The Call to Serve

In honor of the 100th anniversary of George H. W. Bush’s birth, this visually stunning chronicle features never-before-published photos and mementos celebrating the 41st President’s vision of leadership as service to others—curated by the rich storytelling of Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Jon Meacham.

The lavishly illustrated The Call to Serve is an intimate, illuminating portrait of the 41st U.S. President, a man who was so much more than just his politics. Jon Meacham brings George Herbert Walker Bush vividly to life, including his dedication to political and moral leadership, and to a life marked by the strong values of integrity and respect for others that Bush learned during his childhood.

Bush pursued a life of service to America and to others, including through action in the Pacific during World War II, his political rise in Texas, then his serving as U.S. Ambassador to the UN, envoy to China, director of the CIA, Vice President during the administration of Ronald Reagan, and as President. Set against the historical background of America during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, this book celebrates the legacy of a man whose bedrock beliefs in honesty and respect for the dignity of others led to a life of leadership viewed as a call to serve. Barack Obama said towards the end of Bush's life that he put the country first, throughout his life, "both before he was president, while he was president, and ever since."

Featuring over 450 photographs, a new introduction and commentary throughout by Jon Meacham, as well as narration adapted from his biography of George H. W. Bush, Destiny and Power, this is an essential tribute to a uniquely American life—a story that warrants attention in our own divided time.