American Wife (2008) by Sittenfeld Curtis

Fictitious, but a parallel to the life of Laura Bush. I could not tell where the fiction left off and the reality began.  The character Alice seemed too good to be true, whereas Charlie was seriously flawed with his drinking, crudity, and inflated ego.  He often referred to "his destiny", whereas Alice believed that destiny was not something you created, but rather life's unfolding. The author certainly wrote with sensitivity. Her prose is delightful and her insights into the life of Alice/Laura are keen.


The first two parts of the novel were my favourite:  Alice's childhood and high school years and then her entry into adult hood with her career as a teacher-librarian.  Her grandmother was an interesting character; well read and conducting a long-term sexual relationship with a female doctor in Chicago. Alice caused the death of a classmate in a car accident, which caused long term guilt and obsession for Alice.

Charlie's determination to win a seat in Congress shadowed their married life. Alice was definitely the strong woman behind the throne.  Always well spoken and well groomed, kind, and inclusive, Alice was the perfect woman to become a president's wife, except for her political beliefs.  This book is fascinating, but I recommend that you read a credible biography of Laura Busch to determine fact from fiction.