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Decision Points

George W. Bush (Goodreads Author)

3.79 · Rating details · 33,608 ratings · 2,693 reviews

In this candid and gripping account, President George W. Bush describes the critical decisions that shaped his presidency and personal life.

George W. Bush served as president of the United States during eight of the most consequential years in American history. The decisions that reached his desk impacted people around the world and defined the times in which we live.

Decis ...more

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Paperback, 512 pages

Published October 18th 2011 by Broadway Books (first published November 9th 2010)

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Jan 15, 2011 Jo rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: biography-memoir, history, politics, nonfiction

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 great literar 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 great literary work – he writes like he speaks, and that makes the book very accessible. The book covers a critical time period in our history and I learned interesting behind the scenes tidbits I had not known before. Bush explains in detail why he made certain decisions, and surprisingly, owned up to some bad/wrong decisions, and some things that could have been done better. He does not give a blow-by-blow, day-to-day account of his presidency. Some of the topics he covers include his early drinking problems & decision to quit, the 2000 election, 9/11, the decisions to go into Afghanistan and Iraq, the surge in 2007-2008, his crusade to provide aid (health care) to Africa, Hurricane Katrina, and the efforts to avoid another depression in 2008. He does not address all of the decisions in his presidency, nor even all of the major ones. (I would’ve like to have learned what was behind his energy and environment decisions, but they weren’t addressed.)

It was enlightening to read of his decision making processes in each case. They were more intelligent and practical than I expected – although I still believe he started from false premises & assumptions and did not make sufficient inquiry into some, such as the invasion of Iraq and I believe that he did not sufficiently plan for the aftermath of the war in that country (…and I think this book supports my opinions in this area. I really don’t like his use of speculative thinking to support/justify his decision to invade.) I also was not fond of the extent to which he blamed the Gov of LA for problems in responding to Katrina. But I do understand better why he made the decisions he did, and found it refreshing that he admitted mistakes and bad decisions. I admire his decision to press for greater aid to Africa, and the reason behind those decisions. I knew about it at the time but seeing it all together in one chapter heightened the impact and my respect.

Bush’s faith also permeates the book. I like how he spoke of it and acknowledged that it is central in his life, without becoming maudlin or overly effusive about it. I was surprised by the lack of rancor or bitterness towards those of us who derided him.

Whether or not you liked President GW Bush, it is definitely a good read if you like history! ...more

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Nov 08, 2010 Jason rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: conservatives, Republicans

Recommended to Jason by: Me

Shelves: 2011

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 today, ...more

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Nov 12, 2010 Glenn Gargiulo rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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 could ...more

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Apr 12, 2011 J rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, biographies-memoirs

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 surprised to find I disagreed with some of his decisions. Yet, overall, I was encouraged by his prayerful, honest approach to 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 his hum ...more

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Dec 07, 2010 Kellie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-reads, autobiography-biography-memoir

"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. However, he explains in detail, why ...more

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Nov 11, 2010 Elizabeth Sulzby rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir

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 truly can't have be 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 truly can't have been written by a President," reaction. I cannot shelve this as history and, oddly enough, it's not even diatribe. He just writes as if he were president of the class and would do anything his buds wanted him to do.

Thanks to all the writers who have tried to keep our democracy alive during those 8 years.

Things I do appreciate about the book are some of the smaller chapters, such as Bush's efforts for HIV/AIDS. But he does not evaluate this very good and, I think, probably honest effort, alongside his attacks on women's right to choose and with refusing to allow our medical aid to women in foreign countries receiving our aid to be counselled on abortion.

