Book Description
When Laura Bush moved into the White House on January 20, 2001, everyone wanted to know what kind of first lady she would be. Would she be like Mamie Eisenhower? Would she follow in Barbara Bush’s footsteps? Would she be another Hillary Clinton?
“I think I’ll just be Laura Bush,” she would say.
On Saturday, April 30, 2005, the world got a glimpse of what that meant when she pushed aside the leader of the free world and stole the show at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. Wearing a shimmering lime green Oscar de la Renta gown, Laura wisecracked that she was a “desperate housewife” married to a president who was always asleep at nine.
Replayed constantly on the air, the stand-up routine with its impeccable comedic timing turned the first lady into a glittering star. But while the performance catapulted her to new status, it did not answer the question of who this former teacher and librarian really is and just what role she plays in influencing her husband and shaping his administration. The Bushes are more effective than the FBI or CIA at keeping secret what goes on behind the scenes at the White House, the ranch, or Camp David.
Now, New York Times bestselling author Ronald Kessler draws back that curtain in the first biography of Laura Bush to be written with White House cooperation. Based on interviews with her closest friends and confidantes from childhood to the present, as well as family members and administration heavyweights like Condoleezza Rice and Andrew Card, Kessler paints a portrait of a woman who, even as she ascended to the heights of political fortune and power, never lost touch with the bedrock American values she absorbed in her youth.
In this unprecedented account, Kessler reveals:
• How Laura’s opinions have brought budget changes to a range of federal agencies and have affected her husband’s policies, appointments, and worldview.
• Why Laura told her press secretary in May 2001 she did not want to do any more media interviews.
• What President Bush said to Laura at the dinner table after giving the “go” for the invasion of Iraq, and what his father, former President George H. W. Bush, wrote him the next day about the war.
• What Laura’s own political opinions are and what her relationship with twin daughters Jenna and Barbara is really like.
• What Laura says in private about Hillary Clinton, media attacks on her husband, and his victory in the 2004 election.
• And why Laura, at the age of seventeen, missed a stop sign and caused a fatal accident that tragically left one of her best friends dead.
Laura Bush a remarkable look at the private world of this famously reserved woman, as well as the beliefs and attitudes that shape it. The book will surprise readers whose knowledge of the first lady comes from cautious media interviews and speeches.
Laura Bush’s approval rating stands at 85 percent. Since opinion polls first began asking about them, no first lady has received a higher rating. This moving biography is the first to penetrate the secret world of the president’s stealth counselor who is one of our most admired public figures.
Customer Reviews:
Not a Kessler Best.......2007-08-06
I liked this book but it wasn't great. I was wanting some insight to Laura Bush and her marriage. Mr. Kessler didn't do that. He repeated numerous stories that the media had already reported and responding to Kitty Kelley's The Family book. I felt like this book was rushed. He didn't go into a lot of explanation and I felt that her childhood along with the governor years were very glossed over. I wanted Mr. Kessler to talk about the librarian/school teacher years of Laura Bush's life. After reading this book, I wanted to feel like I knew her. Instead I feel like I barely scratched the surface. Some of that may be that Laura Bush is a private person. I don't know. I just had higher expectations after reading some Mr. Kessler's other books and he didn't not fulfill my expectations.
Laura Bush would be great to have as a friend.......2007-08-06
I loved this book. I bought this book after reading a library copy.
This book is based on interviews with Laura Bush's friends. It reveals friendships that are full of caring, insight, jokes, loyalty and sincerity. I would like to be as good a friend to the people I love as I think Laura Bush is to the people she loves. Laura Bush is still friends with schoolmates from high school and college! And they are very smart and also funny!
In reading this book, I found out that Laura loves to clean. One of her friends said cleaning supplies are Laura's favorite substances. No one in my family feels that way! But I find Laura's attitude inspiring, funny and helpful. Now, when something around here needs cleaning, I think of Laura's enthusiasm. I find that it is much easier and more fun to tackle cleaning with enthusiasm than to go through it with a dismal attitude.
I liked Laura Bush before I read this book. Based on the impressions shared by her friends, it seems to me that she always tries to do her best but without taking herself too seriously. She is smart, sensible, witty and also kind. And she loves to read!! And I love to read!! And I love people who love to read!!
