by Pamela Kilian

Few First Ladies matched Barbara Bush's remarkable popularity. Even her husband's detractors often spoke glowingly of the 'Silver Fox,' whose warmth and generosity have won her friends and admirers across the country. Pamela Kilian, a reporter for Scripps Howard News Service, has known George and Barbara Bush for over twenty years. Here, she paints an unforgettable portrait of the woman who quietly became an American icon.

Her dark side: She occasionally uses her sharp wit to skewer critics, particularly anyone who has maligned her husband or children.

Her eccentricities: She hated being called 'First Lady,' cringed at the idea of being more popular than her husband, and is closer to her husband's family than her own.

Her tragedies: The death from leukemia of Robin Bush at age three turned Barbara's hair white, and she suffered heavily when son Neil was under fire in the savings and loan scandal. The attacks on her son, George W. Bush's character in the 2000 presidential campaign, and the ensuing months of debate after the election tore at her heart.

Her philosophy: Make the most of life and don't complain. If it's at all possible, do what your husband asks of you.

Pamela Kilian tells Barbara's life story, from her protected childhood, to her early marriage and motherhood, to her adventures as a young wife, to her journey to the White House and beyond. She includes Barbara's feelings about George W. Bush's Texas governorship, Jeb Bush's Florida governorship, and George W.'s later presidential election. This riveting and well-respected biography gives a new perspective on the woman who was married to one President, and gave birth to our current President.