George Bush: A Lifetime of Service [Paperback]

Ken Anderson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Most young Americans know that George Herbert Walker Bush, the current president's father, also served as president of the United States. But being president was only one facet of this remarkable man's life. Author Ken Anderson introduces young readers to not only a former president, but also the navy's youngest pilot during WWII, a top-notch baseball player, an innovative oilman, United Nations ambassador and liaison to China, CIA director, congressman, and vice president. The story reveals the triumph and glory, as well as the despair and tragedy, that the former president has experienced in a lifetime of service.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7-Anderson covers the former president's early life through the election of his son, George W. Bush. Readers will learn about Bush's illustrious military career as the youngest navy pilot in World War II, his skills at baseball, his successes in the oil business, and the various jobs he held in government before entering the White House. Black-and-white photographs from the George Bush Presidential Library appear throughout. The book is one of the most up-to-date for this age group, and the author's admiration for his subject is very obvious. However, it suffers from several important flaws. The simplistic writing style often feels amateurish; sentences are short, and often trite. Internal thoughts and feelings of the former president as well as quotes used in the text are not documented. Libraries will want to rely on existing biographies or wait for a better update.
Jennifer Ralston, Harford County Public Library, Belcamp, MD
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-12. The life and achievements of the forty-first president are chronicled, from his early childhood through the present. Bush's prepolitical years are adequately covered--his privileged childhood, heroic service in World War II as the navy's youngest pilot, college days at Yale, and success in the Texas oil business. But most of the book deals with Bush's political career, from his beginnings in Texas politics to his rise to national prominence as ambassador to the United Nations and director of the CIA. There are some notable slip-ups in the chapters covering Bush's vice-presidency and presidency: the consideration of Bush's involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal is superficial, and there is no attempt to discuss the complex geopolitical issues involved in the Gulf War. Despite these shortcomings, however, this biography offers, by and large, more detail and insight than most of the other biographies about Bush currently available for the age group. A good choice for students interested in placing George W. Bush in the appropriate familial perspective. Ed Sullivan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 150 pages
• Publisher: Eakin Pr (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571686002
• ISBN-13: 978-1571686008
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,257,383 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.