A vibrant collection of oil paintings and stories by President George W. Bush honoring the sacrifice and courage of America’s military veterans. With forewords written and read by former First Lady Laura Bush and General Peter Pace, 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Growing out of President Bush’s own outreach and the ongoing work of the George W. Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative, Portraits of Courage brings together sixty-six full-color portraits and a four-panel mural painted by President Bush of members of the United States military who have served our nation with honor since 9/11—and whom he has come to know personally.
Our men and women in uniform have faced down enemies, liberated millions, and in doing so showed the true compassion of our nation. Often, they return home with injuries—both visible and invisible—that intensify the challenges of transitioning into civilian life. In addition to these burdens, research shows a civilian-military divide. Seventy-one percent of Americans say they have little understanding of the issues facing veterans, and veterans agree: eighty-four percent say that the public has “little awareness” of the issues facing them and their families.
Each painting in this meticulously produced hardcover volume is accompanied by the inspiring story of the veteran depicted, written by the President. Readers can see the faces of those who answered the nation’s call and learn from their bravery on the battlefield, their journeys to recovery, and the continued leadership and contributions they are making as civilians. It is President Bush’s desire that these stories of courage and resilience will honor our men and women in uniform, highlight their family and caregivers who bear the burden of their sacrifice, and help Americans understand how we can support our veterans and empower them to succeed.
*The CD package contains a full-color 96-page booklet featuring all of the portraits from the book as well as a foldout of the murals.
President Bush will donate his net author proceeds from PORTRAITS OF COURAGE to the George W. Bush Presidential Center, a non-profit organization whose Military Service Initiative works to ensure that post-9/11 veterans and their families make successful transitions to civilian life with a focus on gaining meaningful employment and overcoming the invisible wounds of war.
A great book for a Greater cause. Our book came in yesterday. My wife would not give it up for long but I read a few. He didn’t just paint these hero’s he got to know them and keeps in touch with them. I didn’t agree with everything he did but everyone should appreciate his compassion. He never wavered from his support of the troops.
Awesome tribute from an awesome and caring Commander in Chief Have always been proud of my Commander in Chief and never had a doubt that he was always proud of us and our country. I was told that art should inspire emotion and every painting and story in this book did that with me. These portraits seemed crude to me at first glance, but once I read each story and looked a bit longer at each portrait, I could see that the president managed to capture each person’s character in the eyes or mouth, or some other aspect of that individual’s personality…
Very nice sentiment from our former potus. I see him in a new light. I’m an artist and a Liberal. My hats off to this man for spending his time and talent on something so dignified.