Laura Bush quotes:

It was an honor and a thrill to have the chance to meet His Holiness, Pope Benedict, and then to have lunch with Prime Minister Berlusconi.... I think Italy and the U. S. have a very strong friendship and relationship, and I'm proud of that.

Libraries allow children to ask questions about the world and find the answers. And the wonderful thing is that once a child learns to use a library, the doors to learning are always open.

I mean, the part you don't like, I mean, that's the only part. That's the part no one likes, and that is the criticisms, and the unfair criticisms, I might add, of my husband. But that's also just a fact of life in politics.

Well, we've faced very difficult decisions and challenges in our country, every one of us have, as we - since September 11th, as we fought the war on terror, all of those decisions that the President had to make to put young men and women in harm's way.

I also know that there are a lot of people around the United States who want my husband to win and who are for him and who support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I feel good about those people, too.

A love of books, of holding a book, turning its pages, looking at its pictures, and living its fascinating stories goes hand-in-hand with a love of learning.

If I'm just at the White House, I have meetings in my office, I sign letters, I plan different things. Late in the afternoon, I'll quit working and wait for my husband to get home.

I have found the most valuable thing in my wallet is my library card.

Libraries are community treasure chests, loaded with a wealth of information available to everyone equally, and the key to that treasure chest is the library card. I have found the most valuable thing in my wallet is my library card.

Every child in American should have access to a well-stocked school library.

My mother was my Girl Scout leader, and George's mother was his Cub Scout leader. In fact, that's when some say her hair turned white.

It's really important for people who are HIV positive to reach out to let other people know that they can be tested, they can find out they can still live a life -- a positive life, a happy life.

Libraries offer, for free, the wisdom of the ages--and sages--and, simply put, there's something for everyone inside.

The power of a book lies in its power to turn a solitary act into a shared vision. As long as we have books, we are not alone.

Education is spreading hope. Millions are now learning to live with HIV/AIDS - instead of waiting to die from it.

I also want to encourage anybody who was affected by Hurricane Corina to make sure their children are in school.

I like this idea of generation after generation helping children on the streets, kids who have run away fleeing violence. I like the whole idea of opening arms for children who have nowhere else to go, sleeping by dumpsters.

It's not easy to have the job of president. It's not easy to run for it. And it's not a job for the feint of heart.

There is nothing political about American literature.

In many developing countries, girls don't go to school. They stay home. They are at the water wells, bringing water back and forth to the village. Or they are doing chores, preparing meals, farming. Some cultures think girls and women shouldn't be educated, and those are very often the places where the treatment of women and girls is the worst.

We can overcome evil with greater good.

But we talk about issues, we talk about people, we talk about personalities. George is a very good reader of people, and he's very perceptive about people, and you know, that's fine.

Though my plans at the moment are vague, I can assure you that I'll never run for the Senate in New York.

As parents, the most important thing we can do is read to our children early and often. Reading is the path to success in school and life. When children learn to love books, they learn to love learning.

I've always liked walking; that's one of my favorite things to do, and I try to walk every day. [In Washington, D.C.] I can't walk outside, but we have the treadmill. And I walked eight miles at the ranch last weekend. Now I also lift weights, which is also great for bone strength. [Mrs. Bush mimes a biceps curl and laughs.] I'm very, very strong, actually.

Politics is a people business. I like people.

I would never do anything to undermine my husband's point of view.

Girls learn how to relate to men from the way their fathers love them. And if their fathers really love them and want the very best for them, then they've seen that kind of good behavior that they'd want in a husband.

Any criticism of someone you love is hard to take...

My husband and I have always incorporated things into our life that reduce stress. We're very careful with our health. We go to bed early. In this job, fatigue would be very detrimental! We've always eaten very healthily; now it's really particularly easy because we have a chef.

A good book is like an unreachable itch. You just can't leave it alone.

All people need to know how AIDS is transmitted, and every country has an obligation to educate its citizens. This is why every country must also improve literacy, especially for women and girls, so that they can make wise choices that will keep them healthy and safe.

certainly the women's health part is something that I've become very interested in. It's not something I thought about when George [Bush] was elected...what I'd always been interested in was education.

I've always loved children. When I was working with children as a librarian, I loved being with them and working around them.

We seldom give each other advice-I think that's the success of 25 years of marriage.

