Bush by Jean Edward Smith (Epub)

Description

Distinguished presidential biographer Jean Edward Smith offers a “comprehensive and compelling” (The New York Times) life of George W. Bush, showing how he ignored his advisors to make key decisions himself—most disastrously in invading Iraq—and how these decisions were often driven by the President’s deep religious faith.

George W. Bush, the forty-third president of the United States, almost singlehandedly decided to invade Iraq. It was possibly the worst foreign-policy decision ever made by a president. The consequences dominated the Bush Administration and still haunt us today.

In Bush, a “well-rounded portrait…necessary and valuable in this election year” (Christian Science Monitor), Jean Edward Smith demonstrates that it was not Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, or Condoleezza Rice, but President Bush himself who took personal control of foreign policy. Bush drew on his deep religious conviction that important foreign-policy decisions were simply a matter of good versus evil. Domestically, he overreacted to 9/11 and endangered Americans’ civil liberties. Smith explains that it wasn’t until the financial crisis of 2008 that Bush finally accepted expert advice. As a result, he authorized decisions that saved the economy from possible collapse, even though some of those decisions violated Bush’s own political philosophy.

“An excellent initial assessment of a presidency that began in controversy…and ended with the international and domestic failures that saddled Bush with the most sustained negative ratings of any modern president” (Dallas Morning News), this comprehensive evaluation will surely surprise many readers. “Written in sober, smooth, snark-free prose, with an air of thoughtful, detached authority, the book is nonetheless exceedingly damning in its judgments about George W. Bush’s years in office” (The Washington Post).

User’s Reviews

Review “A comprehensive and compelling narrative.” (Peter Baker The New York Times)”Smith is particularly good on the nuances of Bush’s character. . . . [A] carefully researched portrait.” (David M. Shribman The Boston Globe)“Anyone prone to romanticize the old GOP should take a bracing shot of Bush, a hefty biography of our 43rd president by the prolific and acclaimed biographer Jean Edward Smith. Written in sober, smooth, snark-free prose, with an air of thoughtful, detached authority, the book is nonetheless exceedingly damning in its judgments about George W. Bush’s years in office. . . . Authoritative and trustworthy.” (David Greenberg The Washington Post)”Harsh though the book is, overall it is well-researched, well-written and convincing.” (Morton Kondracke The Wall Street Journal)”A swift and damning judgment on the 43rd president. . . . Smith writes with a deft sweep and sense of history.” (Ray Locker USA Today)”Pulls no punches. . . . A fair, comprehensive and highly readable account of a critical period that is sure to be reassessed by historians over the coming decades.” (Ray Harkavy Associated Press)“A thought-provoking book that anybody who wants to understand the opening years of this millennium must read.” (James M. McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom )“Makes a voluminously detailed — and compelling — case that vindication is unlikely to come for the Bush administration anytime soon.” (Glenn C. Altschuler The San Francisco Chronicle)”A well-rounded portrait of Bush as president. . . . Smith’s account is necessary and valuable in this election year.” (Erik Spanberg Christian Science Monitor)“An excellent initial assessment of a presidency that began in controversy . . . and ended with the international and domestic failures that saddled Bush with the most sustained negative ratings of any modern president.” (Carl P. Leubsdorf Dallas Morning News)“Hard-hitting. . . . A shrewd, nuanced view of Bush. . . . Smith embeds this portrait in a lucid, highly readable narrative, balancing rich detail with clear delineation of the larger shape of policy through the chaos of politics. This is a superb recap and critical analysis of Bush’s controversial administration.” (Publishers Weekly)

