Former first daughters Hager (Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope) and Bush (Global Health Corps) provide a revealing account of their lives growing up in the political spotlight. From their early years as granddaughters of president George H.W. Bush to life with their father and then Texas governor George W. Bush, these twin sisters offer a forthright look at their lives. As young adults, with their father as U.S. president, they contemplate the many privileges but also challenges they encountered. They tell of traveling the globe and meeting an incredible range of people, from world leaders to celebrities to those in impoverished and disenfranchised communities. Both reflect upon how criticism of their famous family often made them long for anonymity. They share insights about their appreciation of the Secret Service as well as the trials of having their every move monitored. Particularly heartfelt are tales of how the intense scrutiny by the press often made ordinary activities, such as dating, nearly impossible. VERDICT This illuminating work from the daughters of one of America's most well-known families offers a satisfying behind-the-scenes look into the personal side of politics.-Mary Jennings, Camano Island Lib., WA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

As teens in the White House, twins Jenna and Barbara Bush were in for extra scrutiny. They'd had some experience in the spotlight as granddaughters of President George H. W. Bush, but now, as daughters of the president, they were watched closely at school and trailed by the Secret Service on dates. Journalists were always on hand to capture their teenage and college exploits, often exaggerating their deeds. As they tell their very readable story in alternating chapters, each girl's personality comes through. They recall tragedies, triumphs, and the same teenage angst that everyone struggles through. Memories of their famous parents and grandparents, who tried to keep the girls' lives as normal as possible amidst the political storms of Washington, are fascinating. Staying true to form, Jenna, always more social, marries and becomes a TV correspondent. Barbara, quieter and more thoughtful, stays single and evolves into a global health advocate. The two first daughters emerge as surprisingly well-adjusted, intelligent young women with strong family bonds in this insightful look at life inside the White House.--Smith, Candace Copyright 2017 Booklist

In this funny and heartfelt memoir, the twin daughters of President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush offer their perspective on growing up in the public eye. Hager (a correspondent for NBC's Today Show) and Bush (CEO and founder of Global Health Corps) describe their early childhood in Midland, Tex.; attending public high school while living in Austin's governor's mansion; and coming of age in the White House under the close scrutiny of the public, the press, and the Secret Service. Some of the anecdotes are hilarious, as when then-Vice President George H.W. Bush (known here as "Gampy") set out on a nighttime search for his young granddaughter's misplaced stuffed animal, with a band of Secret Service agents trailing with flashlights, or when prankster Jenna's water broke at her baby shower (even her husband didn't believe it because the sisters had fibbed in the past). There are many loving reminiscences of the sisters' close relationship and of the bond they share with their parents, advice and guidance from their grandparents (with some witty one-liners from grandmother Barbara "The Enforcer" Bush, who said to her son, "I don't care if you are the president of the United States, take your feet off my coffee table"), as well as sober reflections on the war in Iraq, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the tough and sometimes unpopular decisions the authors' father made while in office. Readers will be entertained by this charming, wild, and wonderful pair of life stories. Agent: Cait Hoyt, Creative Artists Agency. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.