enough and perhaps had lost interest in him. He came back from the war, married Barbara, went to Yale, they started a family and set out for a career and life in Texas. The letters detailing the Bushes' early years in Texas are particularly interesting because here and there you learn a little tidbit about President George W. Bush as a child. Of course, Barbara Bush also wrote about our current President in her autobiography, but it's interesting to get a father's perspective. There is also the heartbreaking and eloquent letter Bush wrote to his mother about the loss of his daughter, Robin. And throughout is the sense of excitement of living and working in Texas at that time. Businessman, Congressman, Senate candidate, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., RNC head, liaison in China, CIA Director, Vice President, President, father of two Governors, father of a President. How many people can boast of such a rich variety of experiences? Yet the most engaging parts of the book are those that deal with family and give us more of a sense of former President Bush's personality. Some of the letters are quite funny, especially those written in his post-Presidential days. Whether you choose to read "All the Best" cover to cover, or choose to hunt through the index for what interests you most, you will get a lot out of this multifaceted collection.
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