Friday, November 28, 2008

This One May End Up on My Shelf .....

Books from politicians, and from those who are a part their aspirations and achievements, are common enough ... but not many of them find their way onto my shelves.

This one might ...

"First Lady Laura Bush confirmed to The Associated Press that she is planning a memoir and has met with publishers," Frazier Moore and Hillel Italie write in
this AP report. They go on to note, "A memoir from Laura Bush could be the political version of 'Garbo Speaks.' The public has long been fascinated by the First Lady, if only because she has said so little about herself, and her life is already a best seller in fictional form, in Curtis Sittenfields's novel 'American Wife.'"

"While Nancy Reagan famously settled scores with old foes like former White House chief of staff Donald Regan in 'My Turn,' one publishing executive with knowledge of the meetings with Laura Bush said the current first lady has vowed to write a positive book, with a minimum of criticism."

That wouldn't surprise me. While she was First Lady of Texas, I had a chance to interview Laura Bush twice, and found her to be smart and well-informed, with the ability to speak firmly - though not offensively - on those topics for which she feels strongly. I also found her to be very gracious and open to 'the press' ... far more so than those who comprised her entourage at the time (and still do, as a matter of fact). For me, the First Lady remains the best thing about the Bush White House.

Which is why I'll probably add hers to to those few of the aforementioned books that have made it to my shelf. Others already on the shelf include ...

Profiles in Courage by John Kennedy;
The Strenuous Life by Theodore Roosevelt;
It Takes a Village by Hillary Clinton;
Faith of My Fathers; by John McCain; and
Earth in the Balance by Al Gore.

... so, what's on your shelf?

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