Reading this book led me back to reading such as Richard Clarke's books and other investigative journalism during the early years of Bush's presidency. I contrasted Clarke's description of trying to get the Bush administration to attend to the imminent threats by Bin Laden (that Clinton had alerted him to), the events in the White House and bunker during 9-11 itself, and the push to attack Iraq which preceded 9-11 and quickly overtook the efforts in Afghanistan. The new book that I am currently reading and recommend to others interested in these times is Hubris by Isikoff and Corn. I was aware that Valerie Phlame Wilson was a NOC and what personal safety those non covered agents (and their sources) gave up. I did not know that she was the head agent in charge of on the ground investigations of mass destruction, yet she was not consulted during the build-up to Iraq. Many sources have reported the "stovepiping" of evidence in favor of attacking Iraq, but Hubris sets out the deliberate omission of the CIA's program on WMD and the substitution of analysts searching out the kind of evidence Bush and esp. Cheney wanted to go to war.

Bush writes about his care and concern for the troops and their families and I believe that he speaks truthfully from his concern (and, whether he is consciously aware of it or not, his guilt) about the troops and Afghan/Iraq civilians who lost their lives. He seems to have put that concern in a box and have isolated it from his "decision points."

On a personal level, when I saw and heard him on television at the start of his book tour, I felt very sorry for him. He looks so aged and beaten down. I think Americans, myself included, have a tendency to give former Presidents credit for their good actions and to down-play there harmful ones. In the case of Bush, I think we cannot afford to take his account of his presidency in isolation of other accounts.
...more

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Nov 09, 2010 Suzanne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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 things I value m ...more

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Feb 09, 2011 Leesa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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 and ...more

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Mar 06, 2011 Brian rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: auto-biography, history, politics

Regardless of whether you like him or not, he presided over one of the roughest times in american history. This book will make you laugh, probably frustrate you, and it may even make your eyes well up with tears.

President Bush has a unique perspective that only one other person has had, that is being the son of a former president, he has been involved with the workings of this country for a long time and because of that this book offers great insight, comical stories, gripping eye witness accoun ...more

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Dec 10, 2010 Jeff rated it liked it · review of another edition

My purpose in reading biographies and memoirs isn't to take a side on political issues, but rather to understand a little better how people think. From that perspective, I liked the book.

I had a few random takeaways:

* I got the overall impression that Bush thinks his presidency will continue to look better in hindsight and that during his presidency too much politics/slinging took aim at him and strongly tarnished his perception.
* 9/11 caught Bush (and most of the nation) by surprise and really My purpose in reading biographies and memoirs isn't to take a side on political issues, but rather to understand a little better how people think. From that perspective, I liked the book.

I had a few random takeaways:

* I got the overall impression that Bush thinks his presidency will continue to look better in hindsight and that during his presidency too much politics/slinging took aim at him and strongly tarnished his perception.
* 9/11 caught Bush (and most of the nation) by surprise and really forced a dramatic change in his presidency. When he visited NYC in the days that followed, I really think this had a huge impression on him, especially when he promised to avenge the horrible acts.
* Bush gave the impression that he wanted act immediately to help Katrina victims but didn't have legal authority to do so (e.g. allow federal troops to patrol the state area) because the governor kept refusing to give that authority. He was eventually able to send in troops without the authority to patrol/engage/fire-a-shot-if-necessary and this helped. Had he known that it would have gone so well without needing the governor's approval he would have done it sooner.
* Bush believes that the No Child Left Behind policy is extremely important as a social/ethnic justice issue.
* I think President Bush's Christian faith is sincere
* I honestly think Bush tried to do what he thought was best for the country without sinister plans.
* Bush calls his mom (Barbara) "mother." I thought this was... unique.