I liked her very much to begin with, and having read the book, I like her better. In fact, I have added Laura Bush to my virtual team and I consider her an awesome virtual friend and consultant.
I wish her well and thank her for her contributions as First Lady. Thank you, Laura!
I think this is an excellent book, with revealing insights into Laura Bush's friendships and life. It is not a snarky critical book and I was grateful for that. I'm not interested in snark and criticism (well, hardly at all). I'm interested in encouraging people to be their best and to enjoy life. I think this book does that, and I highly recommend it.
Another 5 star from this author.......2007-02-21
He lets us feel as though we are "right there" - a moving story of this woman's life. You don't want to put the book down til you're done...very interesting presentation.
Laura's great; the author is not.......2007-02-03
I admire Laura Bush and enjoyed learning more about her. But I appreciate authors who can provide some objectivity. This one falls all over his subject rather than providing a sophisticated eye. Laura herself is very diplomatic and more non-judgmental than most of us. But the author betrays the spirit of the First Lady with his pot shots at others, particularly the Clintons. It's almost as if he wrote the book to state his own opinions rather than to state hers. He is politically naive and less than a stellar writer. His transitions from one topic to another are very weak. Read this book if you want to learn more about Laura but don't waste your time if you are looking for a well-written piece.
Worth the Wait!.......2007-01-09
This book was worth waiting for! I admire the First Lady greatly, and this book did not disappoint me. It is written with all the grace and elegance Mrs. Bush is known for. A great book.
Book Description
If ever a man has earned his place in the annals of military history, that man is Francis "Gabby" Gabreski. His exploits as a fighter pilot in World War II and Korea are legendary; his rise from humble beginnings to success in military and business careers is inspiring. This is the full story of Gabby Gabreski, told in his own words. Gabreski's life is a classic American success story. Born to Polish immigrant parents in 1919, he nearly washed out of Notre Dame and then flight school. He was down to his last chance, and he made the most of it. A witness to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Gabby had his own first taste of air combat flying with a Polish RAF squadron. Shortly thereafter he joined the 56th Fighter Group of the U.S. 8th Air Force, and in seventeen months he shot down twenty-eight German planes, the highest total of any 8th Air Force pilot in Europe. He became a hero whose name was splashed across newspaper headlines from coast to coast. And then, on the very day he was to fly home to his fiancee and a hero's welcome, he took one last combat mission, crashed and, after a daring attempt to avoid capture, finished the war in a POW camp. Gabreski returned to combat in 1951, flying F-86 Sabrejets over Korea. He scored 6.5 more victories there, making him one of the few pilots ever to achieve ace status in two wars and in both propeller and jet aircraft. He retired from the Air Force as a colonel in 1967 and spent the next twenty years working in the aviation industry, sustained, as always, by his devout religious faith and his deep love for his family. Now, drawing on his private documents and photographs, Gabby, along with writer Carl Molesworth, tells his thrilling eyewitness story with a candor and a vivid style that should earn this brave pilot a whole new generation of admirers., over 200 b/w photographs, 8 color aircraft profiles, 8 1/2" x 11"
Customer Reviews:
EX`CELLENT!.......2007-03-08
I BOUGHT THIS BOOK FOR MY HUSBAND AND HE QUICKLY DEVOURED IT AND IMMEDIATELY SHARED IT WITH A FRIEND. THE BEST RECOMMENDATION POSSIBLE.
For many years Gabby was America's living "Ace-of-Aces".......2006-05-02
I read an abridged paperback version of this book many years ago and found it to be both stirring and informative. I particularly enjoyed reading about the more human side of being a fighter pilot. Gabreski, for example, became so excited in his first aerial combat that he didn't even see the German fighter that was in his gun sights even when his flight leader told him to shoot it down. He only saw it much later when they reviewed his gun camera footage. How human can you get?
The smaller paperback excerpted the combat sequences from this autobiography and condensed them into a much smaller more action packed book obviously intended for a broader audience. After reading it, I was anxious to read the whole story; the larger, more comprehensive story of Gabby Gabreski's life. And this book did not disappoint. It tells the story of Gabreski's life from the time of his birth in Oil City, Pennsylvania, through his many actions in both World War II and in Korea, on through the post war years until his final retirement from Grumman Aircraft in 1987.
