Among the practical advice I gave my students was: You don’t have to read the book if you read the reviews. Scan a few reviews and you can discuss a book in some depth without ever cracking the covers. Just “don ‘t let on,” as Huck Finn would say.
But I’ll come clean. I didn’t read (and don’t intend to read) George Bush’s memoirs of his two terms in office, but I did read a number of reviews. What strikes me as sad is how few good things we can say about those eight years, and how little responsibility Mr. Bush takes for monumental screwups. Yes, he regrets the Katrina mess, and yes, he wishes the “Mission Accomplished” banner had not been hoisted, but he seems so satisfied with himself.
What are the accomplishments? A robust economy? A balanced budget? A democratic Iraq? A defeated Taliban? Progress on environmental protection? A more unified country? No, no, no., no, no, and no.
Bush seems to have done two good deeds in eight years. First, we must praise his attempts to fight AIDS in Africa. Second, he really did try to dampen anti-Muslim paranoia after 9/11.
I might get some argument here, but I don’t think George Bush, Jr., has a racist bone in his body. I also think the “No Child Left Behind,” flawed and ineffective as it is, represented a sincere attempt to improve education in America. Not too much for eight years in office, but I’m trying to be nice in this holiday season.
Plus, I gave you a gift. You don’t have to read the book.
It might be interesting to read the book. Since we have lived the history.See if it is what we know happened.
ReplyDelete