On a lighter note, I listened to the audio edition of this book read by Bush himself. It added extra flair to the experience. Bush has a noticeably different/slower reading voice than his normal speaking/non-speech voice. This reading voice causes him to e-nun-ci-ate words more (e.g. "juuu-liiiie" for "July"). This at times made it amusing to listen to, even at very serious points in the book. For example, when Bush talks about how special ops caught Saddam and then the FBI interrogated him, he said this (imagine Bush reading it slowly, but with a "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING SADDAM?!" vocal tone):

"[Saddam] told agents that he was more worried about looking weak to Iran than being removed by the coalition. He never thought the United States would follow through on our promises to disarm him by force. I'm not sure what more I could have done to show Saddam I meant what I said. I named him part of an axis of evil in my State of the Union address. I spoke to a packed chamber of the United Nations and promised to disarm him by force if diplomacy failed. We presented him with a uniamious Security Council resolution. We sought and received strong bipartisan backing from the U.S. Congress. We deployed 150,000 troops to his border. I gave him a final forty-eight-hours' notice that we were about to invade his country. How much clearer could I have been?"

All told, a short and interesting book. ...more

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Jan 31, 2011 Jeremy rated it liked it · review of another edition

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 more explain ...more

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Jan 02, 2011 Mare S rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads, autobio-and-biographies, history, political

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 skimming t ...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Andrew rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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 it).

For the rest of ...more

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Dec 28, 2010 Kathryn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: on-my-nook, nonfiction

The biggest problem with Decision Points is that the people who most need to read it never will.

In this memoir of his presidency, President George W. Bush works thematically (not chronologically) through the major decision points he faced over eight years; obviously, the War on Terror plays a pivotal role, but he also discusses domestic events such as Katrina and his efforts to reform Social Security.

Like anyone else, I had my disagreements with the President (is there anyone with whom you agre ...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Matt rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

While I do not deny having a preconceived notion of BUSH and his antics (thank you media and Oliver Stone), I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir. While one must take things with a grain of salt, Bush does not shy away from faults and weaknesses, though some spin is surely present as the reader navigates through September 11, 2001 and Huricane Katrina, as well as meetings with various world leaders. Read side by side (or one after the other, as I did) with Tony Blair's JOURNEY, one can see the arm's- ...more

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Mar 04, 2017 Owlseyes on notre dame, it's so strange a 15-hour blaze and... marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: strategery, what-is-strategery, strategery-llllllll, stammering-stratefery, stuttetegery, politics, politicks, stratragedy, servatives-with-con, con-before-servatives

So timely, a ~~picture~~ painting.

Numbers:

G. Bush cashed $7 million for this book.
Bill Clinton cashed $15 milllion for his My Life, in 2001.
Obama is about to cash $20 million in advance for his upcoming memoir.

-Is it due to inflation?

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Feb 02, 2011 Suzanne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, politics

“I have done my best to write about the decisions I got right, those I got wrong, and what I would do differently if given the chance. Of course, in the presidency, there are no do-overs. You have to do what you believe is right and accept the consequences. I tried to do that every day of my eight years in office. Serving as president was the honor of a lifetime, and I appreciate your giving me an opportunity to share my story.”

Having read a number of political autobiographies, the first thing “I have done my best to write about the decisions I got right, those I got wrong, and what I would do differently if given the chance. Of course, in the presidency, there are no do-overs. You have to do what you believe is right and accept the consequences. I tried to do that every day of my eight years in office. Serving as president was the honor of a lifetime, and I appreciate your giving me an opportunity to share my story.”

Having read a number of political autobiographies, the first thing that struck me about George Bush’s book was the refreshing layout of the book. The idea of structuring a book about one’s life, in any form other than a complete chronological history, was very appealing. Hillary Clinton’s book ended up being mind-numbingly boring because it was filled will so much minutia. Bush’s book, on the other hand, was chaptered into major decisions that affected his life and his presidency.

“In December 1999, I attended a Republican debate in Des Moines. The moderators were Tom Brokaw of NBC and a local anchor, John Bachman. After covering some predictable topics, Bachman let loose a surprise: ‘What political philosopher do you most identify with and why?’"

One of the areas that interested me in the Bush Presidency was his faith. When posed the above question, Bush answered “Christ, because he changed my heart.” While critics charged that he used religion to get votes, I believe President Bush was sincere about his faith. He clearly used his faith value of human dignity to guide him in his decision not to allow scientists to pursue stem cell research by destroying human embryos. As he stated in his chapter on Stem Cells “I have faith, as I did when I announced my stem cell decision in 2001, that science and ethics can coexist.”

