In this candid and gripping account, President George W. Bush describes the critical decisions that shaped his presidency and personal life.
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Feb 19, 2011
Jo
rated it: 
Admission: I lean middle left politically, did not vote for GW Bush, and did not like him during his presidency. After reading this book I found I liked the man (although not all of his decisions) and respected him more (although not all of his decisions), and found that he was more intelligent than had been my previous impression.
This book is a interesting and enlightening reflection by President Bush (43) on his perception of his life, his decisions, and his actions. It is not a More...
This book is a interesting and enlightening reflection by President Bush (43) on his perception of his life, his decisions, and his actions. It is not a More...
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(44 people liked it)
May 25, 2011
Jeremy
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Love him or hate him, this book is worth reading.
Bush seems to have been vindicated in several areas that were controversial during his presidency, especially stem cell research and the surge in Iraq. There are other areas for which he takes responsibility, including public perception of the Katrina response and the failure of immigration reform. He seems to have done some honest soul searching for things he could have done differently if he had them to do over again. He does a lot mo More...
Bush seems to have been vindicated in several areas that were controversial during his presidency, especially stem cell research and the surge in Iraq. There are other areas for which he takes responsibility, including public perception of the Katrina response and the failure of immigration reform. He seems to have done some honest soul searching for things he could have done differently if he had them to do over again. He does a lot mo More...
2 comments
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(5 people liked it)
Dec 17, 2010
Glenn
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I do not think Bush was best President. However realistically to blame the problems this country has endured in the past few years on one man is crazy and really shows the simple minded attitude too many Americans have. You spent more money then you had and now it has caught up to you. Take responsibility for yourself.
I do not think Bush handled many things very well in his time in office, but then again given the situations and the information available at the time, I don't know that many More...
I do not think Bush handled many things very well in his time in office, but then again given the situations and the information available at the time, I don't know that many More...
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(19 people liked it)
Sep 15, 2011
J
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It was not a fast read! Each chapter took a while to get through and seemed to encourage pondering.
As a longtime supporter of Bush, I was suprised to find I disagreed with some of his decisions. Yet, overall, I was encouraged by his prayerful, honest approach the decisions that faced him as president. Reading his book motivated me to think about the decisions in my life and my approach to them. It encouraged me to be a better person. I felt the responsiblity he felt and I appreciated More...
As a longtime supporter of Bush, I was suprised to find I disagreed with some of his decisions. Yet, overall, I was encouraged by his prayerful, honest approach the decisions that faced him as president. Reading his book motivated me to think about the decisions in my life and my approach to them. It encouraged me to be a better person. I felt the responsiblity he felt and I appreciated More...
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(3 people liked it)
Apr 05, 2011
Leesa
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I am currently listening to this on CD with my 11 year old son while we drive to and from school. First I have to disclose that I am a major fan of this president and all the morals he stands for. I am very sad that our country does not give him praise for how he kept us safe. Sure as a conservative I did not always support his spending policies but otherwise I truly admire his compassion,leadership and faith. This book is very good and I am so pleased to hear in his words answer his critics
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2 comments
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(9 people liked it)
Nov 21, 2011
Jason
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This may be one of the most difficult reviews I've ever attempted to write. Being as opinionated about politics as I am, I'm very tempted to launch into my opinions on various political matters covered in this book. However, once I start down the dark path, forever will it dominate my discourse, so I'm going to try my best not to go there. I was originally going to go through each chapter and state whether or not I agree with the decisions he made, and why, and what's wrong with the world tod
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(4 people liked it)
Nov 17, 2010
Elizabeth
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I read this book because I wanted to know how Bush would defend himself and his administration. My answer about half way through and having skimmed the rest is: "Not well at all." (I have now read it entirely and reread specific parts and my comment still stands.) He doesn't seem to understand the events of his presidency, the repercussions of his actions, and the source-based historical books (and articles) about his presidency. I am reading with a "sick in the stomach, this t
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19 comments
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(10 people liked it)
Dec 17, 2010
Kellie
rated it:
"timeliness is important to make sure an organization does not get sloppy"
This was a fascinating book. Politics aside, I thought this was a well written, honest depiction of Bush 43's time in office. If you think about all that happened during W's 2 terms, 9/11, Afghanistan and Iraq wars, Hurricane Katrina and the financial crisis, to name a few, it was not an easy 8 years.
