cover image W.: The Rise and Fall of the Bush Dynasty

W.: The Rise and Fall of the Bush Dynasty

Elizabeth Mitchell. Hyperion Books, $22.95 (370pp) ISBN 978-0-7868-6630-4

The clever title suggests a more sensationalistic perspective than Mitchell, a veteran journalist, actually provides, but it does capture a central theme--that for Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush, politics is more personal than partisan. A pragmatic conservative, the younger Bush is not strongly motivated by party affiliation, ideology or policy, but he is driven to avenge past slights aimed at--and the reelection defeat of--his father, George H.W. Bush. Mitchell highlights the power of this element in George W.'s life by writing what is essentially a dual biography structured around father-son parallels and emphasizing the formative years of each man's life. To say George W. followed in his father's footsteps is an understatement; through educational, military, business and then political experiences, there are amazing parallels. Tragedy seems to be lurking at the edge of the narrative, however, for George W. never quite measures up to his father's performance until the critical epiphany occurs as he contemplates running for governor of Texas: ""George W. probably realized that he might not be as good as his father at baseball, academics, or the oil business, but he was a better politician--the thing George Bush cared about most."" Whether he ends up as a more successful politician is yet to be determined, and we are given little basis for judgment by the remarkably scant treatment (one chapter out of 15) of George W.'s tenure as governor. Nevertheless, anyone seeking insight into George W. before his final chapter is written will find much to ponder in Mitchell's presentation. (Feb.)