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True Faith and Allegiance: A Story of Service and Sacrifice in War and Peace
True Faith and Allegiance is the highly-anticipated personal history from Alberto R. Gonzales, former Attorney General of the United States and former Counsel to the President—the only lawyer and only Hispanic to hold both these positions—an ultimate insider in the most tumultuous events in recent history. Born to a poor but proud working-class family in Humble, Texas, Gonzales was raised along with his seven siblings in a modest 2-bedroom home. His loving and devout parents taught him the conservative values of hard work and accountability that motivated Gonzales to the highest echelons of power. He was a confidante to President George W. Bush during the crucible of the 9/11 attacks, and he played a vital role in the administration’s immediate response to protect America and the far-reaching steps to prevent further harm.
544 pages, Hardcover
Published September 6, 2016
16 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 21, 2016
I couldn't put it down-- it covers so many controversial issues and talks about them in an in-depth way, but not over my head. It was recommended to me by a lawyer so I was prepared to get a bit bored but I never was. It makes me understand why President Obama continues to use the very controversial policies and methods developed after 9/11, like the patriot act and Guantanamo Bay, that democrats excoriated Gonzales and the Bush Administration over; this book makes you understand that the decisions our leaders make on our behalf are much more difficult than we know. It gives the reader that inside the bubble feeling. Gonzales seems much different -- in a good way -- than the way the media portrayed him. It is also a good personal memoir about someone who worked hard to overcome extreme poverty and rose to some of the highest positions in government. And, he loves his family. One of my favorite things to read is the acknowledgments because it really shows the authors character, and Gonzales doesn't disappoint.
January 21, 2017
This is one of the BEST books I've read in many years, giving close insight into the Bush administration and especially to what went on in the hours immediately following the 9/11 tragedies. Haven't been able to put it down.
September 7, 2017
This is an autobiography, so it has to be taken in that light. Alberto Gonzales was born in a family that had immigrated from Mexico. They were poor and he learned to work for what he wanted. Alberto was successful academically because he had some gifts and worked extra hard. He worked his way up in the Bush administration to be head of the DOJ. The book is full of behind the curtains data as the Bush Administration worked through very difficult times against a lot of criticism – most of it undeserved according to Gonzales.
Gonzales was beginning what appeared to be a very successful career as an attorney. He gave that up to answer the call to serve his country. He started with Bush when Bush was Governor of Texas and stayed on year after year into Bush’s time in the White House at a payrate far below what he could make in the private sector. For that he was a target for many politicians who believed they could further their agendas by launching personal attacks against him.
The book is full of behind the scenes meetings and activities through many national and global crises. It was interesting for me to read the internal debates of such things and the Patriot Act, Guantanamo, torture and rendition. I have a lot of respect for Gonzales and the personal sacrifices he made.
Gonzales was beginning what appeared to be a very successful career as an attorney. He gave that up to answer the call to serve his country. He started with Bush when Bush was Governor of Texas and stayed on year after year into Bush’s time in the White House at a payrate far below what he could make in the private sector. For that he was a target for many politicians who believed they could further their agendas by launching personal attacks against him.
The book is full of behind the scenes meetings and activities through many national and global crises. It was interesting for me to read the internal debates of such things and the Patriot Act, Guantanamo, torture and rendition. I have a lot of respect for Gonzales and the personal sacrifices he made.
September 22, 2016
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by BookLook/Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review.]
When one decides to read a book that is nearly 500 pages in length, it is worthwhile to know the scope of the work before one is too far along the task. In many ways, this book is a straightforward memoir, written by a person of great political importance in the context of George W. Bush's time as governor of Texas and President of the United States, and it offers much of interest from the point of view of a loyal subordinate. That said, the memoir focuses most of its attention on the life of the author in Austen and then in Washington DC, ending somewhat abruptly with very little discussion of the author's actions after about 2007 or so when he retired in some political disgrace, with the fact that his experiences were deemed by country luminaries Brooks & Dunn to be "too sad for a country song," and he was more or less blackballed from the lucrative jobs as corporate directors or legal partners that people with his integrity and political visibility are wont to use to increase their net worth after service to their country. At any rate, if this book is an attempt to get the author into the public eye and to restore his reputation, it makes for a brave and honest effort that deserves serious reflection by students of contemporary public affairs.