I appreciate W's honesty. He admits there were some decisions he made that were wrong. Ho More...
This was a fascinating book. Politics aside, I thought this was a well written, honest depiction of Bush 43's time in office. If you think about all that happened during W's 2 terms, 9/11, Afghanistan and Iraq wars, Hurricane Katrina and the financial crisis, to name a few, it was not an easy 8 years.
I appreciate W's honesty. He admits there were some decisions he made that were wrong. Ho More...
2 comments
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(15 people liked it)
Jan 13, 2012
Andrew
rated it:
After reading Tony Blair's political biography, I dove straight into read George Bush's "Decision Points."
Opponents ought to read the book in order to hear his side of things. Supporters ought to read it to get an inside look at the key decisions of his presidency. Those who loved him too much will be disappointed, and those who hated him probably won't bother picking up the book anyway (or might as well not, because they'll think what they want to whether or not they read i More...
Opponents ought to read the book in order to hear his side of things. Supporters ought to read it to get an inside look at the key decisions of his presidency. Those who loved him too much will be disappointed, and those who hated him probably won't bother picking up the book anyway (or might as well not, because they'll think what they want to whether or not they read i More...
4 comments
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(1 person liked it)
Jan 18, 2011
Mare
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I freely admit that I come at this book as a bleeding heart liberal who never thought much of President George W. Bush and his capabilities. I borrowed this book from the library - because yeah, wasn't going to pay for it - as I was curious to read his take on certain situations. I went into it fully expecting to feel annoyed with things and biased against his politics. I didn't expect it to be so very boring. It took me a whole week to get through fifty pages before I finally started skimmi
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9 comments
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(4 people liked it)
Nov 24, 2010
Zelda
rated it:
Update: Loved every minute. Even when I was in fierce disagreement it was fascinating to watch the decisions unfold. And what a gift to read about the important events of my lifetime from such an inside angle.
I really opposed TARP. I didn't understand how someone supposedly committed to free market principles could have pushed so hard for this huge government overreach. To read his explanation made me reconsider my harsh judgment of his decision. Probably because one of the few thi More...
I really opposed TARP. I didn't understand how someone supposedly committed to free market principles could have pushed so hard for this huge government overreach. To read his explanation made me reconsider my harsh judgment of his decision. Probably because one of the few thi More...
Nov 21, 2011
Christie
rated it:
George W. Bush 2012!!!!! This was really interesting; Bush was elected when I was 17, the age when I was starting to get into politics and I can remember much of what was written and my own perceptions and interpretations at the time. Yet there was so much that I did not know.
Bush may not have been the best president but he was a man of integrity who put the country ahead of his own image. The book made me laugh, cry a few times, angry, proud, everything. I listen to this as a b More...
Bush may not have been the best president but he was a man of integrity who put the country ahead of his own image. The book made me laugh, cry a few times, angry, proud, everything. I listen to this as a b More...
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(1 person liked it)
Mar 17, 2011
Brandon
rated it:
It's obvious that President Bush wants to preserve and shape his legacy through this book, and I think he does an effective job. The book is structured as a revisit to some of the major--and controversial--decisions he made during his presidency. He seeks to clarify his thinking and explain what went on behind the scenes. It was enlightening to me to hear more about why he did what he did. President Bush obviously wasn't a stupid, bumbling man as portrayed by his detractors, and I personally thi
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Nov 30, 2010
Diana
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"she thinks hard before she speaks- a trait so rare in Washington that it was mistaken for intellectual slowness." p.101
"I used to tell Towey that we sure have a litigious society if Mother Teresa needed a lawyer." p.279
Politics aside, i liked the book. He does remain true to the title. He goes over the decisions he made in office.
"I used to tell Towey that we sure have a litigious society if Mother Teresa needed a lawyer." p.279
Politics aside, i liked the book. He does remain true to the title. He goes over the decisions he made in office.
