Everything Beautiful in Its Time

July 27, 2020
In this charming memoir, Bush Hager (Sisters First), cohost of Today with Hoda & Jenna, pays tribute to her prominent family, particularly her grandparents. Bush Hager describes growing up in two presidential families: when she and her twin sister were toddlers, they “got in trouble” when Secret Service agents rescued them from a 10-foot seawall after they’d escaped from their cribs while visiting the Maine home of their grandfather, “Gampy”—President George H.W. Bush. Bush Hager’s memoir is rife with charming anecdotes: dancing in her prom dress with her father (President George W. Bush) after her date jilted her, discussing books and cats with her “southern lady” mother Laura, and squabbling with her beloved sister Barbara (the author might punch, but her twin had “strong nails and wasn’t afraid to use them”). Bush Hager recounts the period in which she lost both Bush grandparents, as well as her namesake Jenna Welch (“She wasn’t loud and she didn’t boast, but she was proud of her life and her family”). She also paints a vivid picture of strong and devoted matriarch Barbara Bush (“More than once, I have looked at my grandmother and thought, This woman is invincible”). This endearing memoir brings readers deep into the heart of a family that many may feel they already know well. Bush’s fans will delight in these intimate, funny remembrances.

August 1, 2020
The Today Show host considers with gentle affection her close relationships with her grandparents. Over the past couple years, Hager has lost both her paternal grandmother and grandfather, Barbara Bush and former President George H.W. Bush, and her maternal grandmother, Jenna Welch. (Her maternal grandfather died many years earlier.) The author fondly reminisces about the time she spent with them in Texas and at the Bush family compound in Maine as well as the bonds her children were able to form with their great-grandparents. Along the way, Bush proffers amusing anecdotes about her experiences of life in the White House with both her grandparents and her parents, her courtship and marriage, her pregnancies, the challenges of life as a working mother, and her abiding love for her children. She includes advice from her grandfather ("Nobody likes an overbearing big shot"), letters from her grandparents, a letter she and her sister wrote to Sasha and Malia Obama, letters she wrote to her grandparents after their deaths, and "Times I Have Cried (a Partial List)," which includes "at all Kleenex commercials" and "at parent-teacher conferences, when I hear glowing reports." Though she generally avoids discussing politics, Bush defends her father from the personal criticism she believes the press loaded on him, and she makes it clear that she's not a fan of the current administration. Those looking for surprises or revelations should look elsewhere. The curated version of Hager that emerges falls right in line with her TV persona, and those who enjoy her company on the small screen will likely appreciate it here, as well. A carefully self-monitored peek into the private life of the Bush family.

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August 1, 2020
In a little over a year, Hager lost all three of her remaining grandparents. In this poignant essay collection, she recalls moments growing up under their guidance. The Bushes are a close, loving family, and the author shares the same inside views and warm moments with her famous family that made her and her twin Barbara's Sisters First (2017) such a fun read. Hager recalls fishing with her father and Gampy and deep conversations with her Ganny. Both paternal grandparents offered life lessons in everything from hang up your towel to be true to yourself and modeled lives of dignity and honor. Although she didn't see her mother's parents as frequently, Hager still has fond memories of their summers spent together and wisdom shared. The author speaks honestly about the challenges of being a working mother in the social media spotlight, particularly when grieving. Sprinkled throughout are letters written to and from Hager's grandparents which speak of love and affection. Fans of the Today Show are a ready audience, but many readers will be touched by Hager's poignant prose and heartfelt recollections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)