“I worried that the intense focus on climate change would cause nations to overlook the desperate immediate needs in the developing world. ‘If world leaders are going to sit around talking about something that might be a problem fifty years from now,’ I told Angela [Merkel], ‘we’d better do something about the people dying from AIDS and malaria right now.’"

Nowhere was our President’s faith and compassion more evident than his commitment to alleviate the suffering from AIDS in Africa. From a mere $500 million, President Bush instituted a smart and highly effective program to get the continent back on its feet. He managed to secure $30 billion from Congress for this effort, a matching $30 billion from the international community, and the G-8 canceled more than $34 billion in debt from poor African countries. Today, more than 24 million African lives have been saved through these efforts. AIDS is no longer considered a death sentence in Africa. President Bush surely deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for this amazing humanitarian success. The prize the Americans received was the good will of the African people and a huge inoculation against terrorist infiltration among African nations.

“As I took my seat next to Laura, Dad reached over and gently squeezed my arm. Some have said the moment marked a symbolic passing of the torch from one generation to another. I saw it as the reassuring touch of a father who knew the challenges of war. I drew strength from his example and his love. I needed that strength for the next stage of the journey: the visit to the point of attack, lower Manhattan.”

Nowhere in his presidency was the benefit of his leadership more evident than 9-11. Prior to this day, President Bush had selected a cabinet based on skill and expertise, not on cronyism. This wise move was just one example of the strengths of this President. He also understood that because of 9/11, the number one goal of his Presidency was to keep our country safe.

Obviously time will tell how the world will view his Presidency, but I have always believed that much of the criticism about George W. Bush came from a political machine that seeks to gain credibility by discrediting their political opponent. Our country suffers when that happens. President Bush sought to shore up Social Security, but the Congressional leadership instructed Democrats not to work with President on this issue. We’ll all ended up paying for their selfishness.

Finally, I have a great amount of respect for a man that can admit his mistakes. In Decision Points, President Bush makes clear areas where he felt he had made the wrong decision, or wondered whether there was a better decision. His humility is uncommon in today’s leaders and I find it gives him an air of wisdom and nobility.

While no book is perfect or complete, I really enjoyed Decision Points. I have always liked President Bush, and the book made me even more appreciative of his leadership for our country. ...more

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Dec 16, 2018 Ericka Clouther rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 0-own, own-nonfiction, own-read, 2010s, author-male, president-ghw-bush, president-gw-bush, politics, politics-r, history

President Bush states at the beginning that this book is not a typical memoir but will just focus on his big decisions in his office as President. But then it starts out as a typical memoir, just super not chronological. It’s extremely disorientating. But this is largely remedied starting on Chapter 4 where he really does start to focus issue by issue.

He took appointing his advisors and personnel extremely seriously: especially those involved with national security and economics. However, he did President Bush states at the beginning that this book is not a typical memoir but will just focus on his big decisions in his office as President. But then it starts out as a typical memoir, just super not chronological. It’s extremely disorientating. But this is largely remedied starting on Chapter 4 where he really does start to focus issue by issue.

He took appointing his advisors and personnel extremely seriously: especially those involved with national security and economics. However, he didn’t actually listen to Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill who opposed tax cuts. (http://old.post-gazette.com/nation/20...)

It's notable, given today’s climate, that G.W. Bush was at least interested in policy, even if in my opinion, it was misguided policy. For example, he mentions at the beginning that he opposed the regulations that Democrats wanted to impose on oil. I mean, hello? We all know about global warming, oil spills, non-renewable energy sources, and terrorism coming from countries profiting from oil? Right? Hello?

