President George W. Bush to publish a powerful new collection of stories and oil paintings highlighting the inspiring journeys of America’s immigrants and the contributions they make to the life and prosperity of our nation
(New York, NY—August 6, 2020)—Crown, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, announced today that it will publish a new book by George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, entitled OUT OF MANY, ONE: Portraits of America’s Immigrants, to be released on March 2, 2021. Aligned with the George W. Bush Institute’s ongoing work on immigration policy, an exhibition on the value of immigrants to America featuring the President’s portraits will open to the public at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas, on the same date.
Speaking at a 2013 naturalization ceremony, President Bush stated:
“Our immigrant heritage has enriched America’s history. It continues to shape our society. Each generation of Americans—of immigrants—brings a renewal to our national character and adds vitality to our culture. Newcomers have a special way of appreciating the opportunities of America, and when they seize those opportunities, our whole nation benefits.”
OUT OF MANY, ONE brings to the forefront forty-three stories of those who exemplify the Promise of America and our proud history as a nation of immigrants that the President spoke of. Through powerful four-color portraits—personally painted by the President himself—and their accompanying stories, OUT OF MANY, ONE reminds us of the countless ways in which America has been strengthened by the individuals who have come here in search of a better life.
As President Bush writes in the introduction to OUT OF MANY, ONE:
“While I recognize that immigration can be an emotional issue, I reject the premise that it is a partisan issue. It is perhaps the most American of issues, and it should be one that unites us. . . . My hope is that this book will help focus our collective attention on the positive impacts that immigrants are making on our country.”
Representing numerous cultures and nearly every region of the world, the men and women featured in OUT OF MANY, ONE speak to the hard work, determination, and unfaltering optimism that are inherent in both the immigrant spirit and the spirit of America. The book’s title was inspired by the Great Seal of the United States, which for generations has declared E PLURIBUS UNUM—“out of many, one”—to remind us of America’s exceptional ability to unite individuals from all backgrounds and cultures as one nation. As our country continues to grapple with the complexities of immigration policy, OUT OF MANY, ONE seeks to put us face-to-face with immigrants themselves so that we may hear their stories and better understand what America has given to them and what they have given to America.
Since its inception in 2009, the Bush Institute has retained a clear-eyed focus on the need to secure our borders and pass comprehensive immigration reform. Both OUT OF MANY, ONE and the exhibition of the same name will include bold, principle-based solutions that comprehensively address the current debate on immigration. At the heart of the recommendations is the belief that every year that passes without reforming the nation’s broken system means missed opportunities to ensure the future prosperity, vitality, and security of our country. When immigrants assimilate and advance in our society, they realize their dreams, renew our spirit, and add to the unity of America. The Bush Institute believes it is critical to be both a lawful society and a welcoming society.
Crown will produce two print editions of OUT OF MANY, ONE, each in full color: a jacketed hardcover edition priced at $38, and an oversized, deluxe edition signed by President Bush, priced at $250. The deluxe edition will be clothbound with a special slipcover and exclusive cover design. The book will also be simultaneously published in digital and physical audio formats by Penguin Random House Audio.
Crown previously published three #1 New York Times bestsellers by President Bush: Decision Points (2010), his presidential memoir; 41: A Portrait of My Father (2014), a personal biography of his father, President George H. W. Bush; and Portraits of Courage (2017), a vibrant collection of paintings and stories honoring the sacrifice and courage of America’s military veterans.
President Bush was represented in negotiations by Robert Barnett of Williams & Connolly, with Crown acquiring world, electronic, and serial rights to the work. A portion of the author’s proceeds will benefit organizations that help immigrants resettle, as well as the Bush Institute and its work on this issue.
More on the book, exhibit, and ongoing policy work of the Bush Institute is available here.
About the Author:
George W. Bush served as the forty-third President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. He had previously served as Governor of Texas. He and his wife, Laura, live in Dallas, where they founded the George W. Bush Presidential Center at Southern Methodist University. President Bush is the author of three #1 bestsellers: Decision Points, his presidential memoir; 41, a biography of his father, President George H. W. Bush; and Portraits of Courage, a collection of oil paintings and stories honoring the sacrifice of America’s military veterans.
About the George W. Bush Presidential Center:
The Bush Center is home to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, which is operated by the National Archives and Records Administration, and the George W. Bush Institute, the nonpartisan public-policy arm of the Bush Center. The Bush Center is located on the campus of SMU in Dallas, Texas, and includes a fifteen-acre park, the full-service restaurant Café 43, and a museum store.
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Crown is an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
