Get the inside story on America’s most powerful political dynasty. President George W. Bush leads our nation in a time of unprecedented peril. But how well do we really know him or his remarkable family, whose history often mirrors the history of America? Now, in the first full-scale biography of the Bushes, Peter and Rochelle Schweizer trace the extraordinary trajectory of their rise to power. Through a series of exclusive, surprisingly candid interviews with members of the family and close friends, the inner workings of this very private family are revealed: their marriages and friendships; the intense sibling rivalry between George W. and Jeb Bush; divisions between father and son over the Iraq war; even Jeb Bush’s plans to run for president in 2008. Never-before-seen private photos add even greater detail and depth to this fascinating family portrait. And above all, we see George W. Bush the way his family does, as an intensely driven person who has a much more complex relationship with his father than has often been portrayed in the media. Family members talk about how he deals with the stresses of the war on terrorism, why he sees it as a “religious war,” and how his personal faith influences what he says and does. The Schweizers also delve into the Bushes’ sensitive and secret business dealings, including their long history of involvement in the oil business. Their shrewd alliances with other American dynasties—including the Kennedys, Rockefellers, and Tafts—have all helped to quietly consolidate their power within the Republican Party. Indeed, what makes the Bushes so successful is that they function less like the great political families before them and more like a high-tech startup: free-flowing, pragmatic, and opportunistic. It is this distinction that assures them an enduring presence on the nation’s political stage, making The Bushes essential reading for anyone who cares about America’s future.
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"Debbie and I listened to this 12 CD edition. Once started it was hard to stop listening to the book until we were done. It was very informative and shed light on President George Bush's character and actions that are not so objectively shed to the public through the media sources. "
— Paul (4 out of 5 stars)
" Good read, give you a great back ground on how the Bushes came to power in America. Lots of behind the scenes stuff that would surprise you. "
— Brian, 6/25/2013" It was a good high level survey of all the events in the Bush family history and how they would like to be portrayed in history. "
— Chris, 6/21/2013" Debbie and I listened to this 12 CD edition. Once started it was hard to stop listening to the book until we were done. It was very informative and shed light on President George Bush's character and actions that are not so objectively shed to the public through the media sources. "
— Paul, 1/23/2013" Nearly done reading portrait. Good coverage, shows warts but isn't raw. I wonder if brutal info missing in exchange for first-person interviews. "
— Plsullivan023, 6/21/2012" Apparently George and Laura met at a BBQ. Also, they had fake palm trees at the apartment complex where GWB lived as a young bachelor. All kinds of interesting facts! "
— Daniel, 9/22/2011" Our Prez was a C student and a party animal in college. "
— Jung, 8/9/2011" Good read, give you a great back ground on how the Bushes came to power in America. Lots of behind the scenes stuff that would surprise you. "
— Brian, 3/5/2011" Nearly done reading portrait. Good coverage, shows warts but isn't raw. I wonder if brutal info missing in exchange for first-person interviews. "
— Plsullivan023, 4/7/2008" Our Prez was a C student and a party animal in college. "
— Jung, 10/2/2007Peter Schweizer is a number one New York Times bestselling author whose books include Do as I Say (Not as I Do), The Bushes: Portrait of a Dynasty, Reagan's War, Clinton Cash, Extortion, Architects of Ruin, Victory, Leadership and Crisis, Secret Empires, Profiles in Corruption, Red-Handed, Controligarchs, and Throw Them All Out. His books have been translated into eleven languages. He has spoken before dozens of corporate audiences as well as numerous college student groups and the Young America’s Foundation. He is a former William J. Casey Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.
Rochelle Schweizer is the coauthor of three books and her writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times. She has appeared on CBS This Morning, MSNBC, Fox and Friends, and CNN. She lives with her family in Tallahassee, Florida.
Robertson Dean has played leading roles on and off Broadway and at dozens of regional theaters throughout the country. He has a BA from Tufts University and an MFA from Yale. His audiobook narration has garnered ten AudioFile Earphones Awards. He now lives in Los Angeles, where he works in film and television in addition to narrating.