It was enlightening to view his perspective on stem cell research. It was particularly interesting that he had rebranded himself as the first person who allowed federal funding for stem cell research because he allowed it for lines where the embryos had already been destroyed. While I find his arguments in favor human dignity very much worth considering in light of the underpinnings to human rights, I'm not sure how he squared that with the use of torture on terrorism suspects. His defense of the "torture" (he disagrees it is torture) is that it was legal (debatable) and that it got useful information that could save lives. But this is strikingly similar to arguments in favor of stem cell research- people discount the interests of the embryos in favor of the benefit to living people suffering from diseases. In both cases, the potential benefits are hypothetical and hopeful. Moral choices can only be made with the information and science available at that time, so I don't think whatever developments occurred in stem cell research later frees him of responsibility for his choices at the time. Nor does his position that the torture was legal make sense in the face of his Justice Department saying it was not.

As for security surveillance, having read a few books on the topic now, I think this is a needlessly politicized topic. Both parties seem to support some restricted surveillance that protects Americans’ rights when it is their party doing it. Of course, there are a few people who always oppose it, and some that always support- but consistent views in the face of an administration change are rare.

While his attempt to improve education is noble, it's frustrating how trusting of capitalism and money conservatives are, until suddenly they are not. "Holding schools accountable," when schools depend on money from unequal property taxes-- seems like a recipe for failure. Granted, Bush says that federal funds for education increased and that "much of the extra money" went to poor students, but I'm not sure what that means. Generally speaking, depending on local property taxes not only disadvantages poor students but also causes a lot of divided housing. This is less of a conservative issue though, and more of an American issue.

For those of us who were concerned about Afghanistan well before 9/11 happened, Bush's decision to go to war there was not surprising and easily defensible. It is my belief that is likely that a Democratic president would have also gone to war with Afghanistan in the post-9/11 situation. The problem with the war in Iraq though, besides that after the fact we never found weapons of mass destruction, was that at the time it was clear that the administration had decided to go to war there much earlier in the timeline than Bush now admits. That’s part of what made it unbelievable to the public that weapons of mass destruction were even the issue. Also, during 9/11 we’d been attacked by terrorists with ties to the Taliban of Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and as it turned out, Pakistan... so we went to war with... Iraq? Bush pretends this insanity was not clearly visible at the time but it certainly was to me and all my friends living in the Washington area at the time, as well as 21 Senators and numerous Congresspeople that voted against the resolution to go to war.

Regarding Katrina, I do think Bush did the best he could. One issue that seems present not only in the Katrina disaster but in Republican policies in general, is a lack of recognition of the particular problems of poor people. Part of the reason people don't evacuate is that they have nowhere to go and can't afford hotels. The bigger problem, which he doesn't address is the Republican policies of climate change. Sure, this was one of the first big storms of climate change, but there have subsequently been many more, and this was all predicted well before Katrina. I wrote a college paper on the effects of climate change in 2000-2001 and it was already old news by then.

I really enjoyed reading a conservative describe the failure of the market economy with regards to the mortgage-backed securities that caused the Subprime mortgage crisis. No kidding! That's why liberals support regulations!! It gives me a headache to read it really.

Things that are documented facts that Bush conveniently leaves out of memoir: 1) Prescott Bush’s (“Gampy”) history of eugenics support; 2) G.W.’s racist attack on McCain during the 2000 primaries (the political action committees pretended to poll Republicans while really dropping insinuations that McCain had a black child out of wedlock. In fact, McCain adopted a child from Bangladesh; 3) Since that dirty trick worked so well he did it again in the election against Kerry, this time digging up conservative Vietnam veterans willing or confused into lying regarding Kerry’s military performance (Not only is the Swift Boat Veterans documented, I personally know staff at the PAC that admitted it was all a lie); 4) The large protests at both of his inaugurations. The first inaugural protests focused on how he had lost both the popular vote and probably also the electoral votes. The second inauguration ‘s protest focused on opposition to the Iraq War.