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Jul 18, 2011
Karen
rated it:
The famous movie line, "you had me at hello," definitely applies to this book. At page one I was hooked and crying by page 6 as the former president describes the death of his baby sister, Robin. I can't wait to read the rest, but so far I really relate and identify with his very personable charm. I think it would be fascinating to have a sit down chat with George W. Bush...I have a feeling that I would leave the conversation realizing that he asked and learned more about me than th
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(1 person liked it)
Feb 14, 2012
Mike
rated it: 
I put my name on the hold list at the library as soon as I heard this book was coming out and got it days after its release. Rather then a standard memoir, Bush discussed a number of important deisions he made throughout his life, the most important being his decision to quit drinking. Unfortunately I was disappointed in this book. It does provide a somewhat interesting look behind the scenes, but there is nothing shocking here. After I told my wife my thoughts on the book she said, "what d
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Nov 07, 2011
Victor
rated it:
George W. Bush in his new book, "Decision Points" published by Broadway Paperbacks describes the critical decisions that shaped his presidency and personal life.
President Bush did not write an exhaustive account of his life or presidency. Instead he decided to tell the story of his time in the White House by focusing on the most important part of the job: Making decisions. Each chapter is based on a major decision or a series of related decisions. "Decision Points" More...
President Bush did not write an exhaustive account of his life or presidency. Instead he decided to tell the story of his time in the White House by focusing on the most important part of the job: Making decisions. Each chapter is based on a major decision or a series of related decisions. "Decision Points" More...
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Aug 09, 2011
If your motivation for reading 'Decision Points' is to learn explosive insider details of George W. Bush's time in the Oval Office, you are going to be disappointed. Whilst there are some very interesting anecdotes, Bush only goes skin-deep in describing them, and many areas/issues where you wish he would expand on - for example his 2000 primary battle with John McCain, or his relationship with Dick Cheney - he remains stubbornly vague. Who wants to hear heart-warming jokey stories about Ben Ber
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Aug 06, 2011
W pivots his presidential autobiography around major decisions he had to make while in office. In doing so we get a narrative that shows one rational decision after another being made.
It would have been a better book if he discussed not just the decisions he made but more of the variables and alternative decision paths he considered and did not take. Likewise, I would have liked to hear how he feels about the unintended secondary effects of his decisions that occurred subsequent to making them. More...
It would have been a better book if he discussed not just the decisions he made but more of the variables and alternative decision paths he considered and did not take. Likewise, I would have liked to hear how he feels about the unintended secondary effects of his decisions that occurred subsequent to making them. More...
Aug 04, 2011
I didn't agree with a lot of the decisions that came out this administration, but I wanted to see what President Bush had to say in his own words and consider his point of view. I'm glad I did. It certainly didn't change my view of everything, but I can see how some of the things he took the wrap for were well beyond his control. And how will the perspective of things change over time? I didn't agree with his choice to put troops in Iraq, but did the liberation of that country inspire many o
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Jul 26, 2011
In an age when Presidential Memoirs are vain, meandering biopics that focus on the interminable minutiae of the subject, Decision Points stands apart.
The critics have been relentless and are frothing at the mouth for one last chance to satiate their intense and unrelenting hatred for George W. Bush. But their criticism of the book falls flat. Far more engaging than Bill Clinton's interminable My Life, Decision Points deliberately focuses on only the interesting bits of Bush's life.
While it l More...
The critics have been relentless and are frothing at the mouth for one last chance to satiate their intense and unrelenting hatred for George W. Bush. But their criticism of the book falls flat. Far more engaging than Bill Clinton's interminable My Life, Decision Points deliberately focuses on only the interesting bits of Bush's life.
While it l More...
Feb 11, 2012
Jerome
rated it:
My dad always talked about wanting to read this ever since it came out, but me, his son of a mere 17 years, finished it before him, HA! This was interesting enough. Very interesting and enlightening reflection by Bush on his perception of his life and decisions. He explains in detail why he made several of his decisions, which are ALWAYS controversial to everybody, for some strange reason. It's not very blow-by-blow or detailed. I like how he acknowledges his faith. Definitely not a page-turner.
