Customer Reviews

The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I'm not really surprised by the number of people who gave this book one star just because they assumed it attacked their beloved President. Perhaps had they read it they might have learned something new.

There is a lot to be admired about the Bush family. Machiavellian at many times, rarely humble ever, this thorough study of the last four generations of business leaders and politicians presents a 'warts and all' picture of one of America's most powerful families. While any political biography may present a portrait of unethical behavior and personal screw-ups, it doesn't take much digging to find that the Bush family has more than most. Whether it's Prescott Bush's theft of a Native American skull as a part of a fraternity requirement or George W's sabotage of political rivals, the fluid values of this 'whatever it takes' group have never been clearer. Forget duplicity; their drive to get what they want spans the entire spectrum. From changing rivalries (Prescott was a founder of Planned Parenthood until a political rival called him on it and he changed his stripes for political gain) to country-club insularity to attempted destruction of naysayers (think Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame, for starters), the lengths to which this true dynasty will go knows no bounds. Their ability to climb the ladder of advancement is a force to be reckoned with, and for that I recommend this book. Ethical persons will use it as a cautionary tale; others will use it as a road map.

A survey of Americans has shown that George W. Bush is someone many people would love to have a beer with; I'm sure he's a fun guy to hang out with, but even his friends from Yale are appalled that this shockingly mediocre class clown and former chief party animal has the most powerful job in the world. He does not take advice from anyone, including his father. Surprisingly little space is devoted to the current President; however, it is hard to go more than five pages without a head-shaking episode involving one family member or another, and page after page it becomes astonishingly clear that the apple has not fallen far from the most twisted branches of the family tree.

The Bush family vehemently refused to cooperate with Ms. Kelley in researching this book, and have a history of blacklisting those who do. It's a shame, because in keeping mum it only serves to give a silent endorsement to the charges (as they might say) presented in a very thorough and comprehensive way. Still, history will show that in the end, the record stands, and regardless of the author's reputation for dirt-digging, its sources cannot be repudiated.

I'm not American, so had never even heard of Prescott Bush, let alone many of the other characters in this book. And yeah it's pretty gossipy and Kitty Kelley is obviously no fan, but if (like me) you just want an easy to read overview of the Bush family that doesnt get too bogged down in American politics, I say this is for you. I read every word and came out knowing far more about right wing American politics than I knew before. Let me tell you, it wasnt the Bushes that shocked me, (scratch the surface of any family and you're bound to find pay dirt) it was the ratbag right wing fundamentalists that really gave me the creeps.
Oooooh, scary.

GREAT BOOK, FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE THE TRUTH.
I AM NOT SUPRISED WITH THE CONTENTS. PEOPLE OF POWER DID NOT GET
THERE BY CHANCE. THE PROBLEM IS, THE MASSIVE SUPPORT THEY GET
FROM UNSUPPECTING FOOLS, WHICH RHIMES WITH TOOLS.
THE CHAPTER ON JR & MRS. IS INTERESTING. BUT I AM STILL NOT SUPRISED.

Book came quickly and before Christmas Eve! Made it in time to be a surprise gift as planned. Came as described.

This is a very good book. I did have to laugh at all the one * Bush lovers. (oh no she is picking on poor Georgie) They probably did not even read this book. Anything written by Kitty Kelly is an interesting read. I also truly enjoyed reading "The Royals".

I'll admit that I did not know what to expect when I encountered this book by Kitty Kelley. I only knew her works by reputation, and her previous subject matter - the Royals, Jackie Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra - struck me as lightweight and gossipy. But I found myself unexpectedly with a few hours to kill and few titles from which to choose. So, I picked up "The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Family," which tells the history of three generations of Bush politicians, Senator Prescott Bush and Bush 41 and Bush 43.

First, let me say that the book is very readable. The only thing that might be a bit difficult is keeping track of the different names, as there are, for example, so many Georges and Prescotts. Kelley does what she can to assist by employing the nicknames used by Bush family itself. Some of them are actually endearing, such as "Poppy." Her prose carries the reader along easily.

Second, let me say that the book was far more substantial than I expected. There was plenty, yes plenty, of politics in it. Kelley brings information together to show coherent patterns, exposing contradictions and lies.

Third, I want to say that the book is, for the most part, fair. Kelley sometimes steps back to admire or acknowledge a deed or two. Prescott is admired for voting to censure Joe McCarthy (an act of political courage, as his constituents may have been pro-Joe). Bush 41 is admired for enlisting on his 18th birthday to fight in World War II (even though his parents were against his fighting in "Rockefeller's War"). Kelley also acknowledges that Bush 41's increase of taxes - and this hurt him badly in the re-election - put the economy in better shape for when Clinton entered office. Bush 43 is acknowledged to believe that he is a sincere Christian (although he rarely attends church). Kelley describes a charming incident, too, when Bush returns some money to a poor woman who contributed to his campaign.

