The Americans: The Democratic Experience

New York: Random House, 1990. Presentation Edition. Leather bound. Near fine. Presentation copy of The Americans: The Democratic Experience by Daniel J. Boorstin, a Christmas gift from President George H.W. Bush in 1990 to White House Social Secretary, Laurie Firestone.. Octavo, [xiv], 717pp, [3]. Full red morocco, title in gilt on spine, decorative raised bands, presidential seal on cover. Top edge dyed blue. Includes laid-in White House placement card for "The President and Mrs. Bush." Inscribed on a presidential bookplate affixed to front endpaper: "To Laurie Firestone / Merry Christmas 1990 - with love from all the Bushes / George Bush." Laurie Firestone served as Social Secretary to President and Mrs. George H.W. Bush during both the eight-year term as Vice President, and the following four-year term as President. She wrote "An Affair to Remember: State Dinners for Home Entertaining," a memoir of her time at the White House. This copy of The Americans: The Democratic Experience was specially bound in full leather for intimates of the Bush family, including his son Neil Bush, General Colin Powell, former President Jimmy Carter, and others. During their time in the White House, the Bush family had five books rebound as gifts for the holiday season, including: The Americans: The Democratic Experience by Daniel J. Boorstin, The Americans: The National Experience by Daniel J. Boorstin, The Americans: The Colonial Experience by Daniel J. Boorstin, Inaugural Addresses: 1789-1989, and Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus. All were inscribed by President Bush on bookplates from 1989-1992.