An Open Book
Interview by Bruce A. Percelay
Photography by Kit Noble
The Today Show’s Jenna Bush Hager at the Nantucket Book Festival
Jenna Bush Hager comes from one of the most powerful families in the world. When she was seven years old, her grandfather George H.W. Bush was inaugurated as the president of the United States. She was taking classes at the University of Texas at Austin when her parents, former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, moved into the White House. To say her childhood was unique would be an understatement.
This spring, she interviewed all four living former presidents for a segment on NBC’s The Today Show, where she is the co-host of Today with Jenna &Sheinelle, with Sheinelle Jones. “The beauty about democracy, Jenna, is that it’s self-correcting,” George W. Bush told his daughter in the interview, about the unifying power of the democratic process and the freedom of the press, even in deeply divided times.
Bush Hager has lived by that mentality as a journalist. She has also sparked an interest in the world around her as an author. Over the past decade, she’s put pen to paper with the Read With Jenna Book Club through The Today Show, as well as Thousand Voices, a publishing venture through Random House Publishing Group. This June, she’ll be speaking at the Nantucket Book Festival. N Magazine caught up with Bush Hager ahead of her trip to Nantucket to discuss her unique connection to the White House, her book club and the importance of reading in the modern world.
You’ve created a persona of warmth and neutrality at a time when the media rewards outrage and division. Do you get the sense that audiences are craving a different type of on-air personality at a time the country is so split?
JENNA BUSH HAGER: It’s not a persona; it’s just who I am. I act the way I act on camera the way I do at home with my kids and with my friends and colleagues. I can’t worry about what people want or don’t want. I can just be myself. It’s so much easier to be who you are and be truthful. People want positivity, optimism and hopeful stories. One of the great things about The Today Show is that we have access to all of these extraordinary everyday people who are doing incredible things in our world and lifting up their neighbors. We understand what a privilege it is to put goodness into the world.
The Today Show is uniquely durable at a time of slumping television ratings. What is it about The TodayShow that captivates viewers?
BUSH HAGER: We work for an institution. I remember sitting in my grandparents’ house in Midland, Texas, seeing Willard Scott on television. All of us are very much aware that this place has been here forever. We are part of a bigger story. That’s one of the reasons why every morning when we walk into 30 Rock at the crack of dawn when it’s still dark outside, we’re so grateful for where we work and who we work with. When you’re part of a brand that has a storied history like The Today Show and NBC News, you know that you’re keeping the seat warm. All of us feel that way and feel so grateful for where we work.
Why did you go down the route of launching a book club?
BUSH HAGER: My mom was a librarian. She started two book festivals. My grandmothers both loved to read, and I know the importance of storytelling. We’re reading less as a culture, but I also know that people want book recommendations. Authors need a spotlight. I have one; I work at The Today Show. I have the ability to highlight debut and diverse voices—voices that aren’t always heard and books that I just love. It’s been this incredible privilege to get to share stories with our audience. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do.
What goes into the process of choosing books?
BUSH HAGER: Mainly I want a story that’s good. I want something that’s propulsive, interesting and discussible. I founded a book club, so conversation is something we think about. I also want newer voices that haven’t been published before, because I know how hard it is [for new authors]. I want books that are propulsive, fun and flashlight-under-the-covers late-night reading, and I also like things that have depth so they can be discussed.
How important is it to encourage children to read, especially in today’s digital world?
BUSH HAGER: It’s the world we live in. We also have to look at ourselves as adults who are looking down a tour phones instead of into the eyes of our children, because what does that say to them? I did a piece when I first came back from maternity leave for The Today Show that said there was all this anecdotal evidence of kids feeling as though they were less important or not interesting because their parents were looking down. It is the world we live in, and sometimes it can feel really scary. There’s also a place for books. There’s a place for reading. I read to my son every single night, and because he’s my youngest—and because my 13-year-old [daughter] now doesn’t want me to read to her every single night—I’ve realized it’s short-lived. [I try to] enjoy every single moment of those really special moments, because at some point, he’s going to want to read chapter books like his older sister, without me. Technology can be scary, but it’s up to us as parents to encourage our children to fall in love with reading.
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