America has a tendency to forget its heroes all too soon and sadly, except in certain circles, Gabby Gabreski is all but forgotten today. But with 28 aerial victories in World War II, making him America's living "ace-of-aces" for most of his life, and having added another 6 ? MiGs flying jets in Korea, he shouldn't be forgotten. So, if you want to read a good book about a great American and true hero, this is a good place to start.
Gabby Gabreski.......2006-03-25
Un très bon bouquin, très facile d'accès même pour les non anglophiles, pas beaucoup de termes techniques ce qui facilité d'autant la compréhension. A l'inverse, j'ai trouvé que cet ouvrage manquait un peu d'anecdote.
Gabby is what we yearn for--a real American hero!.......1998-10-28
If current events leave your head spinning...if you go to bed at night wondering where have all the heros gone and wake-up in the morning still searching, read "Gabby A Fighter Pilot's Life" by Francis Gabreski.
In this age, when everybody has an excuse for every meaningless thing, it is humbling and skin dingling to unfold the tale of Gabby's life through each chapter. Gabreski, a man of simple elegance, scripts a tale of greatness throughout the book. This is greatness earned by actions. From humble beginnings, Gabreski travels the American dream through a never boring progression of character challenging and character building struggles. Gabby tells his story with the humility and directness only a real honest hero can possess.
If you never want to be bored, always want to be inspired and feel good throughout, then this book is a "must read". Gabreski's story will leave you shaking your head, with a tear in your eye and a smile on your face.
"Gabby" is a primer in character development. If it needs to be said, Gabreski makes the point that determination, faith, morals and hard work combine to pay a big dividend. Yet, he is subtle, entertaining and a real "class act". Thank you Gabby.
Book Description
When the tarts belonging to the Queen of Hearts go missing, everyone is a suspect. Was it that scoundrel, the Knave of Hearts? The sour-faced Mary Quite Contrary? Or the suspiciously hungry Humpty Dumpty? The Queen wants to start chopping off heads, but somebody suggests calling in Mother Goose, Chief Detective of Nursery Rhyme Crime.
Mother Goose begins her investigation by opening her secret files on all of the suspicious characters in the world of nursery rhyme. These never-been-published top-secret facts reveal the dirt on the personalities you thought you knew. Find out who has a hidden criminal past, which nursery rhyme character has deadly food allergies, and who has a reputation for never paying her bills! Richly detailed illustrations will shed even more light on the true lives of these nursery rhyme celebrities. Part true-crime, part exposé, The Top Secret Files of Mother Goose! will open your eyes to what's really happening in the Kingdom of Hearts.
Book Description
Tony Millionaire grew up in the seaside town of Gloucester, Massachusetts where his grandparents taught him to draw ships and old houses. After spending thousands of Sunday afternoons gazing at his grandfather's collections of old newspaper comics, he picked up a pen and started drawing monkeys with striped tails and top hats. He now writes and draws the comic book Sock Monkey as well as the weekly strip "Maakies," which has won him three Eisner Awards and has been animated for Saturday Night Live. He lives in Pasadena, California with his wife and daughters.
Customer Reviews:
perhaps the best sock monkey story yet..........2007-06-06
wow! tony millionaire sure knows how to pull the most wonderful surprises out of his hat. not that is surprising to find a cleverly written and brillantly illustrated book by him, but nonetheless, this book is something else. sad and poetic and utterly wistful, children of all ages, and particularly children who have suddenly discovered that they have mysteriously gotten older and things have changed, will find this book quite appealing (and maybe even disturbing, in a good way of course...) i would give this book 5 stars for the last page alone...what can i say...BUY IT!
Book Description
Gabby just has to win at everything. But when the rest of the Furry Eyefuls stop playing with her, Gabby has to learn an important lesson -having fun is more important than winning.