I don't think he's a terrible person. I even think he cares about minorities, poor Americans, and immigrants. The problems are 1) that he approaches the country's problems from a position of lifelong privilege so he literally doesn't understand the systemic injustices making certain problems difficult to surmount individually, 2) a lot of misinformation. So with regards to #1- why didn't people evacuate Katrina? No money to evacuate. Why don't people recognize that a fetus is a baby we can love? Because the point is that many women don't have financial, emotional, or societal support to make having a baby tenable- and requiring them to carry a pregnancy to term when they have other financial responsibilities is extremely abusive. Stop abortions by providing free and accessible birth control, free or affordable medical care, reasonable family leave laws, and affordable childcare. Even his wife was on bedrest-- how would that have gone if they weren't wealthy enough for that to be doable? As for #2, misinformation: tax cuts don't create jobs. Don't take it from me, take it from every economist.

PS. It’s interesting also that people who didn’t support gay rights, notably the Clintons, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and even Barack Obama, actually didn’t believe in the anti-gay claptrap. It’s also kind of infuriating how much they harmed society, not because of deeply held beliefs, but because of politics. ...more

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Nov 22, 2010 Joe Martin rated it it was ok · review of another edition

When I read political memoirs, I'm typically looking for one of two things: a much better understanding of the politician or a much better understanding of the decisions that were made and the day-to-day, nitty-gritty detail of events that led into the decisions. Sadly, with this book from "43", I got neither.

President Bush had an active presidency and was often juggling many simultaneous crises. I was hoping for a look at what life was like in his White House. How crazy does a typical day look When I read political memoirs, I'm typically looking for one of two things: a much better understanding of the politician or a much better understanding of the decisions that were made and the day-to-day, nitty-gritty detail of events that led into the decisions. Sadly, with this book from "43", I got neither.

President Bush had an active presidency and was often juggling many simultaneous crises. I was hoping for a look at what life was like in his White House. How crazy does a typical day look when you're juggling a Social Security reform bill, a war in Iraq, and a belligerent North Korean state all at once? Sadly, I never found out. By organizing the point around different topics and focusing on one decision point at a time, he stripped events from their context, rendering them sterile and unmoored from the emotions of each year of his presidency.

I was also greatly disappointed by the lack of detail surrounding each decision point. Many of the descriptions boiled down to a very simple formula. "An event happened. I had a gut feeling but knew I needed to consult with some trusted advisors. My advisors confirmed my gut instinct and I implemented the plan. Ultimately, I was disappointed in the outcome and I know realize that I should have changed my tactics (but not the overall plan). Today, America is better off and I'm glad I made the attempt, even if it didn't turn out quite the way I'd hoped it would."

I wish I could say that I exaggerate and that there is a higher level of detail in the book. I can't. The Harriet Miers debacle, for instance, only takes about a page to relate. I've watched the West Wing. I know that a huge amount of work goes into the selection of a Supreme Court Justice. Going into the book, I wanted to know a lot more about the process that led to picking Ms. Miers as a nominee. This book did nothing to satisfy my curiosity.

People who already love President George W. Bush will probably love this book. Those of us who read it hoping to find a reason to reevaluate his presidency will have to go away disappointed. ...more

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Feb 02, 2011 Brandon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

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 ...more

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Nov 28, 2017 Julie Davis rated it liked it · review of another edition

The Bush Presidential Library is literally 5 minutes from my house and we finally visited it on the Friday after Thanksgiving. That visit reminded me that I had this audiobook and it was time to give it a listen.

3 hours in, I've got to say that the simple, straight forward style is reminding me of "Yes, Chef" by Marcus Samuelsson. Neither author is an author by trade so the basic style highlights who they are in a vivid way.

I'm enjoying it a lot so far, especially the way that Bush will look b ...more

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Nov 24, 2010 AC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: biography

Although not a fan of his politics, I was taken aback at the frankness of the president's memoir. Did this book make him seem more human? Yes. Did it change my mind about some of his policies? No but he does present some interesting points.

