President Bush Wants to Write His Memoirs
Posted on January 13, 2009
President Bush has said that he's ready to write a book about his experiences in the White House. But he wouldn't set a publication date.
In an interview with Fox News, Dubya revealed he was planning on writing a book, although he hasn't quite pinned down what he'll be writing about yet. "I'm not quite exactly sure what it's going to be, but I'm toying with the idea of maybe describing the toughest decisions I had to make as president, and the context in which I made them," he told interviewer Brit Hume. "What's evident to me is that it is very hard for people to remember what life was like a mere four or five years ago, and it's going to be very important for me to recreate the environment in which I had to make certain decisions, particularly the environment right after September the 11th, 2001."Bush is leaving office with very low poll numbers, but experts say that speaking fees and book deal advances rise for ex-presidents as time passes. Historically, even presidents who left office with low poll numbers experience rising poll numbers over time. So, he is perhaps wise to tease the memoir idea then wait a bit before writing it.Although he refused to be drawn on how long it would take him to deliver the book - "that's the kind of question I better not answer ... I'll say two years, and it'll be four" � Bush was sure that his "type A" personality would mean it wouldn't be too lengthy a project. "I require things to do, and I bet once I get going on this book, I'll be able to get 'er done," he said.
The news follows his former senior adviser and deputy chief of staff Karl Rove's surprise revelation on 26 December that Bush devoured a total of 40 books in 2008, 51 in 2007 and 95 in 2006, with reading matter an erudite mix of history and biography - as well as an annual flick through the Bible, and an excursion into existentialism with Albert Camus's The Stranger in 2006.