In many ways, this book serves as an antidote to conspiratorial theories that are popular among the general public [1]. As the author spends a great deal of time talking about the political behavior that he witnessed and his own service as President Bush the younger's counsel as well as Attorney General during the first half of Bush's second term, and as there is a lot of material included about 9/11, the buildup to the war in Iraq, the implementation of surveillance as approved by the Patriot Act, personnel decisions and the choice of Supreme Court justices, and policy relating to affirmative action. This book is a dream for students of the political behavior of the second Bush presidency, and demonstrates a few aspects of contemporary political culture that are important to remember if unpleasant to think about. For one, rather than an all-powerful office, the president serves as the leader of a fractious big tent of various factions and groups that have different agendas and different ways of acting. A president wanting to be re-elected and see his party and his agenda successful must work with Congress despite their high tolerance for political corruption and grandstanding, must seek to rise above partisanship even when his own allies and enemies drag him down by demanding partisan actions or by considering someone a partisan opponent regardless of how moderate they think themselves or they in fact act. As a moderately conservative lawyer from an impoverished Mexican immigrant background, the author shows himself to be a picture of the strains and difficulties of the Republican coalition, where his drive for self-improvement and general political worldview win him points but where his background serves as a difficulty in certain matters of race and class.
This book, in terms of its approach and style, is a well-written defense brief. Throughout the narrative of the author's discussion of his background and public service, there is a clear and consistent aim both in defending the author's own conduct and reputation and also showing the author as a loyal defender of President Bush from the slanders that are often tossed about his time in office. In both defending himself and his former boss, the author is able and persuasive, and whether or not his political reputation can be retrieved to the point where a future in public service may be conceived, this book at least serves as a thoughtful testament to the author's own legacy. The book begins in media res by talking about the 9/11 experience, then goes back to the author's personal background growing up in a poor Catholic home to two Mexican-American parents, with a religious mother and an alcoholic father, to his experience using his service in the Air Force to provide him with an education, to his failing eyesight which derailed his plans in the military, to a failed first marriage and an entrance into the world of law, to a detour into many years of work in public service in Texas and then in Washington DC in a variety of offices like Texas Secretary of State, Texas Supreme Court justice, counsel to President George W. Bush, and then Attorney General. Throughout the book is decidedly wonky, talking about the technical details of various proposals and appeals, showing the author as a person with great attention to detail and a firm desire to set things right that have often been gotten wrong. Instead of sounding defensive, the author is somewhat endearing for showing himself as trying too hard, and in many cases the author has a vivid description for the scenes of life in the public sphere, whether that is being the designated survivor within the cabinet for a State of the Union speech, or whether it is discussing a scene at a hospital with an ailing predecessor at the Department of Justice.
