George Walker Bush

Decision Points is the extraordinary memoir of America's 43rd president. Shattering the conventions of political autobiography, George W. Bush offers a strikingly candid journey through the defining decisions of his life. In gripping, never-before-heard detail, President Bush brings readers inside the Texas Governor's Mansion on the night of the hotly contested 2000 election; aboard Air Force One on 9/11, in the hours after America's most devastating attack since Pearl Harbour; at the head of the table in the Situation Room in the moments before launching the war in Iraq; and behind the Oval Office desk for his historic and controversial decisions on the financial crisis, Hurricane Katrina, Afghanistan, Iran, and other issues that have shaped the first decade of the 21st century. President Bush writes honestly and directly about his flaws and mistakes, as well as his accomplishments reforming education, treating HIV/AIDS in Africa, and safeguarding the country amid chilling warnings of additional terrorist attacks. He also offers intimate new details on his decision to quit drinking, discovery of faith, and relationship with his family. A groundbreaking new brand of memoir, Decision Points will captivate supporters, surprise critics, and change perspectives on one of the most consequential eras in American history - and the man at the centre of events.

Decision Points

Donald

I'm going to review this as I listen to it.

1/27: The only thing that really stands out in the beginning is the sort of Oedipal moment in the hospital when GWB takes his mom there after she has a miscarriage. He paces the hallway nervously, and an older woman comforts him by saying that "his wife" will be okay. He is pleased by this, and his mom seems to be as well. He does not correct the older woman.

1/30: Okay, I listened to a lot more over the weekend driving to and from Hamilton and Cincinnati. This is probably the weirdest thing I've ever listened to, and I'm getting sort of caught up in the story. 9/11 just happened. Now he is preparing for war.

2/1: Bush is a weak apologist for torture. His arguments aren't convincing at all. Of course, the amazing part in all this is that torture is even debated.

2/2: The war in Afghanistan started out pretty sweet, apparently. Now I'm in the lead-up to Iraq. He keeps mentioning all the Democrats who supported the war. Christopher Hitchens' 'A Long Short War' is a much better pro-war argument.

2/3: Preparations for Iraq. Sort of surreal.

2/4-2/14: Okay, there was the beginning of the war in Iraq, and then there was Katrina. I lived in New Orleans for a month after the hurricane, so it's pretty weird reading about the whole thing from Bush's perspective. His 'strategy' in the Katrina chapter is to attack the governor of Louisiana. After Katrina comes his AIDS policy in Africa and now the surge in Iraq.

What I've realized over the last 10 days of listening off and on is that this memoir is primarily aimed at the Republican party. It is an extended argument against Tea Party libertarianism. It's sort of interesting that Bush is throwing his hat in with the neoconservatives, who have fallen in stature considerably since the failure/difficulties of the wars. Or maybe not the neoconservatives but just the 'left' of the Republican party. None of this really matters, but it's kind of neat to observe.

2/15: I just finished the chapter about THE SURGE, so I'm in the final stretch. I can't say I regret listening to this thing, but I don't think I will ever read/listen to the memoir of a politician ever again.

2/16-2/23: I'm done! The book ends with discussions of the 'Bush Doctrine/Freedom Agenda' and then stuff about the financial crisis and TARP. The 'Bush Doctrine' stuff is very neoconservative and semi-interesting re: what's happening now in North Africa. There's also this glaring mindfuck thing where he goes on and on about supporting democracy in the Middle East in the middle of describing his friendship to the prince of Saudi Arabia. There's a crazy story about the prince hating him at first and refusing to talk to him at all... until they come across a turkey hen on Bush's ranch and the prince declares the hen "a sign from Allah". After that, they were cool. What.

Jeni Enjaian

I found myself strangely fascinated by this book. I wasn't sure what I would think of this. It's a memoir written close to most of the highly controversial events described in the book. I also disagree with aspects of the man's politics, even though I voted for him in 2004. (My political views have evolved since I turned 18 and became eligible to vote.)
About the book itself (in no particular order):
I found the non-chronological format distracting. I think Bush would have been better served to approach this work chronologically. Life doesn't happen in themes. An event like 9-11 probably colored every other decision he made as president. (It's hard to see how it couldn't.)
Some of the narrative seems extremely defensive of certain controversial decisions which strikes me as a bit disingenuous and manipulative.
I loved the passage on the events of 9-11. It was simply fascinating to review history that I've lived through. (That point applies to all of Bush's discussion of events during his presidency.)
I strongly disagree with Bush's justification of the use of torture. (I'll leave it at that since this is not a political discussion.)

I recommend this book to all political junkies capable of setting aside their personal beliefs enough to learn about how this man made his own momentous decisions. You don't have to agree with him to learn.

George W. Bush

Decision Points is the extraordinary memoir of America's 43rd president. Shattering the conventions of political autobiography, George W. Bush offers a strikingly candid journey through the defining decisions of his life. In gripping, never-before-heard detail, President George W. Bush brings readers inside the Texas Governor's Mansion on the night of the hotly contested 2000 election; aboard Air Force One on September 11, in the hours after America's most devastating attack since Pearl Harbour; at the head of the table in the Situation Room in the moments before launching the war in Iraq; and behind the Oval Office desk for his historic and controversial decisions on the financial crisis, Hurricane Katrina, Afghanistan, Iran, and other issues that have shaped the first decade of the 21st century. President Bush writes honestly and directly about his flaws and mistakes, as well as his accomplishments reforming education, treating HIV/AIDS in Africa, and safeguarding the country amid chilling warnings of additional terrorist attacks. He also offers intimate new details on his decision to quit drinking, discovery of faith, and relationship with his family. A groundbreaking new brand of memoir, Decision Points will captivate supporters, surprise critics, and change perspectives on one of the most consequential eras in American history - and the man at the centre of events.

Decision Points

Reviews