The First 497

As mentioned in my previous blog, one of my goals this year is to be more intellectually productive. The main way I want to accomplish this is through reading. To be fair, reading is actually one of my favorite pastimes, so it wasn't really a hard decision to come to. However, anyone who has or has had small children knows that carving out time to read can be a challenge, so I started my first book in Michigan where I had the assistance of two extra sets of eyes to watch over my little munchkins.

I am happy to report that this week I finished my first book of 2011- Decision Points by George W. Bush. Many of you may think this a strange choice as far as books to read, but I have wanted to read this book since it came out last year. My reason for this is twofold. First, the book gives, as the title implies, Bush's explanations behind the major decisions made during his presidency. Second, Bush was president during some of the most formative events in modern history and I wanted to read how he experienced them.

The book did not disappoint. It was informative, serious, humorous at times, and well written. Did I agree with all of his decisions during his presidency? No. However, here are some abridged reasons why I thoroughly enjoyed this book:

1. Its Sincerity. Love him or hate him, George Bush is who he is. He was candid during his presidency and throughout the book. A native Texan, he doesn't mince words or tiptoe around events and people that bothered him. You also come away with the feeling that he sincerely wanted the best for our country and for mankind as a whole.
   
   
2. Its Honesty. Admitting you were wrong is tough to do, especially when you were the president of the free world. However, there are several instances where Bush admits his foolishness in decisions, comments, or choice of company. This is rare in most memoirs, and it was refreshing to read. It also reminds you that even the President of the United States is a human who, even with the best resources and people surrounding him, can still be a real person who makes real mistakes.
   
   
3. Its Graciousness. This may be one the thing that surprised me most about this book. As mentioned earlier, Bush does not tiptoe around his opinions of people and their actions. Still, he had a positive comment for almost every person mentioned in his book. And not merely courtesy compliments, but real, honest, constructive honor for even political opponents.
   
   
4. Its Stories. Included in this book are many stories from Bush's childhood, adulthood, political career, and obviously, his presidency. Each was well chosen and pertinent to the topic being discussed. His childhood stories in particular give you great insight into why he is who he is.

Last, my favorite part of this book was the faith that Bush exhibited. Many conservative Christians embraced him in 2000 because he was politically conservative. At the time, I was guilty of assuming that a political conservative was on par (or at least close) with a conservative Christian because they mention "faith" and/or "God" at a political rally. Nonetheless, after reading this book, it is clear that Bush truly is a man of faith in Jesus Christ. His testimony is riveting and a phenomenal witness to the power of the Gospel. And, even if nothing else about his presidency was good, he was used as an instrument of God to ban partial-birth abortions and the killing of human embryos for the sake of medical research.

Let me also be clear that no man - president, conservative, or otherwise - is our perfect savior. Only Jesus Christ is this. President Bush is also not someone to be worshiped. Lest you think me naive, yes, I do realize he is also a politician writing a book about himself. Everyone has a worldview, and George W. Bush is no different.

Nonetheless, Decision Points, in my opinion, was a great and interesting read. Well-written and thought provoking, I recommend this book to fans and critics alike.

497 pages down, many more to go!