Besides this being a book about his decisions on Iraq and Afghanistan, I was surprised at how important his decisions on aid to Africa and developing countries were to him. I honestly don't remember reading much about these decisions when he was president. Som ...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Amy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Whether one is a fan of Bush and/or of his politics, this book is an interesting read. So many of the reviews I read (more than a dozen, at least) lacked focus on the book itself and instead devolved into Bush-bashing (ranging from explicit attacks to the more "polite" condescension of the NYT). The book itself is well-written, insightful, and, in many of the familial anecdotes--it is laugh-out-loud funny. (For example, who knew that Barbara Bush the elder was such a card? Not me.)

Many people (m ...more

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Feb 11, 2012 Jerome rated it liked it · review of another edition

A clear and concise memoir.

The book itself is structured around important decisions made during Bush's presidency, and may not be as comprehensive as some may wish. There is relatively little on the policy or historical implications of the decisions made, and more on what Bush was thinking and feeling at the time.

Because of this, the main drawbacks are the lack of analysis; Bush could have explained his logic better and elaborated more (especially on decisions regarding Iraq) but this is rather ...more

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Nov 14, 2010 Nancy Bielski rated it liked it · review of another edition

This book was interesting. It certainly didn't give any revelations, but I think it was an interesting reflection. I continue to believe that President Bush was a man who knew what he believed and didn't waver. He obviously wasn't overly critical of what he did, but he did reflect genuinely and admitted some of his decisions maybe weren't handled in the best way. I believe that Bush is a good and principled man, even if he may not have made the best decisions all the time. I believe he deeply ca ...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Scott Rhee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir, politics, nonfiction

Before I start this review, let me say a few things about myself. I am what is commonly referred to as a liberal. While I'd like to think of myself as rather Independent, my voting record tends to run more to the Democrat side. Not that I particularly love the Democrat party, I just happen to find myself agreeing more with their platform than with the Republican's. I did not vote for George W. Bush, either term, and I did not particularly like him as a President. I thought that he seemed somewha Before I start this review, let me say a few things about myself. I am what is commonly referred to as a liberal. While I'd like to think of myself as rather Independent, my voting record tends to run more to the Democrat side. Not that I particularly love the Democrat party, I just happen to find myself agreeing more with their platform than with the Republican's. I did not vote for George W. Bush, either term, and I did not particularly like him as a President. I thought that he seemed somewhat incompetent, rather smarmy, and someone who was easily led by his cadre of (bad) advice-givers. I have, in the past and on numerous occasions, bad-mouthed former President Bush for involving us in a stupid war in Iraq, pissing off and otherwise disenfranchising many of our former allies throughout the globe, and leaving our country less safe than when he was inaugurated. So, imagine my surprise when, after reading his memoirs, "Decision Points", I not only found that I liked the man, I may have actually been mistaken in some (not all) of my previous assessments of his presidency. No, I have not instantly converted to conservatism. Nor will I be joining the Republican party. Not even close. And I realize, too, that I am only seeing Bush's perspective, (which is actually kind of refreshing to have an absence of the white noise of whining pundits and detractors surrounding his every statement or action). But, Bush's book has, at the very least, helped me to understand some of the rationale behind the decisions he made as President. It's easy to forget that the position of President is both an extremely difficult one and not as powerful as it looks. The Founding Fathers were quite smart in building the checks and balances system of government that we have, which ensures that no one man can have that much executive control over so many aspects of our lives. That said, no one can say what Bush's presidency has left in terms of a legacy, good or bad. It's still too early. The one thing that can be said is that Bush is only human, and he did the best that he could. Bush, in his memoirs, comes across as affable, self-deprecating, and intelligent: three things that I honestly never thought I'd ever hear myself say about the man. In making the choice to focus on the key decisions he made as President, rather than a chronological account of his life in the White House, Bush deftly succeeds in creating a very readable and fascinating memoir. My complaints about the book are ultimately petty: Bush is not a great writer (but I've come to find that most autobiographies of non-writers are always less-than-stellar in terms of literary merit), nor does he delve deeply into any insightful self-reflection that one hopes to find when reading a presidential memoir. Nevertheless, Bush's account of his own eight years in office is still intriguing. I was impressed by Bush right from the start, in his first chapter, when he talks about his drinking problem and his decision to quit drinking. He does not come across as too self-congratulatory but simply as a man who came to realize that he had a problem and, for the sake of his family, made the decision to solve it. Throughout the book, we see some of the major decisions he made as president (stem cell research, Iraq, Katrina, the financial crisis) explained well, and we are given the logic and rationale he used to come to these decisions. I may not have agreed with his decisions but I can now finally understand and appreciate how and why he made them. In reading the book, I was constantly reminded of the fact that, under Bush's watch, many unprecedented and daunting events were thrown at him: 9/11, for one. The devastation and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. North Korea's nuclear weapon development. Lehman Brothers. His decisions, good or bad, were made because they had to be, and they often had to be made quickly. You can't exactly fault him for being in office during the worst terrorist attack on American soil or during one of the worst storm systems to strike the South. It's simply bad luck on his part. That I find myself admiring and respecting the man, even a little bit, after years of feeling something akin to sheer disgust still shocks me. If anything, Bush's memoir will help one to see that every decision one makes---regardless of whether you are an average joe or the President of the United States---will come with unforeseen consequences and people who will inevitably vehemently disagree with it. ...more