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ After reading Mr. Smith’s superb biography ‘Eisenhower’ and that the author was seen as a highly respected historian, I was eager to read another one of his works. ‘Eisenhower’ was an impartial assessment of the general’s life, so I was somewhat shocked when reading the opening line in Bush.’ It reads, “Rarely in history of the United States has the nation been so ill-served as during the presidency of George W. Bush.” Wow, that sure was hitting ole Number 43 right between the eyes. I was discouraged. I was not looking for a hatchet job but instead an impartial review. Fortunately, that first line in the Preface did not portend to the rest of the work. Mr. Smith maintained the same high standards he showed in Eisenhower.’It should be noted I am not a fan of President Bush. Mr. Smith’s analysis parroted my own thoughts, so of course I think the book is excellent. However, President Bush did have some successes that typically are overlooked because of his unpopularity. He was proudly anti-intellectual, where intuition over intellect, simplicity over detail, and a world of right and wrong were the qualities his cherished. Also President Bush’s belief that God wanted him to be our nation’s head cheese and it was God’s will that he invade Iraq means the dude’s brain circuits were short a few fuses. He dismissed reasoned analysis for religious logic fueled by friggin’ fairy dust. The first hundred and fifty pages skim through his childhood up until him becoming president. Understandably, the cluster**** (rhymes with duck) known as the Iraq War covers a sizable amount of the book. Mr. Smith’s biography also covers such things as his management style, his tenure as Texas governor, his federal tax cut, No Child Left Behind, stem cell research, 9/11, warrantless surveillance programs on U.S. citizens, Guantanamo Naval Base, Abu Ghraib, Hurricane Katrina, Supreme Court appointments, and the use of torture on terrorists. The author also explains President Bush’s major successes such as initiating the global fight against AIDS, helping us avoid another Great Depression because of the subprime mortgage meltdown, and his rescue of the auto industry. I especially liked that Mr. Smith went into detail about presidential signing statements which does not get enough attention in the news. The only piece of information that I wished the author had gone into detail was the Bush Administration’s manipulation of the color-coded terrorism threat advisory scale which was used for political reasons. The author does an especially good job of comparing Bush’s actions with similar events handled by previous presidents.Vice President Dick Cheney is covered in the biography but I strongly recommend Barton Gellman’s ‘Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency’ for a more detailed evaluation of Wyoming Voldemort’s influence on President Bush. W’s macho pursuit of unilateralism led us into an ill-conceived war with Iraq and left that region in its current mess. The guy put a lot of American soldiers as well as Iraqi soldiers and citizens into the ground because he had a religious stiffy to go to war and childishly wanted to install Western democracy in Iraq. He owns all of the mess including the birth of ISIS. ‘Bush’ is a fair review of a man who sometimes wore power well but most of the time… oy vey, what a klutz!

⭐ I previously read Mr. Smith’s books on Eisenhower and FDR. I enjoyed both of those books, but I enjoyed this book even more. I found the book interesting throughout, and fair to President Bush. Mr. Smith was highly critical of some of Bush’s actions and policies, and some readers might feel that Mr. Smith was too biased in his assessment of those policies, but I also feel that it would be difficult justify the invasion of Iraq and the torture policy. Bush’s torture policy is a paradox. Smith’s book shows Bush to be an overall good and compassionate person, but then how could he justify torture? After reading this book, I watched an interesting Amazon movie “The Report” which gave me greater insight into the torture policy and the problems with it. Mr. Smith also refers to Jane Mayer’s book about the Dark Side, which I just ordered. That should be interesting as well. Lastly, I was moved by how gracious Bush and his family were to the Obamas when the transition was occurring, and also how Bush didn’t seem to hold grudges (at least publicly) when he was criticized. He acted like a responsible adult. That wouldn’t normally seem like a big thing for a President, but after the last four years, it was refreshing to see.

⭐ Just when the unmitigated disaster of the Trump administration was beginning to make me forget what a terrible president W was, this biography came along. True, W didn’t possess the sheer malevolence of DJT, and had a store of charm to draw upon, but his belief in his own mission from God and his hubris in dragging America into 2 unnecessary wars make it hard to give anyone else the title of Worst President in history. But he had 8 years to get there. DJT will hopefully have 4 or less.This biography is even handed, well researched, and a fascinating read. It’s also a sad reminder at how slow American voters are to learn that electing an uninformed, arrogant and conceited fool to the presidency never ends well.

