W: Revenge of the Bush Dynasty - Hardcover

Mitchell, Elizabeth

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0786866306 ISBN 13: 9780786866304

Publisher: Hyperion, 2000

Synopsis

In the tradition of What It Takes by Richard Ben Cramer, Elizabeth Mitchell, a young journalist, takes an in-depth look at the man many believe will be the next president, George W. Bush. This comprehensive and explosive biography stands as an epic saga of one of the nations leading political families, interweaving a history of the time with insightful analysis and top-notch reporting.

About this title

Review:

The premise of Elizabeth Mitchell's W: Revenge of the Bush Dynasty is that if you want to understand George W. Bush, you must look at his parents--especially his father. So, it makes sense that Mitchell's book is as much about former President Bush as it is about his son. Mitchell, a former executive editor of George magazine, clearly believes that pleasing his father has been the driving force in George W.'s life, leading him to follow in his father's footsteps almost stride for stride--to Andover, Yale, the oil business, politics, and a run for the presidency. An Andover friend of George W. told Mitchell that he has been resolutely trying "to live up to his father's achievements" his entire life. And that hasn't always proved easy, particularly in school, where George W. excelled in social pursuits rather than academics. "It's the first son syndrome," Mitchell quotes another friend. "You want to live up to the very high expectations set by your father, but at the same time you want to go your own way, so you end up going kicking and screaming down the exact path your father made." His mother, Barbara, even said in an interview that George W. and Jeb's decisions to enter politics "sort of vindicates our life," touching on a recurring theme in the book. "George W. would love to avenge his father's defeat," Mitchell writes. "To some, his political interest seemed ignited less by passion for the issues than by revenge." Full of rich detail and telling anecdotes, W is an important look at a dynasty in waiting. --Linda Killian

About the Author:

Elizabeth Mitchell served as executive editor of George magazine.

About this edition

• Publisher: Hyperion
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0786866306
• ISBN 13: 9780786866304
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320