We always get up about 5:30, and George gets up and goes in and gets the coffee and brings it to me, and that's been our ritual since we got married. And we read the newspapers in bed and drink coffee for about an hour probably, read our briefing papers.

Any first lady can do whatever they want to do. In this country, people expect them to work on whatever they want or to have a career of their own.

You know, there are a lot of would-be governors of Texas sitting around today who never took the opportunity to get into a race when the time was right.

In fact, I have the privilege of traveling around our country and meeting people all over the country who are making a huge difference in the lives of their neighbors and themselves. That's what I'm really fortunate to be able to do.

They're great girls. They're very funny, they're very smart, they're fun to be with. They're very lively, as I think people can tell. And you know, they're very confident girls.

But you know, it's not easy when your husband runs for president. I mean, it's not easy for me. I'm sure it's not easy for her. There's a lot of scrutiny on families that isn't always wanted.

AIDS respects no national boundaries; spares no race or religion; devastates men and women, rich and poor.No country can ignore this crisis. Fighting AIDS is an urgent calling - because every life, in every land, has value and dignity.

An educated child is better equipped to handle all the challenges of life, from finding work to avoiding diseases like HIV/AIDS.

As long as we have books, we are not alone.

Because women don't expect to have heart disease, a lot of times they don't seek help if they have the early symptoms of a heart attack.

Bluffton is growing. But we must hold on to that small-town character.

Books are important. They help you sleep at night.

Children know that if they have a question about the world, the library is the place to find the answer. And someone will always be there to help them find the answer-our librarians. (A librarian's) job is an important one. Our nation runs on the fuel of information and imagination that libraries provide. And they are in charge of collecting and sharing this information in a helpful way. Librarians inform the public, and by doing so, they strengthen our great democracy.

Children who are read to learn two things: First, that reading is worthwhile, and second, that they are worthwhile.

Educated people can make their own choices about their governments. And certainly for women, an education allows you to understand your rights.

Education is the key. With a really good education, you have a much broader view of the world. Well-educated people can seek help for themselves. They can help others.

For countries to succeed, for democracies to succeed, the women and men in those countries need to be free. Women and men need to know their rights.

Giving homeless children the chance to be educated, giving them this ticket to their futures, is so wonderful. They will have the chance to not repeat the suffering of their childhoods in their own families. They can build secure and safe lives for themselves and their children.

I don't really feel like I have to have a debate with my husband over issues.

I have always admired organizations that help children grow and learn, and organizations that protect and shelter children when no one else does. And I wanted to draw attention to these organizations and recognize the contributions they were making to the country and to our children in particular.

I like politics. I like traveling in the United States.

I said, 'George, if you really want to end tyranny in this world, you're going to have to stay up later.' Nine o'clock and Mr. Excitement here is sound asleep ...

I see that one part of the education of women is health education. We know that women who are educated have much healthier families....

I think disease and all the things that we treat are tied to national security in a lot of ways that we maybe don't realize or that the American people don't realize. If other countries have a chance to be stable, then that helps us. If there are ways we can prevent if there are ways we can help other countries defeat diseases, we're about to totally eradicate polio. And can you imagine? That would be so terrific.

I think doctors have really come up to speed and understand that more women than men die of heart disease. [But] all the research on heart disease has really been based on men, and needs to be updated with research on women - even very early-stage research is done using male rats!

I think there are a lot of reasons to be critical of the media in America.

I turned to books for comfort. (Former First Lady, Laura Bush)

I was so fortunate. My parents lived lives of service. They helped other people, that was their second nature; it came to them so naturally. It wasn't forced. This is their character, and it's a big advantage I have, being raised by people like this, having a secure and stable life, and a lot of love and encouragement.

I was the same way after graduating with a degree in education. I started to teach and I was wondering: do I really know how to teach?

If you take the burden of health care, of diseases off the backs of some other countries, it gives them a chance to use their own very limited resources in ways that help their people. And also there's a hopelessness associated with deadly diseases, that if that can be alleviated, people can build their own economies in their own countries and they'll be less reliant on the developed world for help.

I'm inspired by my faith and all the different people around me.

I'm not the one who was elected." Although she disagreed with her husband on "a lot of issues," she emphasized, "I would never do anything to undermine my husband's point of view.

