Former president George Bush has no plans to write his autobiography, so this collection of letters, diary entries, and memos, plus his commentary, fills that void. The volume includes letters from Bush to his parents during World War II, a love letter to wife Barbara, letters to his children (written just before Richard Nixon's resignation and at the beginning of Desert Storm), and many more. They offer insights into Bush's career, from the Navy to the oil business, and his political life: two terms in Congress, an ambassadorship to the U.N., his tenure with the Central Intelligence Agency, the vice presidency, the presidency, and the post-presidency. As the Bushes continue to emerge as a major political family, this portrait of its unassuming patriarch is timely and important, offering an intimate look at one of America's most private public figures.