⭐ If I were an American citizen, I would not have voted for George W Bush. I always viewed the man as, to be honest, inept. America could and should have found a better president.Having said this, I thoroughly enjoyed Jean Edward Smith’s “Bush”. It is written in an even handed manner and flows well. As I got deeper into the book and came to understand Bush better, I came to like him more than I might previously have admitted.Perhaps my softened attitude to Bush is a function of the current incumbent in the White House. In comparison to Trump, Bush comes across as contemplative and staid; a man with his hand evenly on the wheel. The same could never be said of Trump.If there is one small criticism that I have of the book it is that the author was unable to interview Bush directly. I don’t know why this was the case. Regardless, it’s a shame that there was no direct input from the former president himself.Finally, it can be said reasonably with some certainty that Bush handled the so called Great Recession adroitly. He was also open to the US entering into new free trade agreements with other countries. America has nothing to fear from openness. He was also pivotal in the fight against AIDS in Africa and stood firmly against mindless terrorism in the days after 9/11. However, his decision to invade Iraq has been an unmitigated disaster. It will forever damage his reputation and that of the United States.

⭐ The author would have had a 5 star rating as the book reads well. He writes that the first heart transplant was done by Dr. Denton Cooley. That is dead wrong. Dr. Cooley, did implant the first artificial heart in a human. About 16 months prior, Dr. Christiaan Barnard, a South Africa performed the first human heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town and was the pioneer that started heart surgery. Please make sure of the facts and give credit where credit is due, otherwise all the other facts in the book becomes suspect.

⭐ This was my big summer read last year, and I can’t recommend this book highly enough! It is so clear, concise and readable that I found it un-put-downable–like the best beach reads. I was so impressed with JES’s writing style that I quickly bought his “Grant”, and am looking forward to reading his book on Eisenhower. One of the best things about “Bush” is that the author is opinionated–he pulls no punches, and his writing style is not dry and programmatic like Glen Jeansonne’s recent “Herbert Hoover: A Life.” This will be the definitive overview of Bush’s presidency until something else comes along…say a David Garrow 1000+ page bio-?

⭐ I am not a fan of George W. Bush but this is a must read for people interested in his presidency. While I still think he was a terrible president, I now have a better apprecition ot the man. The book is well researched and documented, offeing a balanced view of his time in office. I find myself giving him credit for good things, such as his contribution to controlling AIDS in Africa, I had forgotten (or suppressed). It also does not spare a W scathing indictment of his failures. The book is very informative and readable, and I recommend it without reservation.

⭐ Divide “Bush” into two books, really. The first half, covering George W. Bush’s upbringing and early life is fantastic. It stands apart from the rest of the story, and is definitely without rival in covering Bush’s formative years. It’s well-researched, engaging, detailed, and free of superfluous judgments.The second part, covering Bush’s time as president, is shakier. In many parts, Smith rushes the narrative and covers things only superficially. His treatment of the 2004 election and the surge were especially disappointing and short.Smith’s axe to grind over the Iraq war is what most detracts from the quality of the book. It’s not that he’s necessarily wrong, it’s just so atonal. Randomly, and sometimes jarringly, Smith will insert hyperbolic, almost acid denunciations of the Iraq war into the narrative. It is Smith’s right as a historian to cast such judgments, but the clumsy and almost personal tone do a great deal to undermine the overall quality of this biography.Peter Baker’s “Days of Fire” remains the best book about the Bush years. If Smith had been able to match the professionalism, dispassion, and detail he mastered in “FDR”, Baker would likely be in second place.

⭐ This is the second presidential biography I have read by Jean Edward Smith. I first read his book on the life of Eisenhower to gauge his style and tendencies toward biases. I liked that book very much, and learned a great deal about that great President.”Bush” was equally well researched and written. Since this President is much more contemporaneous, it will be expected that many readers will take offense at Smith as biased either in favor of Bush or against him. This will mostly depend of course on the reader’s predilections. I thought it was quite balanced overall. I was fascinated to learn that Bush saved tens of thousands, if not millions, of lives in Africa through two programs he pushed to get medication and knowledge to poor mothers in Africa in the fight against AIDS. Of course, Bush made a historic mistake when he ordered the invasion of Iraq based on nefarious evidence and the persuasive abilities of his associates, and Smith does a fair rendering of the behind the scenes facts leading to this black time in American history.

⭐ Wonderfully sober and insightful scholarly account of those years. Beautifully written. Surprisingly I now hate Bush less than I did. Even though his flouting international law and sanction of torture was worthy of prison. He did some great work for Africa that was news to me and seems to have become wiser after escaping Cheney’s influence. The GFC was handled pretty well in the US compared to the EU.A great book and I intend to read all his books.

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