ROBERT RICHE - THE VISION THING

Robert Riche\'s book The Vision Thing inserts former U.S. President Papa Bush and his lil\' son, current President Georgie-- as well as a slew of other politician types, many of whom I\'ve never heard of-- into this fictional story of a fairly regular non-politician named Bill Brock who receives a surprising invitation.
He and his wife are asked by Dubya to attend a think tank of prominent Americans in Kennebunkport, Maine. Bigwigs like Dick Cheney and Henry Kissinger are going to be there. And Bill Brock has no idea why he has been invited-- other than the fact that Bush, Sr. and he attended Yale at the same time, but weren\'t close friends.
This interesting setup kicks off a satirical and sometimes heartbreaking look at American life as Brock ponders if he should go. Funny bits like an incident involving Barbara Bush\'s underwear are intercut with memories of McCarthyism and thoughts on the war on terror. Brock tries to understand what Bush, Sr. ineloquently called \"The Vision Thing\", and his own vision of American life.
I\'m not the most political guy around, but the human elements of this story, told in a reader-friendly and often funny manner, made The Vision Thing more enjoyable than I imagined it would be.