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Feb 11, 2012
Holly (2 Kids and Tired)
rated it:
American presidents are often polarizing figures. After the fight of the primary, where usually half of the people who will end up voting for you do not like you, and the general election, where usually somewhere around half of the country does not vote for you, we end up with the president who, at some point, has had 75% of the people not like him.
Tell me again why somebody wants to take this job? The pay is relatively pathetic given alternative options, their private life is scru More...
Tell me again why somebody wants to take this job? The pay is relatively pathetic given alternative options, their private life is scru More...
Jan 28, 2012
Ben
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Far, far, far better than I expected this to be, Bush has written an excellent memoir that clearly explains his thinking and decision making both prior to and during his presidency. I have a greater understanding of him, and a greater understanding of his presidency than before. And Bush is a solid writer; he is very logical with few, if any, detours. He organizes his book around his decisions, hence the title, and being subject based works for him and this book in a way that a chronological
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Jan 18, 2012
Kaylea
rated it:
Working as a journalist in southwest Missouri in the early 2000's, I had the opportunity to cover President George W. Bush, as he traveled to the area for a variety of reasons.
It was interesting to watch him interact with the crowds on the ag tour, and to see how he responded to survivors after a tornado swept Pierce City, Mo.
So when I had the chance to read his memoir, I agreed. It might surprise people who know me, but I wanted to see what he said - and see his take on his More...
It was interesting to watch him interact with the crowds on the ag tour, and to see how he responded to survivors after a tornado swept Pierce City, Mo.
So when I had the chance to read his memoir, I agreed. It might surprise people who know me, but I wanted to see what he said - and see his take on his More...
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Jan 05, 2012
Steve
rated it:
Perhaps I should put an asterisk by this one, since I actually listened to the book to pass the time at work (yeah, I have one of those jobs where you need to put your earbuds in or you'll lose your mind!). But, I know the book now, so I guess it's okay to say I've "read" it.
I'll start by saying I'm by and large a conservative and fully believe that the liberal mainstream media is little better than Jerry Springer or Pravda. But I don't blindly follow the right either. I l More...
I'll start by saying I'm by and large a conservative and fully believe that the liberal mainstream media is little better than Jerry Springer or Pravda. But I don't blindly follow the right either. I l More...
Dec 29, 2011
Paul
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I read this biography after reading the Tony Blair so as to provide some form of comparison between these two politicians. And the result - very difficult to compare to be honest. As can be seen from my review of Blair's book, I enjoyed his deep political understanding of certain situations, and his honest assessment of political wins and losses. What you get from Bush's book is what you might expect from the man - gut reactions relayed in short sentences for the most dramatic effect - but you a
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Dec 14, 2011
Ben
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I've been waiting on this book for months, not so much because I'm a fan of George W. Bush, but because his presidency was so controversial. I wanted to read about all of the significant moments of his tumultuous eight years from his unique perspective. I'd have to say that I was disappointed.
The first 50-60 pages cover his early years as a youth and his time as governor. He makes it clear early on that this book is about his time as president, which was fine with me. After reaching t More...
The first 50-60 pages cover his early years as a youth and his time as governor. He makes it clear early on that this book is about his time as president, which was fine with me. After reaching t More...
Dec 08, 2011
Casey
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I am so glad I took the time to read this book---and it took time, believe you me. At 481 pages, it's not exactly a light read. But I enjoyed it immensely. Not because I supported all of President Bush's explanations for why he made the decisions that he did, but because I finally felt informed about his point of view. (But I might add that after hearing his explanations, I did feel more supportive of many of the tough decisions that he did make.)
As I transitioned from high school More...
As I transitioned from high school More...
Dec 08, 2011
John
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This book was handed out as a freebie at Barclay's bank conference in Singapore this year. It should be noted that Bill Clinton spoke at the same conference the year before where copies of his book "Giving" were distributed. I mention this to salute Barclay's on two counts. First, they show enormous respect for their clients in distributing books and enhancing their further education. Second, they are commended for presenting two sides of American Politics. All this aside, neither
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