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The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty by [Susan Page]

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Susan Page

The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty Kindle Edition

by Susan Page (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
"[The] rare biography of a public figure that's not only beautifully written, but also shockingly revelatory." -- The Atlantic
A vivid biography of former First Lady Barbara Bush, one of the most influential and under-appreciated women in American political history.

Barbara Pierce Bush was one of the country's most popular and powerful figures, yet her full story has never been told.
THE MATRIARCH tells the riveting tale of a woman who helped define two American presidencies and an entire political era. Written by USA TODAY's Washington Bureau chief Susan Page, this biography is informed by more than one hundred interviews with Bush friends and family members, hours of conversation with Mrs. Bush herself in the final six months of her life, and access to her diaries that spanned decades. THE MATRIARCH examines not only her public persona but also less well-known aspects of her remarkable life.
As a girl in Rye, New York, Barbara Bush weathered criticism of her weight from her mother, barbs that left lifelong scars. As a young wife, she coped with the death of her three-year-old daughter from leukemia, a loss that changed her forever. In middle age, she grappled with depression so serious that she contemplated suicide. And as first the wife and then the mother of American presidents, she made history as the only woman to see -- and advise -- both her husband and son in the Oval Office.
As with many women of her era, Barbara Bush was routinely underestimated, her contributions often neither recognized nor acknowledged. But she became an astute and trusted political campaign strategist and a beloved First Lady. She invested herself deeply in expanding literacy programs in America, played a critical role in the end of the Cold War, and led the way in demonstrating love and compassion to those with HIV/AIDS. With her cooperation, this book offers Barbara Bush's last words for history -- on the evolution of her party, on the role of women, on Donald Trump, and on her family's legacy.
Barbara Bush's accomplishments, struggles, and contributions are many. Now, Susan Page explores them all in THE MATRIARCH, a groundbreaking book certain to cement Barbara Bush as one of the most unique and influential women in American history.

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437 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Twelve
Publication date

April 2, 2019
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93008 KB
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5 star		76%
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3 star		5%
2 star		2%
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Excellent biography...

Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2019

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I've never particularly been a fan of Barbara Pierce Bush. She has always struck me as a woman with a waspish tongue and a rather prickly personality. I knew her adulthood had been shaped by the death of a daughter at the age of three from leukemia and from her long-term marriage to George Bush. But I was anxious to read Susan Page's new biography, "The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty." The book is very good and I've learned a bit about Mrs Bush that I didn't know before.

There were three or four parts of Mrs Bush's life I thought were interesting and well-explored in Susan Page's book. One is the illness and death of young Robin Bush in the early 1950's, six months after having been diagnosed with childhood leukemia. Much has been made of the fact that George and Barbara played a round of golf after Robin died. But the truth was that both Bushes had spent months at Robin's bedside, nursing her though her treatments, and helping her along. Barbara Bush made one rule and that was no one could cry around Robin. The round of golf was a release needed by both grieving parents. And, of course, there was very little support for young George W in his grief over losing his sister, which is a whole other book.

I also didn't realise that Barbara Bush and Nancy Reagan hated each other. Both women were famous for protecting their husbands and Reagan was reacting to the somewhat vicious 1980 primary where George Bush ran against Ronald Reagan. Nancy was vile in her cold relations with the Bushes, leading to a final blow-up between the two women after Bush left office.

Susan Page selected several other themes in Barbara Bush's life to explore in detail. She tells about George Bush's affair - or was it an affair? - with his aide Jennifer Fitzgerald, who was sort of around for a longish period in the 1980's. Whatever the relationship was, George Bush did little to clean up the situation, even knowing about his wife's distress.

But Page writes movingly about Barbara Bush's period of depression in the 1980's. It was deep and it was dark and I can't figure out exactly how Bush came out of it. Those are just a few of the topics Susan Page covers in the biography. Page is a very "easy" and smooth writer. I have a better view of Barbara Pierce Bush after reading the book.

279 people found this helpful

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Lady MB

Sat By The Door Waiting for This

Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2019

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First I really like Susan Page and knew this would be a well written book and it is. I see her on television often and trust her judgement. This book has broken my heart. I love Barbara Bush and have always admired her and admire her even more now. George H. W. Bush is the only Republican I have ever voted for, twice. No other. I am so sad about him after reading this I don't know what to do, but I am better off knowing. No man belongs on a pedestal, yet George stayed on one as long as she lived. She loved him, no matter what until the day she died. Loyalty to him and her family was who she was. Barbara Bush was a remarkable lady who had a lot of grief, but had a privileged life, lots of friends, and lived through remarkable times. She had much more influence than everyone knew and it is a good thing because she was an excellent judge of character with a wonderful mind and quick wit. Nancy It is just too bad she wasn't in politics herself. The book is great, very readable, sometimes sad and sometimes laugh out loud good.

139 people found this helpful

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3-D Portrait of Barbara Bush - Love, Hope, Sadness, Despair...

Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2019

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I'm one of those guys who had an on again, off again, feeling of love and respect for First Lady Barbara Bush. In 1984 I took umbrage at her for her disdain towards POTUS candidate Walter Mondale's choice for VP. I also recollect disappoinment in her when her husband, George H W Bush got elected Pesident, instead of MA Gov. Michael Dukakis. Then, however, I came to see how similar she was to my own grandmother and, well, I came to a greater appreciation of her despite her political allegiance.

Now, after having read (and listened to the Audible edition) of "The Matriarch," I have a better understanding and much greater empathy for the person (and for the other wives of presidents and presidential candidates). Without giving any spoilers, if you do choose to read this book, pay especial attention to the small bit regarding Barbara Bush and Nancy Reagan.