(A parenthetical note: how often do you hear the right-wing media positively acknowledge any deed of those whom they deem liberal? It's very, very rare, and very frustrating.)

Despite these gleams of good, most of the book is negative with respect to the three men. Their talents can be described as mediocre at best, and pitiful at worst. They rarely have empathy for anyone but the Bushes. The lies that they tell - "Pernicious foolery" - expand from one generation to the next. They lie glibly about themselves; they lie viciously about their opponents. They pander to those who will vote for them or contribute to their campaigns. Many of the events have popped up in the media before; it's clear they are not invention. (I admit I was too young for the Prescott incidents.)

A big question is: Why have the Bushes done what they have done? They seem to have mistaken a plaque on the wall for the satisfaction of genuine accomplishment. But they are desperate, almost slavering, to get that plaque on the wall. They lie and pander (to the NRA, for example) in order to get that plaque.

And what's all this about poodles? The poodles are the media (see Kelley's Afterword) admitted to the White House - the poodles who have not done their work and informed the nation. The poodles who, hoping for another doggy biscuit or a chance to sit on the inner sofa, have let so many items go unchallenged. The poodles have hurt the Americans, who, thinking they were being informed appropriately, voted in the Bush-men

Thanks Kelley - for not being a poodle!

For those of us who detest the Bushes, there is really no need to look for new reasons to hate. Having said that, I'm glad I read this book because it was enjoyable and cathartic while also serving as food for thought.

It's really an anatomy of the mindset behind conservatism, as the Bushes come across not as instigators of the ugly sort of "conservatism" that now holds sway, but rather as a symptom. The current brand of conservatism that has plunged the USA into such a miserable state is based on the idea of life as a zero-sum game: an unending series of battles that necessarily require a winner and a loser. In this world view, there is no such thing as compromise for the greater good, so it is essential that one be on the winning side.

Consistently throughout "The Family" we see the Bushes taking this stance as a means of becoming and remaining the ultimate victors. From the senior Bush's radical stand against the Civil Rights Act as a means of catapulting himself into the redneck center of Texas politics to his son's co-opting of the religious right to win backing among those he would be leaving economically disadvantaged, the naked cynicism of Bush maneuvering is masterful in that it is completely detached from any sort of a moral compass and instead driven by a keen understanding of people's fears of The Other.

One amazing thing about "The Family" is that it comes across not only as an expose of the Bushes' ugliness but also as an convincing analysis of how they utilized the power of myths and images that easily resonate with Americans. We see exactly how truly despicable people are no more than a crystalization of all that is wrong with America.

This book was impossible for me to read. Many pages of junk about a bad president and his family.

I hated this book and the man too, what a waste on all fronts. What a lose to the American people that this person was ever the president, just shows we never really know who or what we are getting as president. I rarely give a one, rarely do I hate a book, I hated this one.

Imagine someone wrote a book about you, and after talking to everyone who hates you, compiled a list of every flaw and every mistake, intermingled with rumor and gossip presented as fact. This is the approach that Kelley takes, and while it does make for an entertaining book that's hard to put down, one feels a need to take a shower after reading it.

A lot of Kelley's dirt is material of which even loyal Republicans were aware: We all accept that George W. is inarticulate, stubborn, and although he might have a high IQ, he's not an intellectual. Everyone knows about his history with alcohol and his checkered past as a businessman - points Kelley pounds at viciously and incessantly. More damning is her accusation that George W. had been cheating on his wife with a Midland prostitute who was threatened by CIA agents, and that he has a history of using cocaine. Is this true? Who knows? Kelley seems very thorough in her sourcing, but one gets the sense that she'd say it even if the source lacked credibility. Even when Bush does something positive, Kelley tweaks her wording to put the worst possible spin on the event, not realizing her book would have more credibility if she showed more evenhandedness.

Prescott Bush, George Sr., and George W. each get roughly a third of the book. (Does anyone really care about Prescott?) As well, the women of the Bush family receive the Kelley treatment - Barbara, Laura, and the twins are all presented in a very negative light.

I bought the 2005 Anchor paperback (although not from Amazon), and the binding fell apart despite gentle handling. I bought a replacement copy, and once again, the binding fell apart and chunks of pages fell into my lap.