Shirley Hershey Showalter

Farmer's daughter, turned college professor, then college president, now foundation officer. Publications include The Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Christian Century. Writing a memoir about growing up Mennonite in America, 1948-1966. Seeking others who read, write, and teach nonfiction/memoir. Goal: read and review 100 memoirs! Read More

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Laura Bush Will Bring Home the Memoir Bacon

Last week I felt sorry for George W. Bush, who, unlike his predecessor Bill Clinton, was not offered a $12 million advance for his memoirs.  In fact, he was encouraged not to write them at all–yet.

Today The Huffington Post carries the high contrast story that Laura Bush is receiving potential publishers for her own memoirs at the White House.  Read all about it here.

I’m so relieved to know that someone in the family will be helping to swell the family coffers.  And perhaps Mrs. Bush, a former librarian, might even write the memoir herself.  Another first lady, Abigail Adams, whose birthday is today, once said, “I’ve always felt that a person’s intelligence is directly reflected by the number of conflicting points of view [s]he can entertain simultaneously on the same topic.”

If Laura Bush were to probe how she, a former pro-choice Democrat, fell in love with George W. Bush and what price she has paid for that decision and what recompense there has been–privately and publicly–I would actually be interested in reading her story.  How about you?

  • Chelsea
    Agreed about Laura Bush. I have always liked her. If you end up reading her memoir, it might be interesting to read Curtis Sittenfeld's imagined memoir of her as a counterpoint--I think it's pretty sympathetic to her, although not at all to W. Like that Abigail Adams quote, too.
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