First Son: George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Bill Minutaglio (Author), Roscoe Born (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 12, 1999

5 CDs /approx. 5 hours

The Bush family represents one of America's most formidable political dynasties--beginning with the election of Prescott Bush to the U.S. senate in 1948 and continuing through 1988, when George W. Bush won a landslide re-election as Governor of Texas and his younger brother Jeb Bush was elected Governor of Florida.  Of course, the generational line between these men of former President George Bush, whose accomplishments have been a daunting factor in the lives of his sons.

Veteran Texas reporter and long-time Bush observer Bill Minutaglio has written the most authoritative and insightful work to date on the First Son.  Minutaglio interviewed Bush's friends and family, his old drinking buddies and Yale classmates, associates from his days as an oilman and owner of the Texas Rangers, and the politicians who have seen Bush up close in action.  Minutaglio even gained access to George W. Bush himself.

Written with authority, verve and a flair for the wild ways of Texas, First Son will be the political story of 2000.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The first of several Y2K biographies on Texas governor George W. Bush offers an in-depth look at both the Republican presidential candidate and his political family: Bill Minutaglio interviewed more than 300 people for First Son, including Bush and many members of his inner circle. The book focuses on the life of "Dubya" (the nickname used by the press and others to distinguish him from his father) and includes a combination of original material and information that has been reported elsewhere. It is neither pro- nor anti-Bush, simply reportorial and largely nonjudgmental. Readers won't find an answer to one of the season's most burning questions: Has Bush ever used illegal drugs? In a preface, Minutaglio piously says he won't stoop to such low levels. Yet one gets the sense that he won't go there because he doesn't have any hard evidence, as stories of Bush's heavy drinking are related without apparent reservation. Minutaglio, a writer for The Dallas Morning News, spends most of his time describing Bush's amazing and unexpected rise to fame. Dubya's own family, for instance, thought that younger brother Jeb would be the first to win an important public office. Yet Dubya exploited his family ties and personal charisma to have a successful business career in the 1980s and then beat a popular incumbent in 1994 to become Texas governor. (Jeb became governor of Florida in 1998, while his brother won a second term in Austin.) Minutaglio's narrative goes light on Bush's gubernatorial record and ends before his formal entry into the presidential race in 1999. Readers hungry for an overview of the man who would be president, however, could do much worse than start by looking here. --John J. Miller --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Reading his own earnest introduction, Minutaglio (a features writer for the Dallas Morning News) explains the tone and methodology of his portrait of Republican presidential front-runner Bush. Though the biography is not officially "authorized," he says, it will not muckrake: there will be no "dollops of drug tales" forthcoming. This fence-sitting posture established, the well-researched facts of Bush's life unfold dispassionately, even in the dramatic bass-voiced reading of actor Born (veteran of TV soap All My Children). First comes Bush's remarkably accomplished family pedigree: from his industrialist great-grandfather to his father the former president. Young Bush (he's referred to as "George W." throughout) is then shown trying to live up to that legacy as he attends Andover, Yale, joins the Texas Air National Guard and goes into the oil business before gingerly entering politics. His reckless early years, marked by hard-drinking, obnoxious behavior and professional lassitude, give way to a more sober adulthood, as Bush learns the political ropes during his father's run for office. Minutaglio's reporting is at its sharpest when describing the delicate maneuverings of campaigning. Even here, however, a real sense of who George W. the person is fails to spark to life. Simultaneous release with the Times Books hardcover. Also available on CD. (Oct.) FYI: Simon & Schuster Audio has just published All The Best, a memoir by President Bush, read by the author with his extended family.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Random House Audio; Abridged edition (October 12, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375410228
• ISBN-13: 978-0375410222
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 4.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,821,148 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bill Minutaglio is the author of several critically acclaimed books, including biographies of President George W. Bush, Molly Ivins and Alberto Gonzales, and a narrative retelling of the greatest industrial disaster in American history. An anthology of his writing about race and injustice in America is entitled "In Search of The Blues: A Journey To The Soul of Black Texas."