So, how does one assess this book as a weighty and significant work of political history? For one, this book shows a great attention to aspects of faith as well as public service. For another, the author's detailed discussions and close argumentation make this book an essential one for understanding the significance of legal precedence within the Bush presidency, including the fact that Obama's behavior by increasing the scope of the Patriot Act and other acts of domestic surveillance belied his own political grandstanding against such matters before taking office. While destroying any sort of idea about conspiracies within Bush's own administration, this book makes the reader think even less of the moral decency of Democrats in general or Congress in general than one would otherwise, and the author is pretty fierce given his own experience, and understandably so. Perhaps most poignantly of all, the author quotes Reagan's secretary of labor Roy Donovan's haunting question: "To which office do I go to get my reputation back?" Those of us who can understand and be haunted by that question ourselves, this book provides a great deal of thoughtful and reflective material that is worth reading.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
When one decides to read a book that is nearly 500 pages in length, it is worthwhile to know the scope of the work before one is too far along the task. In many ways, this book is a straightforward memoir, written by a person of great political importance in the context of George W. Bush's time as governor of Texas and President of the United States, and it offers much of interest from the point of view of a loyal subordinate. That said, the memoir focuses most of its attention on the life of the author in Austen and then in Washington DC, ending somewhat abruptly with very little discussion of the author's actions after about 2007 or so when he retired in some political disgrace, with the fact that his experiences were deemed by country luminaries Brooks & Dunn to be "too sad for a country song," and he was more or less blackballed from the lucrative jobs as corporate directors or legal partners that people with his integrity and political visibility are wont to use to increase their net worth after service to their country. At any rate, if this book is an attempt to get the author into the public eye and to restore his reputation, it makes for a brave and honest effort that deserves serious reflection by students of contemporary public affairs.
In many ways, this book serves as an antidote to conspiratorial theories that are popular among the general public [1]. As the author spends a great deal of time talking about the political behavior that he witnessed and his own service as President Bush the younger's counsel as well as Attorney General during the first half of Bush's second term, and as there is a lot of material included about 9/11, the buildup to the war in Iraq, the implementation of surveillance as approved by the Patriot Act, personnel decisions and the choice of Supreme Court justices, and policy relating to affirmative action. This book is a dream for students of the political behavior of the second Bush presidency, and demonstrates a few aspects of contemporary political culture that are important to remember if unpleasant to think about. For one, rather than an all-powerful office, the president serves as the leader of a fractious big tent of various factions and groups that have different agendas and different ways of acting. A president wanting to be re-elected and see his party and his agenda successful must work with Congress despite their high tolerance for political corruption and grandstanding, must seek to rise above partisanship even when his own allies and enemies drag him down by demanding partisan actions or by considering someone a partisan opponent regardless of how moderate they think themselves or they in fact act. As a moderately conservative lawyer from an impoverished Mexican immigrant background, the author shows himself to be a picture of the strains and difficulties of the Republican coalition, where his drive for self-improvement and general political worldview win him points but where his background serves as a difficulty in certain matters of race and class.
This book, in terms of its approach and style, is a well-written defense brief. Throughout the narrative of the author's discussion of his background and public service, there is a clear and consistent aim both in defending the author's own conduct and reputation and also showing the author as a loyal defender of President Bush from the slanders that are often tossed about his time in office. In both defending himself and his former boss, the author is able and persuasive, and whether or not his political reputation can be retrieved to the point where a future in public service may be conceived, this book at least serves as a thoughtful testament to the author's own legacy. The book begins in media res by talking about the 9/11 experience, then goes back to the author's personal background growing up in a poor Catholic home to two Mexican-American parents, with a religious mother and an alcoholic father, to his experience using his service in the Air Force to provide him with an education, to his failing eyesight which derailed his plans in the military, to a failed first marriage and an entrance into the world of law, to a detour into many years of work in public service in Texas and then in Washington DC in a variety of offices like Texas Secretary of State, Texas Supreme Court justice, counsel to President George W. Bush, and then Attorney General. Throughout the book is decidedly wonky, talking about the technical details of various proposals and appeals, showing the author as a person with great attention to detail and a firm desire to set things right that have often been gotten wrong. Instead of sounding defensive, the author is somewhat endearing for showing himself as trying too hard, and in many cases the author has a vivid description for the scenes of life in the public sphere, whether that is being the designated survivor within the cabinet for a State of the Union speech, or whether it is discussing a scene at a hospital with an ailing predecessor at the Department of Justice.
So, how does one assess this book as a weighty and significant work of political history? For one, this book shows a great attention to aspects of faith as well as public service. For another, the author's detailed discussions and close argumentation make this book an essential one for understanding the significance of legal precedence within the Bush presidency, including the fact that Obama's behavior by increasing the scope of the Patriot Act and other acts of domestic surveillance belied his own political grandstanding against such matters before taking office. While destroying any sort of idea about conspiracies within Bush's own administration, this book makes the reader think even less of the moral decency of Democrats in general or Congress in general than one would otherwise, and the author is pretty fierce given his own experience, and understandably so. Perhaps most poignantly of all, the author quotes Reagan's secretary of labor Roy Donovan's haunting question: "To which office do I go to get my reputation back?" Those of us who can understand and be haunted by that question ourselves, this book provides a great deal of thoughtful and reflective material that is worth reading.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
July 20, 2018
Alberto Gonzales has written a marvelous story of his life, and a stirring memoir of public service. Gonzales is the second of eight children reared in a two-bedroom home built by his father in the Houston suburb of Humble, Texas. The narrative of Gonzales' early life is vivid and engaging; so much so that you feel like you have been a visitor in his home and his community. Gonzales describes his boyhood, his ambitious and competitive nature; his pursuit of education and opportunities, and the people who helped him advance. Unsure what career to pursue when he graduated from high school, Gonzales enlisted in the Air Force. A military scholarship later took him to Rice University in Texas, and from there to Harvard Law School.
Gonzales returned to Houston and entered law practice with an established firm. He served the local Hispanic community with pro bono legal work, and began to volunteer for the local Republican party. There he caught the eye of George W. Bush. From that time forward, Alberto Gonzales was in a vortex of political campaigns, political counseling and public office. He followed George Bush from the Texas governor's mansion to the nation's White House. He served in the Bush administration first as the President's legal counsel and then as the U.S. Attorney General.
The chapters on these years in Washington, DC provide valuable perspective on the workings of the Oval Office and the various institutions of the national government. Many of the names we encounter in these chapters hold high office today, and others are in the news. So even though it has been nearly a decade since Alberto Gonzales left Washington, DC, the accounts of his experiences there are highly instructive in understanding current news and controversies. The key players in events that cost Alberto Gonzales his position as Attorney General in the Bush administration, and his shot at being the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice, are big names in the news today--Chuck Schumer, James Comey, and Robert Mueller.
This is a book you do not forget; a story that touches on all that you love about America, and a case study in how easily the bad drive out the good.
Gonzales returned to Houston and entered law practice with an established firm. He served the local Hispanic community with pro bono legal work, and began to volunteer for the local Republican party. There he caught the eye of George W. Bush. From that time forward, Alberto Gonzales was in a vortex of political campaigns, political counseling and public office. He followed George Bush from the Texas governor's mansion to the nation's White House. He served in the Bush administration first as the President's legal counsel and then as the U.S. Attorney General.
The chapters on these years in Washington, DC provide valuable perspective on the workings of the Oval Office and the various institutions of the national government. Many of the names we encounter in these chapters hold high office today, and others are in the news. So even though it has been nearly a decade since Alberto Gonzales left Washington, DC, the accounts of his experiences there are highly instructive in understanding current news and controversies. The key players in events that cost Alberto Gonzales his position as Attorney General in the Bush administration, and his shot at being the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice, are big names in the news today--Chuck Schumer, James Comey, and Robert Mueller.
This is a book you do not forget; a story that touches on all that you love about America, and a case study in how easily the bad drive out the good.
December 16, 2016
An Inside Look at the Bush White House
Alberto Gonzales, attorney general and close friend of George W. Bush, gives a fascinating insider perspective on the Bush administration. The book opens with the terrifying events of 9/11. Gonzales personal account relives all the uncertainty and distress of that fateful day. Remembering it from the perspective of an outsider glued to the television, I found his account very moving.
Being the first Hispanic Attorney General, was a tremendous achievement for Gonzalez, who came from a background of poverty. Much of the early part of the book recounts his family background, education, and meeting with Bush. I found this autobiographical account interesting and would recommend it to any young person looking to have an important role in government.
Gonzalez was present at many of the important and controversial times in the Bush administration. In recounting his involvement in the decision making process, particularly that surrounding the response to the 9/11 crisis, he gives a picture of how the government works behind the scenes.
I recommend this book for anyone interested in the background of the Bush years. The book is well written and very informative.
I received this book from BookLook Bloggers for this review.
Alberto Gonzales, attorney general and close friend of George W. Bush, gives a fascinating insider perspective on the Bush administration. The book opens with the terrifying events of 9/11. Gonzales personal account relives all the uncertainty and distress of that fateful day. Remembering it from the perspective of an outsider glued to the television, I found his account very moving.
Being the first Hispanic Attorney General, was a tremendous achievement for Gonzalez, who came from a background of poverty. Much of the early part of the book recounts his family background, education, and meeting with Bush. I found this autobiographical account interesting and would recommend it to any young person looking to have an important role in government.
Gonzalez was present at many of the important and controversial times in the Bush administration. In recounting his involvement in the decision making process, particularly that surrounding the response to the 9/11 crisis, he gives a picture of how the government works behind the scenes.
I recommend this book for anyone interested in the background of the Bush years. The book is well written and very informative.
I received this book from BookLook Bloggers for this review.
May 10, 2017
An excellent book which was a very personal story , from Alberto Gonzales' family, his personal history of growing up in poverty and his work ethic and constant faith in God which led him to the paths he was meant to be on. As the book gets into the issues which resulted in hearings and his resignation, it was very detailed, including who was at particular meetings, what was said, etc. - an incredible look at all that goes on behind the scenes. So much political work ,on both sides of the coin, it can be cutthroat and unfortunately, Alberto Gonzales expected people to act as he would, with honesty, and some did not. As I watch the current issues unfolding in the government today with firings and hearings , I just keep thinking of this book , a timely read.
March 19, 2025
Alberto Gonzales does a great job describing the first hand experience of being within the walls of the White House and the Department of Justice. This book wasn’t your typical run of the mill autobiography. It took some of the most controversial topics of the Bush administration and showed the inner workings and the struggles. It’s a well rounded work that takes you from start to finish. Public service is not for the faint of heart or meek in mind. This is a great book for any politically motivated persons or just those looking to study beyond the headlines that highlight (or lowlight) a presidency.
February 11, 2019
I'm not really into politics but somehow this book really changed my perception on politics issue because the reason why I really can't put my hands down from reading this book is because of Alberto R. Gonzales character that is truly inspirational! Also I would highly recommend you to read the book in eBook version from the link below:-
https://www.e-sentral.com/book/info/2...
https://www.e-sentral.com/book/info/2...
November 21, 2017
This book is well worth reading. The author gives a great insight into the workings of the White House and how the attorney general comes into play with so much of what the President does. The book also gives compelling reasoning as to controversial policies that were implemented during his term as attorney general. His upbringing and determination are inspirational.
July 1, 2017
Great book. I liked Gonzalez as attorney General but was very disappointed in his performance when he testified before Congress. He seemed confused but now I understand that out of necessity he had to be overly cautious after learning that the Senators were laying a perjury trap for him
October 1, 2016
Alberto R. Gonzales, True Faith and Allegiance. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2016, 526 pp. $19.09
True Faith and Allegiance is the biographical tale of a man who has experienced the American dream. Rising from humble origins, this man served in a prestigious Texas law firm, and served under George W. Bush during his days as governor of Texas. He became the Secretary of State in Texas and was named as a Supreme Court Justice in that state. He was later appointed by then-President George W. Bush to serve as special legal counsel until he reached the apex of his career in an appointment to serve as Attorney General in the Bush administration.
True Faith and Allegiance recounts the life and career of Alberto R. Gonzales, the first Hispanic man to ever serve as Attorney General. Gonzales writes with a stunning amount of transparency in this book, sparing no details.
While the book is primarily about Gonzales, one of the most fascinating features is his insight into the forty-third president of the United States, George W. Bush. Gonzales speaks highly of Bush and alerts readers to his keen intellect, rock-solid integrity, loyal friendship, and his leadership abilities.
The most outstanding feature of True Faith and Allegiance is the depth of Gonzales character. It is a testament of personal integrity, courage under fire, and devotion to the Commander in Chief. Alberto Gonzales paid a steep price for being a man of integrity and for living according to a set of timeless principles. Gonzales shares in great detail about the painful assault on his character and the tragic dividends he reaped after his time in office.
Despite these painful events, Gonzales forged ahead. He never gave up and he continues to use his gifts to serve people and glorify God. The former Attorney General writes,
Everyone at some point, believes life is unfair, but you must learn to accept and overcome adversity, put your trust in God rather than human beings, and move on. I harbored resentment for a time against Democratic senators and staffers who attacked me, and against Republicans who abandoned me. Now I see that while they sought to do evil to me, God used it for good.
Gonzales takes a page out of Joseph’s playbook by maintaining a God-centered perspective. He encourages young people, “Step into the arena with your eyes open and your armor securely attached. Be bold and take risks. Never fear criticism; you will not be treated fairly; accept the fact that you will be criticized no matter what you do, so do good anyway.”
True Faith and Allegiance is a story for every American. Some may disagree with Gonzales convictions. Others may reject his politics. But none can accuse him of being unfaithful to his country. Gonzales is a model patriot worthy to be emulated. Indeed, he is a man of true faith and allegiance!
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
True Faith and Allegiance is the biographical tale of a man who has experienced the American dream. Rising from humble origins, this man served in a prestigious Texas law firm, and served under George W. Bush during his days as governor of Texas. He became the Secretary of State in Texas and was named as a Supreme Court Justice in that state. He was later appointed by then-President George W. Bush to serve as special legal counsel until he reached the apex of his career in an appointment to serve as Attorney General in the Bush administration.
True Faith and Allegiance recounts the life and career of Alberto R. Gonzales, the first Hispanic man to ever serve as Attorney General. Gonzales writes with a stunning amount of transparency in this book, sparing no details.
While the book is primarily about Gonzales, one of the most fascinating features is his insight into the forty-third president of the United States, George W. Bush. Gonzales speaks highly of Bush and alerts readers to his keen intellect, rock-solid integrity, loyal friendship, and his leadership abilities.
The most outstanding feature of True Faith and Allegiance is the depth of Gonzales character. It is a testament of personal integrity, courage under fire, and devotion to the Commander in Chief. Alberto Gonzales paid a steep price for being a man of integrity and for living according to a set of timeless principles. Gonzales shares in great detail about the painful assault on his character and the tragic dividends he reaped after his time in office.
Despite these painful events, Gonzales forged ahead. He never gave up and he continues to use his gifts to serve people and glorify God. The former Attorney General writes,
Everyone at some point, believes life is unfair, but you must learn to accept and overcome adversity, put your trust in God rather than human beings, and move on. I harbored resentment for a time against Democratic senators and staffers who attacked me, and against Republicans who abandoned me. Now I see that while they sought to do evil to me, God used it for good.
Gonzales takes a page out of Joseph’s playbook by maintaining a God-centered perspective. He encourages young people, “Step into the arena with your eyes open and your armor securely attached. Be bold and take risks. Never fear criticism; you will not be treated fairly; accept the fact that you will be criticized no matter what you do, so do good anyway.”
True Faith and Allegiance is a story for every American. Some may disagree with Gonzales convictions. Others may reject his politics. But none can accuse him of being unfaithful to his country. Gonzales is a model patriot worthy to be emulated. Indeed, he is a man of true faith and allegiance!
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
January 4, 2017
Today’s book is that most challenging type of book: it’s a political memoir. I’ve read a few of these, and am always troubled by them. I have yet to read one where the author admits that most of what they did was bad, wrong, ineffectual, or pointless. Maybe I haven’t read enough, but there’s always an aspect of self-defense in the political memoir. At the very least, they are a “my side of the story” book.
With that in mind, I was skeptical of True Faith and Allegiance by Alberto R. Gonzales, former Attorney General of the United States. Gonzales was the Attorney General for a little over two years during President Bush’s second term. During that time, the United States found ourselves deeper and deeper in the mud of fighting terrorists according to their rules. It was a time of soul-searching and head-scratching. How do we deal with this?
Meanwhile, the political atmosphere of the nation became more and more toxic. Into that, Alberto Gonzales comes as the chief legal mind for the Executive Branch of the United States government. It was not a job that any one could have done.
True Faith and Allegiance deals with Gonzales’ background. He tells his story of how he came to be the Attorney General, and how he was inside the decision process of the Bush White House. He even spells out why he left—and the reasons are not all that were claimed as it happened.
Knowing that this is his side of the story and that there are other views—including lingering questions about the line between “torture” and “enhanced interrogation techniques,” among others—take this for what it’s worth. It is the story of how a kid from a poor Hispanic family grew up to be the top lawyer in America. About the hard work necessary. And about how a man can be put in impossible situations, where the best bad choice is still awful.
It’s worth reading to get another first person view of the inner workings of the first phase of the War on Terror. It’s worth reading to see how Gonzales got there in the first place.
Just remember, it’s still a political memoir. It’s how he’d like to be remembered more than anything else.
Book received from Booklook in exchange for the review.
With that in mind, I was skeptical of True Faith and Allegiance by Alberto R. Gonzales, former Attorney General of the United States. Gonzales was the Attorney General for a little over two years during President Bush’s second term. During that time, the United States found ourselves deeper and deeper in the mud of fighting terrorists according to their rules. It was a time of soul-searching and head-scratching. How do we deal with this?
Meanwhile, the political atmosphere of the nation became more and more toxic. Into that, Alberto Gonzales comes as the chief legal mind for the Executive Branch of the United States government. It was not a job that any one could have done.
True Faith and Allegiance deals with Gonzales’ background. He tells his story of how he came to be the Attorney General, and how he was inside the decision process of the Bush White House. He even spells out why he left—and the reasons are not all that were claimed as it happened.
Knowing that this is his side of the story and that there are other views—including lingering questions about the line between “torture” and “enhanced interrogation techniques,” among others—take this for what it’s worth. It is the story of how a kid from a poor Hispanic family grew up to be the top lawyer in America. About the hard work necessary. And about how a man can be put in impossible situations, where the best bad choice is still awful.
It’s worth reading to get another first person view of the inner workings of the first phase of the War on Terror. It’s worth reading to see how Gonzales got there in the first place.
Just remember, it’s still a political memoir. It’s how he’d like to be remembered more than anything else.
Book received from Booklook in exchange for the review.
February 12, 2017
I think this is a fine book but there are far too many political and judicial details to hold my interest. I may come back to it some day but the recent political campaigns have saturated my ability to handle any more.
September 20, 2016
The book is thick and filled with insight. It took a long time to read through and at some points I felt a little sleepy, but altogether it is very informative and takes a real look at a time when not much is ever shared and combines the experiences of many through one man. I would recommend highly to someone who has a craving for George W. Bush and how it all plays out.
I recevied a complimentary copy.
I recevied a complimentary copy.
September 27, 2018
Fascinating insider view of the GW Bush presidency told from the perspective of Bush’s general counsel and later attorney general. Additionally, Gonzalez takes the reader through his family history and rise from his very humble beginnings growing up in South Texas through his time at Harvard and eventually the White House.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews