Barbara Pierce Bush was born in New York in 1925. She had three siblings. Her father was the president of a publishing cooperation, which published well known magazine Redbook. She was also a distant relative of President Franklin Pierce and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, which I found really interesting. She was an avid reader, and also enjoyed swimming and tennis. She met George H. W. Bush when she was sixteen years old at a Country Club dance. They dated for 18 months before becoming engaged, shortly before he shipped off for service in World War II. They eventually married in 1945. The couple had six children together. One of those children would become President George W. Bush. Another child, Pauline Robinson Bush, died at age three from leukemia. She did a lot of work for literacy, partly because of her love of reading and partly because one of her sons was diagnosed with dyslexia. She was also prochoice on abortion and supported equal rights for everyone, which I love about her. She supported AIDS awareness campaigns, which was a really notable accomplishment due to the stigma of the disease and the lack of understanding. In fact, because of her stance on civil rights, abortion, LGBT rights, and AIDS awareness, she received more threats than her husband, the President. She did differ with her husband on a lot of issues, but was a great support to him on his campaign and while in office. She loved her family and spending time with all of them, and very much enjoyed all of her grandchildren. She died in 2018, after a host of medical issues. She was 92.

People have often commented on her humor and wit, and I have to say that it really came through in this book. She was a very intelligent lady. She did a lot of work for the causes that she believed in. She did make some controversial remarks, but I think people forget that public servants are just people. They don't always get things right, and, sometimes, they grown and see things in a different way than they did in years before. She was respected by a lot of people and leaders all over the world for her activism and kind spirit. She came across as very honest and straightforward in this book, and didn't try to paint herself in any particular picture. She lived a really interesting life, and if you are interested in strong women or Presidents and First Ladies, check this book out.