As for myself, I felt some sympathy towards Barbara, to be sure, but also a good deal of sadness at her disappointment and just how it hit her in a very personal way. In fact, it reminded me of some of my intimate discussions with my own mother as her life was edging toward its end. And, yes, before you ask, tears do now well up in my eyes in remembrance of the sadness recollected by mom regarding events of her youth or early adulthood. So far as I know, neither of my siblings ever heard the regrets she expressed.

THAT is the worth of "The Matriarch."

Incidentally, this is probably my last review for Amazon Customer Reviews. `For whatever reason, they seem determined to ensure my reviews do not post in a timely manner. Unlike times past, when I submit my reviews, Amazon chooses to delay posting until at least a dozen other reviews post first. The technique is known as burying the review. Further, my review of "Becoming" was removed after it posted more than 700 helpful votes. So, of course, I can take a hint...

BLUSH FACTOR: This is a book that can certainly be read by anybody. The only eff word, believe it or not, appears in the footnotes, which is something few word read anyway.

WRITING & EDITING: Flows very smoothly and with no typos or editing snafus. It doesn't have the same tonal quality as "Becoming" but it does keep one's interest throughout.

BOTTOM LINE:

Four stars out of five. I enjoyed it, felt deeply saddened in places where Barbara Bush suffered tragedy or heartbreak, but also immense gladness when she experienced the happiness that comes when one is young and in love. I feel that this book made me see more sides of Babbs than I ever would have seen otherwise.

134 people found this helpful

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Elizabeth M. Rogers

Great Read

Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2019

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This book gives a lot of insight into the Bush family. I found the best part being Barbara's relationship with Nancy Reagan. If Nancy could read the book - she would be seething. Loved that Barbara finally put Nancy in her place - a long time coming.

35 people found this helpful

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B. S.

Aufschlußreiches Buch über zentrale Figur des 20. Jahrhunderts

Reviewed in Germany on January 23, 2022

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Über ein TV Interview mit Helmut Kohl wurde mein Interesse an Ihrer Biographie geweckt. Barbara Bush sei EINE GANZ TOLLE FRAU waren seine Worte. Dies erstaunte mich, denn Kohl ließ m. E. kein gutes Haar an irgendeinem politischen Weggefährten. Vorab was Sie nicht war. Sie bestach nicht durch guten Geschmack, machte sich nichts aus Luxus, die dreireihige Perlenkette - ihr Markenzeichen - war Modeschmuck (genauso wie die berühmte von Jacqueline Kennedy), den sie trug, um ihre Halsfalten zu verbergen. Sie war typisch amerikanisch auch in dem Sinne, vielleicht zu leger zu sein. Es existiert ein Foto von Ihr auf einem Sofa mit Ihrer Nachfolgerin als First Lady - Hillary Clinton -, da hat sie ein Bein auf dem Sofa, beinah noch der Schuh. Was sie konnte war mit ihrer uneitlen Art - sie konnte einstecken - Menschen für sich einnehmen. Ihr größtes Verdienst war wohl die zickige, oberlehrerhafte Raissa Gorbatschowa auf ihre Seit gezogen zu haben. Deren Einfluß auf Ihren Mann war bekannt, wenn nicht berüchtigt. Dies hat wohl die Weltgeschichte verändert. Wie es dazu kam? Man parlierte auf einem Staatsbesuch der Gorbatschows während einer Autofahrt über Rezepte für Heidelbeerpfannkuchen. Die Gorbarschowa belehrte über eins, dass offensichtlich nicht funktionieren würde. Da legte Barbara Bush ihr die Hand aufs Knie und sagte: 'Raissa, bei meinen Barbecues krieg' ich 50 Leute satt, aber glaube nicht dass da auch nur einer kommt weil es bei mir so toll schmeckt!' Das Eis war gebrochen, La Gorbatschowa taute auf, sogar so weit, zu offenbaren, sie frage sich, was Amerikanerinnen in ihrer Handtasche hätten.
Darauf übergab eine Bush Enkelin La Gorbatschowa ihre Handtasche, diese öffnete sie, fand mehrere Lippenstifte darin und kommentierte, in Russland könne man nur eine Sorte in einer Farbe kaufen, daher hätte eine Russin (damals) nur einen in der Handtasche... Great Book, great Buy, aber die Verarbeitungsqualität ( Seitenschnitt) läßt zu wünschen übrig.

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lalto

Light

Reviewed in Canada on June 13, 2019

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This is a very light biography with small paragraphs and a breezy, journalistic style. There was not a lot of depth or insight. The gossipy bits were all revealed in the publicity for the book. I did not come away understanding Barbara Bush better than when I started. I was looking for more substance. I finally gave up because I was bored. Shame because Barbara Bush as a person never bored me. Might be okay as a book for a flight or a beach read, but don’t expect any juicy revelations.

Debbie

Good read

Reviewed in Canada on May 15, 2019

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I never really liked the Bush family but it was interesting to see the family dynamic's at play here with Barbara Bush. She was an interesting woman with an interesting story. There were times I fully agreed with her and there were times when I felt she overstepped but what mother doesn't. She is fiercely protective of her family shows the family flaws as well as hers. I would recommend this book

Linda M.

An easy compelling read.

Reviewed in Canada on September 25, 2019

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I felt as if I knew her by the time I finished this book. Such a lovely role model! The pictures are an added bonus!

Phyllis

Great Read

Reviewed in Canada on December 1, 2019

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I have loved this book totally. True story and I can hear her voice in every quote in the book.

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