Following her acclaimed performance as Eliza Hamilton, Rinella returns to pay tribute to America’s longest married Presidential couple—George and Barbara Bush. Based on recent books by Bushes’ granddaughters, Rinella will share their admiration and love, and life lessons learned from their grandfather “Gampy” and his life in public service, and from their astounding grandmother they called “The Enforcer.”

About Barbara Rinella

Barbara Rinella, a former teacher, defines herself as an “academic entertainer.” For many years she has been celebrating literature and learning through her delightful programs on current books.

New for Spring, 2019, is  a “Tribute to Barbara & George H. W. Bush” based on two wonderful books by their granddaughters: George and Barbara Bush, A Great American Love Story by Ellie LeBlond Sosa and Kelly Anne Chase, and Sisters First by Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush!  Also new for Spring 2019,  her newest program will be a dramatization of Fly Girls, How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds And Made Aviation History by Keith O’Brien. Come meet Amelia Earhart, and her four terrific, brave lady friends: Ruth Elder, “the Bravest of the Fair and the Fairest of the Brave,” Ruth Nichols, “the Flying Debutante,” Louise Thaden, the “small-town dreamer,” and Florence Klingensmith, the “Darling of the Northern Plains.”

Barbara is still presenting her dynamic program on Ulysses S. Grant, based on a wonderful historical fiction novel, Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule by Jennifer Chiaverini.  Barbara is also presenting a timely program on “A Visit with the Royal Ladies.”  Princess Diana, Camilla, Princess Kate, and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex will all appear to celebrate Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life by Sally Bedell Smith and, of course, Meghan’s new baby!  Other wonderful characters that still come to life are Sophie de Vincennes from Where the Light Falls, A Novel of the French Revolution by Allison Pataki and Owen Pataki, and Eliza and Alexander Hamilton from The Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs. Rinella presented her Eliza Hamilton performance in fall of 2018.

At each program, Ms. Rinella also gives a current list of her “favorite reads.”