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Modern First Ladies
Barbara Bush: Presidential Matriarch
Wife of one president and mother of another, Barbara Bush was an outspoken first lady who looked more like her constituents than did her predecessors. A White House resident for only four years, she nevertheless became and remains one of the most admired women in the world.
This new look at Barbara Bush draws on recently opened records at the Bush library, the first lady's many speeches, interviews with the first lady's staff, and an exclusive interview with Mrs. Bush to impart a new appreciation for this beloved former first lady. And while other biographies—and her own memoir—have hinted at seeming contradictions in the Barbara Bush persona, Myra Gutin looks squarely at her White House years to set the record straight and show that she was more than "America's Grandmother" in faux pearls.
Gutin's portrait reveals a woman who was more of a success as first lady than her husband was as president—who in many ways was the public face of the George H. W. Bush administration. And while she wasn't an innovator as presidential wife, Gutin shows how the "Silver Fox" used her rich experience in politics to master the public relations side of first ladyship with as much skill as any White House spouse.
Gutin argues that Barbara was more politically astute than George—even though she denied any input into policymaking and maintained an apolitical image. In fact, she played an integral role in campaigning, fund-raising, and other activities that often blurred the line between the humanitarian and the political. Piercing through the first lady's public persona, Gutin reveals Barbara's backstage political skills in action—along with her closely held views on social issues like gun control and abortion.
From behind the faade of an ideal American family, Gutin also includes frank accounts of George H. W. Bush's alleged adultery and of the death of the Bushes' daughter Robin. In addition, she lends new insight into Barbara's relationship with her mother, her role as entertainer, and her role in wartime.
Gutin gives us a vibrant woman who lent warmth to her husband's cool image and whose legacy lives in the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and several best-selling books. It is a richly textured narrative that depicts a woman of loyalty, candor, and common sense, who knew when and how to apply those qualities in the service of her husband.
This new look at Barbara Bush draws on recently opened records at the Bush library, the first lady's many speeches, interviews with the first lady's staff, and an exclusive interview with Mrs. Bush to impart a new appreciation for this beloved former first lady. And while other biographies—and her own memoir—have hinted at seeming contradictions in the Barbara Bush persona, Myra Gutin looks squarely at her White House years to set the record straight and show that she was more than "America's Grandmother" in faux pearls.
Gutin's portrait reveals a woman who was more of a success as first lady than her husband was as president—who in many ways was the public face of the George H. W. Bush administration. And while she wasn't an innovator as presidential wife, Gutin shows how the "Silver Fox" used her rich experience in politics to master the public relations side of first ladyship with as much skill as any White House spouse.
Gutin argues that Barbara was more politically astute than George—even though she denied any input into policymaking and maintained an apolitical image. In fact, she played an integral role in campaigning, fund-raising, and other activities that often blurred the line between the humanitarian and the political. Piercing through the first lady's public persona, Gutin reveals Barbara's backstage political skills in action—along with her closely held views on social issues like gun control and abortion.
From behind the faade of an ideal American family, Gutin also includes frank accounts of George H. W. Bush's alleged adultery and of the death of the Bushes' daughter Robin. In addition, she lends new insight into Barbara's relationship with her mother, her role as entertainer, and her role in wartime.
Gutin gives us a vibrant woman who lent warmth to her husband's cool image and whose legacy lives in the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and several best-selling books. It is a richly textured narrative that depicts a woman of loyalty, candor, and common sense, who knew when and how to apply those qualities in the service of her husband.
- GenresHistory
236 pages, Hardcover
First published May 30, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 30, 2025
Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2008.
An interesting portrait of a very popular first lady. Barbara Bush (1925-2018) had somewhat of a challenging childhood. Her mother was hard on her and gave her a hard time about her weight, so did her sisters. She had a very loving relationship with her father. Although her family was wealthy, her mother's spending made finances precarious.
She met George Bush as a teenager when she was attending a private school in South Carolina. The two fell for each other quickly.
The author did a good job of articulating why Barbara Bush was so popularity the American people even when her husband wasn't.
Probably the most interesting takeaway for me was Barbara's similarities to Betty Ford in terms of her views on abortion.
An interesting portrait of a very popular first lady. Barbara Bush (1925-2018) had somewhat of a challenging childhood. Her mother was hard on her and gave her a hard time about her weight, so did her sisters. She had a very loving relationship with her father. Although her family was wealthy, her mother's spending made finances precarious.
She met George Bush as a teenager when she was attending a private school in South Carolina. The two fell for each other quickly.
The author did a good job of articulating why Barbara Bush was so popularity the American people even when her husband wasn't.
Probably the most interesting takeaway for me was Barbara's similarities to Betty Ford in terms of her views on abortion.
October 18, 2023
I was lucky enough to take a First Ladies class taught by Professor Gutin, when I returned to college (Rider University) in 2007. My knowledge of 20th century First Ladies was limited to what I saw on television or read in the paper. Professor Gutin provided so much insight into the women who had filled this role and I looked forward to her class each week. Her class included a First Lady Trivia contest each week, which was a fun and educational way to learn some of the lesser known facts and / or qualities of these women. At the end of the semester, the class was encouraged to contribute a trivia question, in an effort to stump our fellow classmates. My entry was: Which three First Ladies outlived their presidential spouse by 25 years or more? I stumped the class, and was awarded a copy of Barbara Bush: Presidential Matriarch, signed by the author. Dr. Gutin dubbed me "The Queen of Trivia"!
" . . . children who are read to are likely to become good readers themselves and later read to their own children as a matter of course." - Barbara Bush
" . . . children who are read to are likely to become good readers themselves and later read to their own children as a matter of course." - Barbara Bush
March 7, 2025
An interesting look at the "First Ladyship" of Barbara Bush, wife of the 41st President of the United States, and mother of the 43rd. The book devotes one chapter to Barbara's life preceding her White House stay. The rest of the book talks about her literacy programs, life during Operation Desert Storm, her work with AIDS victims, and other details of her time as US First Lady. It's a good, even handed overview for her time in America's capital.
October 12, 2019
This was my least favorite of the Barbara bush biographies I have read. It was drier and less personal than the others.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews