Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose.  February 2000.  SHRUB: THE SHORT BUT HAPPY POLITICAL LIFE OF GEORGE W. BUSH.  New York: Random House.
"In SHRUB, Ivins focuses her Texas-size smarts on the biggest politician in her home state: George Walker Bush, or 'Shrub' as Ivins has nicknamed Bush the Younger.  ...Ivins takes a good, hard look at the record of the man who could be leader of the free world.  Beginning with his post-college military career, Ivins tracks Dubya's winding, sometimes unlikely path from a failed congressional bid to a two-term governorship."

Elizabeth Mitchell. January 2000. W: REVENGE OF THE BUSH DYNASTY. New York: Hyperion.
"With top-notch reporting and sharp insight, Mitchell delves into the extremely close relationship between George Bush elder and junior, elucidating the ways in which George W.'s accomplishments and political career are inextricably related to, and dependent upon, those of his father.  Mitchell sets forth the key elements of George W's political and personal life..."

George W. Bush. November 1999. A CHARGE TO KEEP. New York: William Morrow.
"George W. Bush chronicles some of the events that shaped his life and some of his major decisions and actions as Governor of Texas.  From the outset Bush makes clear this book is not intended to be a comprehensive look at every event in his life.  Rather, he writes, it is an attempt to 'give the reader a sense of my values, my philosophy and how I approach and make decisions.'"

Bill Minutaglio. October 1999. FIRST SON: George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty. New York: Times Books.
"Veteran Texas reporter Bill Minutaglio, of The Dallas Morning News, has written the first major biography of Governor George W. Bush of Texas, the Republican front runner for president in 2000.  FIRST SON is based on exhaustive research and interviews with more than 300 sources..."

J.H. Hatfield.  January 2000.  FORTUNATE SON: George W. Bush and the Making of An American President.  New York: Soft Skull Press. [book initially published by St. Martin's Press, but distribution had only just begun when that firm suspended publication Oct. 21, 1999]
"..George W. Bush has not been able to escape the specters of his past: abuse of privilege, draft-dodging Vietnam and a cocaine habit.  FORTUNATE SON researches these allegations, and comes up with almost 400 pages of startling information...  The personable, charismatic Bush is balanced with the record of his mercenary politics."
Note: A documentary feature film about this book and the difficulties Soft Skull press had in getting it into bookstores was released in April 2002.  Suki Hawley and Michael Galinsky directed HORNS AND HALOS.
 
 

Reviews
Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose.  February 2000.  SHRUB: THE SHORT BUT HAPPY POLITICAL LIFE OF GEORGE W. BUSH.  New York: Random House.
Myra MacPherson in The Washington Monthly, April 2000
Charlotte Hays in National Review, April17, 2000
 

Bill Minutaglio. October 1999. FIRST SON: George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty. New York: Times Books.
Interview with Bill Minutaglio in The Hill, May 3, 2000
 

J.H. Hatfield.  January 2000.  FORTUNATE SON: George W. Bush and the Making of An American President.  New York: Soft Skull Press.
Article on Mr.Hatfield--Kathy Sawyer. “Unfortunate Son.” Washington Post, March 19, 2000, p. F1
John Corry in The American Spectator, Dec. 1999-Jan. 2000

Copyright 2001, 2002 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action.