American Wife – Curtis Sittenfeld
I’ll start with a confession: I never really cared for George W. Bush.
During his presidency, I found little to admire, though in later years, his playfulness with the Obamas and devotion to his grandkids softened my perception. Even so, “American Wife” — a novel loosely based on Laura Bush’s life — was not a book I ever planned to read. It was simply the only Curtis Sittenfeld title available at my library before an author talk.
It’s a curious novel, blending fiction with recognizable realities, that made me care about a family I would have rather forgotten. So I’m surprised to say I’m glad I picked it up. Not because of the subject matter but because it proves Sittenfeld is one of the most fascinating writers working today.
Her skill lies in transforming what could have been a superficial premise into an intimate, deeply human story. Alice Blackwell, our protagonist, is a woman of contradictions: intelligent, self-aware and quietly rebellious, yet bound to a man whose ideology and ambition clash with her own.
Alice’s evolution is marked by both tension and compromise. She never fully embraces her husband’s worldview but never entirely rejects it either. In fact, Alice remains more liberal-leaning than Charlie throughout, standing firm in her beliefs even as she is expected to toe the party line.
All the while she quietly resists the conservative trappings of her new life, tolerating but not adopting Charlie’s more offhanded, problematic remarks about race and sexuality. She challenges him on policy, personal values and privilege while refusing to let their marriage erase her individual convictions, like a woman’s right to choose. Sittenfeld captures this balancing act with a measured confidence that is refreshing and matter-of-fact. It’s central to the story but never preachy or overwrought.
The novel’s structure mirrors Alice’s transformation. The early sections, particularly her adolescence and the accident that alters her life, are among the strongest. Sittenfeld renders guilt and shame with sensitivity, showing how Alice’s choices in the aftermath shape her identity.
The relationship with Charlie offers a compelling contrast and fans of the opposites attract trope will love their romances' ups and downs. While Alice is introspective, Charlie is affable, a man whose charm often masks his flaws. He is not a caricature but a fully realized character, both frustrating and magnetic. Sittenfeld doesn’t vilify him, instead allowing him to be both reckless and deeply loyal — and the extended Blackwell family provides some comic, if eye-rolling relief.
One of the novel’s sharpest critiques is its dissection of political performance. Despite her marriage granting her proximity to power, Alice remains an outsider to the world of country clubs and conservative dynasties.
She watches with growing discomfort as her husband crafts his public persona and their daughter benefits from advantages she never had in her own working-class upbringing. Sittenfeld deftly captures the absurdity of political theater — he manufactured nature of campaigns, the protective shield of privilege, and the ease with which power reinvents itself.
The final section, set during Charlie’s second term as president, loses some of the earlier momentum. The political weight of the narrative increases — the Iraq War and abortion rights take center stage — slowing the pace. Alice’s moral reckoning, especially her resistance to the role of dutiful, silent wife, is powerful, but the ending feels looser than the tightly woven character study that came before it.
Sittenfeld clearly has an affinity for Alice (and Laura Bush), but she never absolves her of complicity, reinforcing one of the novel’s strongest themes: power is not only wielded by those in office but also by those standing beside them.
The audiobook, narrated by Kimberly Farr, is steady and measured — perhaps too much so. Farr’s calm cadence suits Alice’s personality but lacks variation, making the listening experience feel flat at times. After hours of narration, I wanted more passion, more emotional depth to match the complexity of Alice’s inner world.
I can see why fans of the Bush family might not like this book. While it isn’t a hit piece, it humanizes and exposes the personal struggles of a First Lady figure in ways that might feel too revealing or critical. At the same time, those who disliked the Bush administration might not invest the time, unwilling to engage with a story that attempts to humanize a political figure they oppose.
It’s a gamble by Sittenfeld, but one that proves she is a master at crafting relatable characters, even out of the most unrelatable circumstances. The novel is not just about a presidency or a marriage — it’s about identity, the choices we make and the ones we learn to live with.
I never intended to read this book, but I’m glad I did.
Rating (story): 4.5/5 stars
Rating (narration): 3/5 stars
Format: Audiobook (library loan)
Dates read: March 6 – March 16, 2025
Multi-tasking: Okay. The writing is easy to follow, and the characters are well drawn, but it’s sprawling in scope, so if you tune out during the long sections you’ll miss the interconnectedness that makes this such a captivating story.
