A kind, bookish only child born in the 1940s, Alice Lindgren has no idea that she will one day end up in the White House, married to the president. In her small Wisconsin hometown she learns the virtues of politeness, but a tragic accident when she is seventeen shatters her identity and changes the trajectory of her life. More than a decade later, when the charismatic son of a powerful Republican family sweeps her off her feet, she is surprised to find herself admitted into a world of privilege. And when her husband unexpectedly becomes governor and then president, she discovers that she is married to a man she both loves and fundamentally disagrees with - and there her private beliefs increasingly run against her public persona. As her husband's presidency enters its second term, Alice must confront contradictions years in the making and face questions nearly impossible to answer.

I've always thought of first couples as a unit - having the same thoughts and political values. After reading this book, I realize it never occurred to me that they are both individuals in the relationship and don't share a mind. It seems pretty obvious - the president and first lady are two individuals fully capable of having their own thoughts on a particular topic. It was an assumption on my part that for any couple to be involved in politics and in the spot light would be a united front on all political issues. As a work of fiction, this book is definitely an eye-opener as to what it may be like to be the first couple in the United States.

Based loosely on a former first lady's life this story seems more like a work of non-fiction. Knowing this novel was based on a former first lady, I kept relating this book to her real life and it was easy to assume all the situations in the novel were real occurrences when in fact there were just enough facts in the story to make the novel even more believable. I suppose I will now need to read her autobiography to separate the fact from fiction.

sending to dabercro

Waiting for me at the post office when I returned from vacation. Thanks Aberpeter!

I enjoyed this book. Even though this book was a work of fiction, I kept wondering how much of it was based on fact. The author says this book is based loosely on a past president and wife. Like the previous journaller, I would like to read the autobiography the author read and referenced in writing this novel.

Reserving for the General Literature VBB.

Chosen from the General Literature VBB. Sent to BooksandMusic in WA.

Looks super good, thank you!

This is a fictionalized account of the life of Laura Bush, although the author says,
"...I do not feel like I wrote a novel about Laura and George Bush. I feel like I read things about them that inspired me to create fictional characters, and then these fictional characters lead their own lives and have their own interactions."
To me that sounds self-absolving, maybe I am wrong.
I liked the book in a lot of ways, it is well written. The history is interesting, but since it is fiction I now need to seek out what truth I can find about Laura Bush. It also ends in a very painful and negative way, in my opinion.

This book is reserved for the Books That Start With A Bookring

Released into the A titles book ring

Chosen from the "A" titles Bookring, since I already have the other book.

I finished this the day before Barbara Bush died. I find it very sad. I plan to wild release this book with a few others.

I released several books at the Little Free Library just off Plum Street on 13th Avenue.