Customer Reviews:
love these books.......2007-09-15
I grew up with these books- and since I now have a daughter I have started looking to find them. All of these books have a moral of the story and helps kids understand how to handle situations. Wonderful illustrations set in a fantasy world that draws children in. I highly recommend these books for all kids!
this book teaches children how to deal w/ crabby friends.......1999-11-16
Crabby Gabby written by Stephen Cosgrove is a great book for children because it tells children how to react to crabby or overpowering friends. It also shows that the other furry eyefulls are forgiving which is telling children that they should forgive and forget too.
Average customer rating:
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Gabby the Shrew
Alfa-Betty Olsen
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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| Ages 4-8
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ASIN: 0679944990
Release Date: 1994-10-11 |
Average customer rating:
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Serendipity: Gabby (Serendipity Books)
Stephen Cosgrove
Manufacturer: Price Stern Sloan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Crabby Gabby/Rev (Serendipity Books)
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Dragolin (Serendipity)
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Leo the Lop (reissue) (Serendipity Books)
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Flutterby (Serendipity)
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Sniffles (Serendipity)
ASIN: 084310595X |
Book Description
Little Gabby, a Furry Eyeful, just loves to talk. However, her constant babbling is driving her friends crazy and driving them away. She becomes sad and lonely until she meets a special friend who listens, understands, and explains.
Illustrated by Robin James.
Customer Reviews:
Gabby.......2002-03-31
This is a fable about a Furry Eyeful, an imaginary creature who lives in the forest with others of her kind. This little creature loves to talk and has alot to say. However, her constant babbling (which includes interruptions and speaking at inappropriate times) is driving her friends crazy (and driving them away from her). She becomes sad and lonely until she meets a special friend who listens, understands and explains.
This book takes a very gentle and compassionate approach to excessive and inappropriate talking. The over-talkative child's feelings (rather than social consequences) are the focus of the story. The book offers the child suggestions and solutions when talking has become "too much of a good thing" and is out of control. This book has taken a difficult childhood issue and has dealt with it well.
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Amelia and Gabby: More Than Just Sisters
Lia Marino
Manufacturer: Warren Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Short Story Collections
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ASIN: 1886057303
Release Date: 2005-07-01 |
Product Description
Friends may come and go, but sisters will always be there. Delight in the antics of Amelia and Gabby as they illustrate the special bond that exists between sisters. This story is "sweet as a kiss", and suggested reading ages are 3 to 8 years of age.
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Bud and Gabby
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
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Binding: Hardcover
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Mrs. Crump's Cat
ASIN: 0060753501
Release Date: 2006-08-01 |
Book Description
This is Bud.
This is Gabby.
Bud and Gabby are best friends.
When Gabby goes away, Bud can't wait for her to come home.
Bud and Gabby 4-ever.
Customer Reviews:
Unforgettable!.......2006-08-02
A great new writer/illustrator of children's books is born in the single person of Anne Davis! I don't know which delights me more, the artwork or the story, just as I can't decide whether I'm more amused by Gabby's knitting project or Bud's hairball. Everyone will love this, children and adults and pets alike.
Average customer rating:
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WOMEN! REBEL!
Gabby Buzzman
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1425936954 |
Book Description
A "must read" for all women! It identifies potential Abusers and tells you what you can do about them, and at the same time, this book takes a humorous look at marital and relationship complaints. It ends with a true life experience. With two divorces behind her, Gabby had decided to sit down and give it to you straight.the COLD HARD TRUTH about having been involved with the wrong man. It is not your Grandma's Recipe Book!
Customer Reviews:
Women! Rebel!.......2006-09-25
This is a" must read" for all women! It first makes you laugh with a discussion about marital & relationship complaints. Then it gets into a serious discussion about the subject of Domestic Violence.It tells you the warning signs of a potential Abuser and tells you how to put a STOP to it!
In the book,the author gives it to you straight.The truth behind being involved with the wrong man!
Pass the Word along. ALL women must see this!
Books:
- Let's Roll!: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage
- Letters from a Stoic (Penguin Classics)
- Madame de Pompadour (New York Review Books Classics)
- Main Lines, Blood Feasts, and Bad Taste: A Lester Bangs Reader
- Marx for Beginners
- Miles Gone By: A Literary Autobiography (with CD)
- Milestones: Memoirs 1927-1977
- Muchas vidas, muchos sabios
- My Life in France
- Olafur Eliasson
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