• Decision Points

  • By: George W. Bush
  • Narrated by: Ron McLarty
  • Length: 20 hrs and 6 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (2,507 ratings)

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Decision Points  By  cover art

Decision Points

By: George W. Bush
Narrated by: Ron McLarty
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Publisher's summary

President George W. Bush describes the critical decisions of his presidency and personal life.

Decision Points is the extraordinary memoir of America’s 43rd president. Shattering the conventions of political autobiography, George W. Bush offers a strikingly candid journey through the defining decisions of his life. In gripping, never-before-heard detail, President Bush brings listeners inside the Texas Governor’s Mansion on the night of the hotly contested 2000 election; aboard Air Force One on 9/11, in the hours after America’s most devastating attack since Pearl Harbor; at the head of the table in the Situation Room in the moments before launching the war in Iraq; and behind the Oval Office desk for his historic and controversial decisions on the financial crisis, Hurricane Katrina, Afghanistan, Iran, and other issues that have shaped the first decade of the 21st century.

President Bush writes honestly and directly about his flaws and mistakes, as well as his accomplishments reforming education, treating HIV/AIDS in Africa, and safeguarding the country amid chilling warnings of additional terrorist attacks. He also offers intimate new details on his decision to quit drinking, discovery of faith, and relationship with his family.

A groundbreaking new brand of memoir, Decision Points will captivate supporters, surprise critics, and change perspectives on one of the most consequential eras in American history - and the man at the center of events.

©2010 George W. Bush (P)2010 Random House

What listeners say about Decision Points

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A Thematic Book

Like Bush or not, the memoir is now available from Audible and this is it. I happened to be on the road and was able to listen to this volume from Audible and the former President's version as well. First, the book is thematic rather than chronological. What Bush does is take various "decision points" (get it?) and reminisce about his thought processes and reflect on the outcomes of each. The full version seems to follow this approach where the abridged version (narrated pleasantly by the President himself) seems to combine some material from other chapters. Second, the full version is read by Ron McLarty and the abridged version by the President. Here there is a trade off. Take the shorter version and you hear the President. Take the full version and you do not. I don't think that should be a make-or-break issue when deciding which version you might want. The downside is that there is quite a bit of material which is lost when listening only to the abridged version. In sum, if you want to hear the President read and you just want a taste of the book then the abridgement might be for you. Otherwise, the full version may be more interesting. (Both are just one credit from Audible if not buying for cash). Third, Bush (not unlike Obama) has his detractors and critics. If you are a Bush basher, this book will not change your mind. However, this book (as any memoir) is best approached as an opportunity to hear an author’s personal interpretation of events. Take it for what it is, and you will be rewarded. If you are a Bush basher, this book will not change your mind. Bush does a good job of reading his abridgement and Ron McLarty is up to the challenge as well. “Take your chice and pay the price.” This book has made me look forward to Obama’s memoir when it is written – which is not to say that I am necessarily anxious to see him leave office either.

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74 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Decision Points

Informative, well written book. If you get your news from a source other than Fox you are probably of the opinion that President Bush is not capable of writing a book much less one worth reading. If so, you???re dead wrong. The man is pure class. No blame games like what we???re seeing now. So do yourself a favor, listen to what the man has to say, and stop wallowing in media instilled ignorance. He wasn???t perfect but I???d trade to have him back in a heartbeat. He certainly merits 20 hours of your time.

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34 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book!

Finally G.W tells his side of everything! Love him or hate him......at least you know where he stands!
I sure miss having a president with a backbone!!!

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33 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Very interesting

I was highly critical of Bush durring his presidency. It was very interesting to hear his side, from him. Great read/listen for anyone who is interested in his presidency. I can't say it changed my mind on his policies but it did add context and increased my respect for him.

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27 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Very revealing look at the Bush Presidency

This is a very revealing look at the Bush Presidency. This book no doubt gives a portrayal that history will no doubt find to be more accurate and logical than the ranting wild accusations and talking points that have due to repetition become conventional wisdom in popular media and popular culture. Many have waited for Bush to finally answer these critics, and he does so with an ease that dismisses these ranting critics as one would dismiss annoying gnats.