I'm not wild about the term first lady. I'd just like to be called Laura Bush.

In almost every single way, George and I share the same values. And if we differ on some issues, it's very, very minor.

In contrast to my husband, I can pronounce the word nuclear.

It's a huge advantage to have parents who read to you. And it's an advantage that lasts a lifetime.

It's really important for boys to have a father around, or a grandfather, or an uncle - a man they can really relate to who loves them, and who they know loves them.

It's really important, obviously, for people to realize that it is a very small percentage, only 1 percent of our total economy, of our total budget, and I think that's important for people to know. But I also know that Americans are very generous and that many, many Americans are proud that their taxpayer dollar has saved lives in Africa through the president's malaria initiative or through PEPFAR, the emergency relief plan for AIDS.

Jenna's traveled with me; they've both traveled with their dad. This is the only time they've been old enough in all of their dad's campaigns to really be involved in.

Leadership is not about popularity, it is about doing what is right.

Maybe it is the media that has us divided.

Nothing attracts attention like a red dress.

Reading will give you lasting pleasure.

Research shows us that children who are read to from a very early age are more likely to begin reading themselves at an early age. They're more likely to excell in school. They're more likely to graduate secondary school and go to college.

The ages between birth and age 5 are the foundation upon which successful lives are built.

The English language lacks the words 'to mourn an absence.' For the loss of a parent, grandparent, spouse, child or friend we have all manner of words and phrases, some helpful, some not. Still, we are conditioned to say something, even if it is only 'I am sorry for your loss.' But for an absence, for someone who was never there at all, we are wordless to capture that particular emptiness. For those who deeply want children and are denied them, those missing babies hover like silent, ephemeral shadows over their lives. Who can describe the feel of a tiny hand that is never held?

The fight against terrorism is also a fight for the rights and dignity of women.

The National Book Festival is a great way for families and friends to share the creative works of some of America's most-loved authors, .. Readers of all ages can listen to favorite writers speaking about their books, have books autographed, meet many storybook characters and enjoy a day on the National Mall.

The National Federation of Republican Women has a long history of helping bring women into the political process while promoting the Republican cause.

There are a lot of women that I think are very powerful and would be great presidents.

There are gender health differences, and we need to know what they are.

There's a very close tie between good health and good education.

Time spent in nature decreases stress and anxiety and improves focus for adults as well as children.

We all, parents, educators, community leaders, and every... citizen, need to come together to find new ways to engage children with the natural environment.

We know how unhealthy it is. I know what happens, though - young women start smoking because they don't think they're really going to keep smoking.

We need to alert women everywhere about the seriousness of heart disease.

We see all around the world where women's rights are denied, where governments don't believe in educating their girls. There are 800 million people in the world who are illiterate and 75 percent of them are women and girls.

Well, I think that we ought to definitely look at it and debate it. I think there are a lot of people who have trouble coming to terms with that because they see marriage as traditionally being between a man and a woman. But I also know that when couples are committed to each other and love each other, that they ought to have, I think, the same sort of rights that everyone has.

What I want for children in our country and around the world is safe, stable and loving homes.

When I heard that heart disease kills more women than all cancers combined - when I heard that, I knew. The other thing that's very important is that heart disease...is preventable. There are some specific lifestyle changes that women can make: losing weight, not smoking, exercising, eating healthy foods. Knowing the risk factors: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, [being] overweight. And if you have heart disease in your family, you should see your doctor. Because this disease is preventable.

When I was in my 20s, I was a bookworm - spent 12 hours of the day in the library. How I met George, I'll never know.

When you reach out to others in need, when you reach out to the world, you really do have a satisfying life by helping others.

When you read with your child, you show them that reading is important, but you also show them they're important - that they are so important to you that you will spend 20 minutes a day with your arm around them.

Women have a better chance to secure freedom and protect themselves from violence, from abuse, from injustice, if they are well-educated and know their rights.

You know, there are a lot of would-be governors of Texas sitting around today who never took the opportunity to get into a race when the time was right. If George is good at anything, it's timing.

No one likes to be criticized.

Diseases don't respect borders. You know, just at the edge of the American border, that isn't the edge of diseases. We need to be sure that we're looking worldwide. And it is in our security interest, as well as our moral interest, to pay attention to the rest of the world.