His work has appeared in The New York Times, Esquire, Newsweek, Texas Monthly, The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Outside and many other publications. His work has been featured, along with that of Ernest Hemingway, in Esquire's list of the greatest tales of survival ever written.

Reviewers have compared his work to that of Tom Wolfe, Herman Melville and Hunter Thompson. His work has been optioned by Tom Cruise, published in China and lauded by Oliver Stone. Among the writers who have offered praise on his book jackets: Buzz Bissinger, David Maraniss, Sir Harold Evans, Douglas Brinkley, Gail Sheehy, James Lee Burke and Mario Puzo.

He has won numerous awards for his writing, including recognition from The National Association of Black Journalists and The National Conference of Christians and Jews, which saluted his work in fighting prejudice.

His work has been called "excellent" by The New York Review of Books, New Republic and others. The NYTimes has called his work "fascinating." The San Francisco Chronicle has called his work on Bush Administration officials "chilling." The Texas Observer said his book "City On Fire" was one of the "finest books ever written about Texas."

"Minutaglio has long been regarded as one of the great writers in Texas journalism . . . he wrote exquisite long-form pieces about Texas poverty in a time of plenty"
The Austin American-Statesman

"Reading Bill Minutaglio is like listening to one of the great Texas blues legends. His reporting brings forth stories of suffering and resilience, while at the same time his dazzling writing evokes the brilliantly effusive guitar solos of masters like T-Bone Walker and Lightnin' Hopkins."
Steven L. Davis, Series Editor
Southwestern Writers Collection Book Series

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific and well-balanced, November 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: First Son: George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty (Hardcover)

This biography ought to be read by everyone, "W" supporter or not. It's insightful, clear, colorful and gives a great sense of background about this man's early years. Minutaglio is a real WRITER who doesn't have any apparent political agenda other than giving readers the information they need to make their own decisions. Since it looks like the man may be president, this book will -- without doubt -- become THE info. source. I've lent it to several friends who also praise it highly. If it were out in paperback, they would have bought copies for themeselves...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening, October 19, 2002

By 

paul (Tarnell, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Son : George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty (Paperback)

It was fascinating to read the true story of the Bush family, not the assumptions often reported. Who knew that he came from such a downtrodden background, worked so hard to rise from the ashes and achieve greatness at Yale? It's no small wonder that we have this great man leading our country through the holy wrath of war!

Like his father, George W. is a stern and honorable, if not particularly well-spoken, fella'. He reads a teleprompter with unequalled ease and skill, a testament to his ability to comfortably rely on others. AS this book shows, these are all traits he learned while growing up with the help of many other wealthy and able men who were able to take the burden off of poor George W.'s shoulders. He truly is great, not to mention lucky, and he has strutted his lightened shoulders into the White House with only the slightest help from his father's friends in the Supreme Court.

Were it not for men like Bill Minutaglio, the world would be in horrible danger of being exposed to the false and misleading face of the truth. Buy this book!

35 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars well balanced, well written, well thought out, November 2, 1999

By 

Mark (Newark, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Son: George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty (Hardcover)

If you are looking for tabloid like Bush Bashing, don't look here (you might try The Father's Son, that one is quite good at trying to instill some what outdated class war fare dribble). This particular book is extremely well balanced. If you love the Bush clan, or hate them, you will find something within. Personally, I found it an insightful and interesting tale of one of our nations most powerful pollitical families. Is George W qualified to be President? Well that is a question that only time will answer. My thoughts are he is as qualified as the guy we have recently given the nod to twice, except, maybe George will actually care more for the country than himself. He does seem to learn and grow. Now that would be a pleasant change. However one thing is for certain, the Bush family is a political dynasty (now more impressive than the Kennedys) and the people of Texas sincerely love both of their Georges.