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22 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A very candid self reflection

I have always been relatively middle of the road when it comes to politics. I'm typically fiscally conservative while being socially liberal. But I always approach the media (CNN, FOX, MSNBC, whatever) with a great deal of skepticism and distrust. As the media portrayed G.W. Bush as a militant conservative in all aspects, read this book with an OPEN MIND and you'll find that this is just not true. Yes, of course he made many decisions that were conservative, but he also put into action many programs and ideas that fall into the liberal agenda. And whatever your stance on Iraq and Afghanistan, his reasoning and decision making in these wars are fascinating.

I have many friends that hate G.W. Bush, essentially, just because he's Bush and for no substantive reason. This book is not for them. I also have friends that are definitely Democrat in their thinking, and after reading this book they still don't agree with much in the way of his politics, but they but they understand and respect the man.

On the other side of the coin, many conservatives will have severe heartburn with many of the decisions he made that addressed the liberal agenda. They came into this book looking for validation of a very conservative way of thinking. People I know have come away with an "I can't believe he did that" attitude towards some of the more liberal decisions he made.

Regardless, G.W. Bush seems to write this book without regard to station in either the liberal or conservative camps. He plainly outlines his major decisions, explains the thought and research that went into making those decisions, and leaves it to the readers to decide who the man really is.

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A Differnet Side of Pres. Bush Revealed

I finished this week reading (listening) to President George W. Bush???s memoir ???Decision Points.??? This book was one I had been anticipating for quite some time and after finishing it I must say I was not disappointed.

The book is put together completely different then other memoir as President Bush talks about not his life but the decision???s he had to make that shaped his presidency. Topics ranging from Iraq, Afghanistan, Stem Cell Research, 9/11, Staff Issues, Katrina, and the financial crisis you get an inside look into what went into his decision???s as well as a selfless look at how difficult of a time he had during situations.

The bigger topics (9/11, Iraq, Katrina) were quite fulfilling and intriguing the chapter he spoke on his work with AIDS victims in Africa was a side to this President I had never seen or read about it. His desire to combat the spread throughout Africa reveals the softer side of this war time President and something the US Media Outlets failed to reveal. President Bush wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post just today (12/1) talking about his ongoing policy to help fight AIDS.

Most like me will read this book to hear about how/why he dealt with certain situations the way he did (be prepared with a tissue when reading the 9/11 chapter, just warning you) but I hope as I did, others will see a softer side of the President Bush.

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Unbelievably Compelling

Let me start out by saying that I was impressed with President Bush back when he was Governor Bush, and though I had disagreements with him on policy, was rather disturbed by people that attacked him personally during his presidency.

I pickup up this book just after reading (not listening to) "My Life", by President Clinton. "Decision Points" is everything that "My Life" is not. Where President Clinton goes through great length to avoid his scandals, and the things he is criticized for, President Bush confronts them head on; sometimes rebutting them with facts, other times admitting that in, hind sight, it was the wrong decision.

This is not an autobiography, but an insight into who our former president is, and why he made the decisions he made. I still do not agree with every decision he made, but now I understand why he made them. If you are passionately anti-Bush, then skip this book. However, if you are interested in understanding the person who served in the presidency during one of the most trying times in American history, then this book is a must read.

If you are a person who loves history and is always wanting to better understand the reasons leaders make the decisions they have made, then you will definitely not be disappointing with this book. If you are a middle of the road person, who doesn't care to dwell on party politics, and the rancor that flows back and forth between the left and right, then this is the book for you. Ron McLarty does an excellent job narrating Decision Points, his accent is almost exactly the same as President Bush's, so much so that at times you think it's the former president reading the book himself.

I strongly recommend this book for any person who is interested in American History, and in the history of leaders in general. If you have not also read President Clinton's book, I recommend you read that too, but just as a study in the completely different types of men that occupied the Oval Office back to back.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Changed my view of Bush

I'm currently at the 6th chapter of the unabridged edition. It is a great book, recounting the many decisions Bush has made and why he has made them. So far, he has addressed his pre-political life, presidency campaign, appointment of chief justice and supreme court members, stem cell research funding decisions, and now his response to the Sept 11 attacks. The book clarifies so much of what was going through his mind and explains his actions and much of the media smear of his name. It has transformed my view of Bush and I thank him for being candid and writing this great historical resource.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

Decision Points brings perspective. Perspective that we the people did not have as the events of his Presidency and our lives unfolded. Great read and extremely informative.

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17 people found this helpful