The Bushes : Portrait of a Dynasty

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Summary: Spot the trends across the generations
Review: Given the state of the current-events books market, any title that's not defiantly anti-Bush is bound to stick out simply by contrast. "The Bushes: Portrait of a Dynasty" is not the whitewash or "fluff" some may consider it. But it is without question a by-and-large sympathetic look at "the un-Kennedys" through several generations.

For this book, as indeed, it seems, for the Bushes themselves, the focus is on family more than on politics per se (for example, it seemed like we had barely finished the 1988 presidential election before the authors were starting to discuss the 1992 campaign). The Schweizers are pretty thorough in chronicling the family's position at the center of a vast network of extended relatives, friends, business contacts, and government officials around the world, and at showing how members of the family are more than willing to tap those contacts for both political and personal use. Again, the fact that the authors don't see that network as ipso facto conspiratorial sets this title apart from many of the others on the shelf. But it's nice to take a holiday from all the rhetoric sometimes.

As other reviewers have noted, there are a number of errors and repetitions. For example, a story about Robert Mossbacher meeting with Prescott Bush is told in the context of both the 1964 (p. 157) and 1970 (p. 201) elections. While these suggest another pass or two by the editor's comb might have been useful, they don't fundamentally undermine the whole work.

The most useful functions of "The Bushes", I think, are twofold. The first is the light it shines on the importance of the family, as such, to the Bushes, and how essential characteristics wax and wane, though still present, through the years. George W. comes across as an uncharacteristically cause-driven member of the family -- whereas his father "41" is described as a man of no particular ideology (p. 279), who distrusts the power of ideas (p. 374), and who was never really quite able to answer the question of what he wanted to do when he became president (p. 356).

The second interesting point is the access the authors were given to family members and close friends, and the uncharacteristic willingness of those people to discuss things the Bushes usually keep very close to the vest. Even readers who are less willing to look favorably on the Bush clan should find some value or use in these insider accounts.

Though the Bushes profess to hate "the D word," there's no question that they have surpassed the Adams, Taft, or Kennedy families as America's premier political dynasty. Students of American politics have reason to want to get to know them, and this book is, if not flawless, one of the better (and almost certainly the least grudge-bearing) ways to do that yet published.


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Summary: The Bests of the Bush Books
Review: If you want history and accuracy, this is the best volumne on the Bush family, by far. This one will have a long shelf life. It solves many of the puzzles about the family. Self appointed critics who imagine that this project was sponsored by the family obviously don't know the family because it is all told here, warts included, and it is fascinating to find it in one epic volumne. I see some partisans are out in force during an election year - knocking this book because it so clearly debunks some of the more bizarre conspiratorial theories and focuses on what really happened. But in the end accuracy rules!

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Summary: You can tell this book got a "nod" from the Bushes, but
Review: it is still a worthwhile read. You get some great background info on the Bushes. Love them or hate them, their successes didn't happen in a vaccum. They thoroughly understand that their achievments depend on two things; networking and making enough money to be comfortable while pursuing their political goals. It also demonstrates that while Bush Sr was not a great president he is undervalued as a statesman. Few people walked into the White House with as much experience as George Herbert Walker Bush.

That said I think this book is an especially good read for people trying to understand why Bush Sr's presidency has a different flavor than that of his son Dubya. And for people who aren't familiar with the saga, they will learn that the family pinned their political hopes on Jeb and were astonished when Dubya became Gov of Tex then President.

Even though this book does favor the Bushes there are some things that even they can't paint a pretty picture of. Such as Prescott Srs involvement in Yales Skull and Bones Society's plundering of Geronimos bones and his fumble when he jokingly told his mother during WWI that he won 3 medals of honor from three countries. His mother unwittingly shared that with the press only to have to shamefacedly retract it later.

Another example of where this book paints a less than flattering picture of the Bushes is that it also shows a mean spirited side to Bush Sr in some of his remarks to Barbara about her weight and her cooking. And even Barbara isn't spared. While she is generally portrayed in a positive light you can't help but see that Barbara on occassion employed some "Nancy Reagan-like" tactics when she thought someone wasn't being loyal to the Bush family. And, in immersing herself in the Bush identity she became disengaged from her own family.

In summary this book is a good foundation to understanding the Bushes but you may want to do some "cross reading" from other sources to get a more complete picture of this interesting family.

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Summary: The End of the Dynasty?
Review: Peter and Rochelle Schweizer, the authors of Portrait of a Dynasty, claim to have relied mainly on interviews with friends and family members of the president and his father, the ex-president, for their facts. This is remarkable, because the result, while hardly a brutal attack on the family, is not very complimentary.

George H. W. comes across as an ambitious man who schmoozes his way into jobs, and who works hard, but who has no big goals he wants to accomplish once he gets there. He famously acknowledged that he lacked "the vision thing." He seemed to be absent as a father, but most men were in those days. Still, for a man who claimed to prize loyalty and family above all, it was unforgivable for him to miss George W.'s graduation from Yale. W. was disappointed, according to this book, so it seems even stranger that he would miss his own daughters' graduation, as well.

George W., our current president, comes across as a rude, foul-mouthed, ruthless politician who learned while acting the heavy during his father's administration, that the press was the enemy and that his father wasn't tough enough. His behavior while he was drinking was irresponsible, but after he stopped drinking and found religion, he didn't seem to be any more pleasant to be around. He still mocked people he perceived as being his enemy and was rather strident about his beliefs.

I'll admit that I skipped most of the parts about the generations before George H. W., but the sections on the two presidents, Jeb, and the brothers, make up for the boring spots. The women are glossed over, not because of the authors' bias, but because women are for support in this family. Barbara burst out of that role and upstaged her husband, but it is unlikely that Laura will do anything like that. And the lone sister, Doro, makes no mark at all.

Portrait of a Dynasty is an enjoyable read, and I have only one quibble. There is too much repitition. In one paragraph, Laura is described first as "shy," then as "reluctant,", and finally as "shy and reluctant." Maureen Dowd's on-again, off-again e-mail correspondence with George H. W. is mentioned several times. This sort of thing happens throughout the book. Other than that, I recommend the book to fans and non-fans alike.

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Summary: mildly interesting fluff
Review: The Bushes are a fascinating family, but you only skim the surface in this very soft rundown of the family's history. The most intersting parts of the book come early, where we meet the original Bushes (and Walkers, the current president's grandmother's parents on his father's side). The narrative nicely fills in the history and gives you context for the current and former president's attitudes. There is much to admire about the Bushes, even if you accept that this is a very airbrushed, "authorized" narrative. They are hardworking, loyal and principled (mostly). But they are also untiring resume builders, and you get the distinct sense that the presidency (or any other public office) is something they pursue not to accomplish something so much as to impress the rest of the family (living and dead). Aside from the fluffiness of the analysis (which always seems to put the best spin on anything the Bushes have done), the book peters out about halfway through, when we get to fairly current history. By the time the narrative gets to George H.W.'s vice presidency and presidency, the litany is basicaly a hopping around to mention all the greatest hits of the family history in very cursory fashion (Clinton and Gore literally are mentioned once(!) in the part about the 1992 presidential election). The editing is very sloppy. Some quotes appear more than once in different parts of the book and there are some embarassing misspellings and other minor but annoying mistakes. If you want a history of the Bush clan, this is not a bad palce to start, but for incisive analysis, look elsewhere.

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Summary: Readable, but not formidable.....
Review: The Bushes: Portrait of a Dynasty is a wholly readable, if not entirely engrossing, family biography which seeks to exploit unprecedented access to the broad Bush network of family and friends. Though "breezy" is far too light a term, this effort seems more a 500-page People Magazine article than a scholarly work of heft, analysis, and insight. Coverage of issues and events are largely superficial as the Schweizer's concentrate mainly on the emotive reactions of persons involved. Though this is not unexpected in a biography, momentous events have occured throughout the Bush dynasty. Unfortunately, for those desiring a broader contextual experience, the authors seem content to merely swipe at them and move on.

Those of an anti-Bush stripe will undoubtedly uncover the subtle (and not so subtle) pro-Bush underpinnings of the book, but the pro-Bush contigent may walk away equally dissatisfied as the Schweizer's don't really provide much ideological grist for either mill. The Bushes: Portrait of a Dynasty may affirm positive or negative gut feelings for the reader, but don't look to it to provide scholarly insight, policy analysis, or even moderate discussion of historical context. It provides no practical, encompassing historical vantage point. It's simply not that kind of book.

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Summary: Well researched and informative
Review: This book covers 4 generations of Bushes - with emphasis on the 2 most recent and particular intensity on George Sr., Jr. and JEB (interestingly John Ellis Bush). I don't think anyone can read/listen to this book without coming away with at least some admiration for George Sr. His heroism in the Pacific during WWII, his pioneering work as an offshore oil man and the integrity with which he carried himself as a politician are convincingly demonstrated. However, even the authors seem to find it difficult to come up with things to admire about George W. About the best they can do is to demonstrate his skills as a promoter (with the Rangers) and his ability to make and keep friends.

I enjoyed this book and learned a great deal from it. I'm giving it four stars because it is unquestionably biased in favor of its subject. Perhaps the authors were forced to write this way in order to gain the access and get the interviews they did. Still, as long as you keep in mind that there is more to the Bush family than what's in this book, it's well worth the effort.

Rating:
Summary: Very well written
Review: This very well written and fascinating book is highly recommended -- and it has none of the "warts" and vendetta of Kevin Phillips' "American Dynasty," which pales by comparison and trashed the Bushes at every opportunity.

Obviously the Schweizers benefited enormously from access to the Bush family, and the insights are terrific.

George W. comes off better, in my opinion, than his father. I found it interesting that "Big George" had qualms about running for reelection, and the authors describe in vivid detail how the "fire" to win again had gone out of his belly (pp. 401 & 403).

George W. seems to be cut more from his mother's feisty cloth, which may make the difference in the 2004 election. His rise to the top may not have been conventional, but he may have more staying power than his father did; and historians may treat his presidency better in the years to come.

Perhaps George W.'s wisest decision was Laura. He wanted someone who was "steady and calm" (p. 260), and obviously she changed his life for the better. He is also genuinely religious, and took to heart Billy Graham's teaching that he was "created by God for a reason" (p. 333).

Because of Colu Bush's understandable reticence, it is questionable whether Jeb will ever reach the pinnacle. George P. is still an unknown quantity, and therein may lie the end of the "Dynasty" unless other Bushes emerge onto the national political scene.

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Summary: Well Written and Objective History of the Bush Family
Review: This well-written and meticulously researched book explores several generations of the Bush and Walker families, starting with President George W. Bush's great-grandfather, S.P. Bush. I was as impressed by the authors' detailed and intimate portraits of the Bush family members as I was by their overall balanced portrayals. Although clearly written by admirers of the Bush family - among whom I count myself - this is a no-holds-barred history and nothing of importance is left out. From the family's sometimes problematic foreign business relationships before and during World War II, to the complex and competitive relationships between President Bush, his brother, Governor Jeb Bush, and their father President George H.W. Bush, it is all explored here in great, yet always readable, detail.

The Bush and Walker family business contacts (and admirers) have been incredibly extensive over the generations and have included, among others, the Kennedys, the Harriman's, Eisenhower, Nixon and of course Reagan, as well as an impressive list of world and business leaders from China, the Middle East, Europe and South America. The Bushes have established perhaps the largest network of supporters and financial contributors of any family in American history - rivaling or surpassing anything ever established by either political party itself.

Most fascinating is the authors' exploration of the Walker side of the family. While the Bushes refuse to emphasize the individual over the family, the Walkers are presented as sometimes larger than life, brimming with self-confidence, charisma and the ability - and perhaps the need - to take great, yet calculated, risks. It is easy to see that President George Walker Bush gets more than just his middle name from this side of the family (although, as the authors point out, he also gets more than a little dose of that from his mother Barbara as well).

Also interesting is the fact that numerous male Bush family members (Prescott, George H.W., and George W., among others) have turned not to their fathers but to their uncles and other male relatives for guidance at the beginning of their business and political careers. And, as each succeeding generation has drifted further away from the "elite Eastern establishment," the Bushes have become both more conservative and more open about their deeply held religious beliefs. Each has also married strong woman (Dorothy, Barbara and now Laura) who have melded seamlessly into the Bush family, but who have asserted powerful stabilizing influences over their husbands and children.

Overall, this is a fascinating account of the Bush family. Those looking for a better understanding of what motivates the current President and his family, and how the family got to where it is today, will be richly rewarded. On the other hand, those looking to the Bush family history as a means to bash or criticize this President had best look elsewhere. You'll come away from this book with a deep respect for this highly competitive yet public-minded family.

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Summary: A Heartfelt and Honest Family Portrait of USA's First Family
Review: You might actually wonder why it took so long for a family portrait of the Bushes to be published. I certainly have; certainly no comtemporary family has had such a prolonged and strong impact on our country.
The Schweizers do a fine job balancing the many faces of this engaging family. Starting with SP Bush (W's Great, great grandfather), to Senator Prescott Bush, to George HW Bush (known to the family as 41) on through to George W. and Jeb, their account is fluid, easy to read, factual and balanced. While they are clearly admirers of the family, they are also honest. Foibles are as equally displayed as the fortes-- but all are shown in a even-handed and objective manner. Despite others reviews, the authors do not seem to have an agenda-- they simply paint a portrait.
The result? A lengthy biography that reads like a novel. To anyone who is interested in American history, this account of the Bush family is a must read. If you are a Bush basher, no, you will not enjoy this book. If you are a fair-minded person going in, however, there is a lot to be gained from reading this throrough account of one of the most influential families of our time.