Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush

"Jon Meacham’s biography of George H.W. Bush wasn’t even out before it started making news. In Destiny And Power, the 41st president of the U.S. criticizes former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld — two key players in his son’s administration. The book also describes the elder Bush’s view of the war he led against Iraq. These anecdotes are based on Meacham’s extensive interviews with Bush, with many others and with unique access to Bush’s audio diaries. Meacham described Bush to me as a politician who would say nearly anything to attain power (e.g., “Read my lips. No new taxes”) and then “do the right thing,” even if directly contradictory, once in office."

"I loved Jon Meacham's "Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush," which was a beautifully crafted look at the 41st president's life. As always with Jon, he captures the emotional as well as the objective truth of his subject."