 | |
| Author | George W. Bush |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Memoir |
| Published | 1999 (Morrow) |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 253 |
| ISBN | 0-688-17441-8 |
| OCLC | 42719865 |
| 976.4063092 | |
| LC Class | F391.4.B87 A3 |
| Followed by | Decision Points |
A Charge to Keep is a 1999 book written by then-Governor of TexasGeorge W. Bush, with aforeword byKaren Hughes. Later editions have the sub-titleMy Journey To The White House.
The book contains a brief overview of Bush's life and political philosophy. It is not an autobiography in the strict sense, but rather a collection of non-chronological sketches and anecdotes about his years atYale andHarvard, business career, and time as governor of Texas. He intersperses these with brief explanations of his political philosophy, including his belief insmall government,capitalism, and a strongnational defense.
More specific parts of his program, which he enumerates in the last pages, include creating afree market alliance with Canada andLatin America, privatizingSocial Security, and firmness with non-aligned regimes, particularlyIraq andNorth Korea (pp. 238–9).[1][2][3]Frank Bruni, writing in theNew York Times, described the book as containing only few revelations, among them Bush's account of his decision not to grant a stay of execution forKarla Faye Tucker, which he described as affecting him emotionally, contrary to media criticism at the time.[3]
Ghostwriter Michael Herskowitz was hired in 1999 to draft the book, but he was dismissed and Hughes took over after "the early chapters Herskowitz submitted were judged to overemphasize W.'s early difficulties, describing him, for instance, as having been unsuccessful in the oil business."[4]
The proceeds of the book were donated to charity.[3]
The title of the book comes from the hymn, "A Charge to Keep I Have" (1762) byCharles Wesley. Wesley's title is a paraphrase ofLeviticus 8:35: "keep the charge of the LORD, so that you may not die."
A painting byW.H.D. Koerner, lent to Bush, shows a horseman charging up a rugged mountain trail, followed by others. In the book, Bush says this scene "epitomizes our mission":
When you come into my office, please take a look at the beautiful painting of a horseman determinedly charging up what appears to be a steep and rough trail. This is us. What adds complete life to the painting for me is the message of Charles Wesley that we serve One greater than ourselves.
The painting hung on the west wall of theOval Office during Bush's presidency.[5] He has explained to journalists that its title is "based upon a religious hymn. The hymn talks about serving God."[6] The phrase "A Charge to Keep" was attached to the painting because it was used to illustrate a short story of this title byBen Ames Williams published in 1918 byCountry Gentleman magazine.[7] According toJacob Weisberg, Bush "came to believe that the picture depicted thecircuit-riders who spread Methodism across theAlleghenies in the nineteenth century. In other words, the cowboy who looked like Bush was a missionary of his own denomination."[5]