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Nov 11, 2010 Scott Danielson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

I re-read some of this book (published in 2010) this weekend, and am reminded of the perspective of President Bush during the time following 9/11. He describes being given the badge of someone who died when the towers fell, and then:

"I served 2685 days as President after Arlene gave me that badge. I kept it with me every one of them. As the years passed, most Americans returned to life as usual. That was natural and desirable. It meant the country was healing and felt safer.

As I record these tho ...more

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Nov 27, 2010 Rick rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I always loathe books written by Modern President's because they are trying to re-write history for legacy purposes (ala Bill Clinton). However, I like the approach that Bush took to 'Decision Points'. He didn't just try to tell the story of his eight years in office but he chose specific topics in which he showed what it was like to be President (describing the living quarters of white house or the different offices he used at various times to make key decisions) and what drove him to make key ...more

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Jan 17, 2011 Nathan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Not fun to read. The explanation of events surrounding the most consequential decisions made during his presidency are interesting and sympathetic. I nearly teared up while reading chapter 5.
George Bush is an honest and good man, but that is about where it ends.
He brags about his appointments, his expansion of the role of government and the areas he pissed taxpayer money away.
To say the man is without guile is not to say he was a good president. I disagree with many (perhaps a majority) of his ...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Kaylea rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: see-blog-for-more-info

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 history.

I found a memoir ...more

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About George W. Bush

George W. Bush

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GEORGE W. BUSH is the 43rd President of the United States, serving from 2001 to 2009. He previously served as Governor of Texas. He and his wife, Laura, now live in Dallas, where they founded the George W. Bush Presidential Center at Southern Methodist University. President Bush is the author of 41: A Portrait of My Father and his previous book, Decision Points, is the bestselling Presidential mem ...more

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Trivia About Decision Points

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Quotes from Decision Points

“I introduced Putin to our Scottish terrier, Barney. He wasn't very impressed. On my next trip to Russia, Vladimir asked if I wanted to meet his dog, Koni. Sure, I said. As we walked the birch-lined grounds of his dacha, a big black Labrador came charging across the lawn. With a twinkle in his eye, Vladimir said, "Bigger, stronger, and faster than Barney." Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada [said], "You're lucky he only showed you his dog.” — 14 likes

“Adoption was such a positive alternative to abortion, a way to save one life and brighten two more: those of the adoptive parents.” — 10 likes

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