Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush by Jon Meacham

George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st president of the United States, is the subject of Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham. Meacham's book is an in-depth look at the life and legacy of Bush, and a journey through the ups and downs of his career in politics and public life.

Meacham presents a candid look at an often misunderstood president, using a combination of personal interviews and thousands of documents from the George Bush presidential library to bring Bush's story to life. Through Meacham's lens, Bush's many achievements and his personal traits—his ambition, his wit, and his commitment to public service—are given full consideration.

The book begins with Bush's early life and covers his education, his service in the Navy, and his political career, which began with a run for Congress in the 1960s. Meacham details how Bush navigated the changing political landscape of America, from its Nixon-fueled Republican revolution to the disputes over America's involvement in Vietnam.

Meacham paints a vivid portrait of Bush's rise to the White House, noting the influence of his larger-than-life father, former Senator and financial leader Prescott Bush. He also examines Bush's use of power, as well as his transformation into a "kinder, gentler" leader in his post-Presidential years.

Bush's strengths and weaknesses are highlighted throughout the book, as are his relationships with other world leaders, including Mikhail Gorbachev, and his position on some of the nation's most controversial issues. Meacham's incisive look at Bush's private life reveals the strains of having a son who was running for president and being involved in public life for decades, as well as Bush's attempts to reconcile his faith with his addictions.

Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush is an engaging, insightful look at an American leader who both shaped and was shaped by history. Meacham's book is an important look at the life of a man who had a lasting impact on the United States, and a demonstration of how an ambition for power can be used to make positive change.