[22] Bush said his wife has had a stabilizing effect on his life,[18] and he attributes her influence to his 1986 decision to give up alcohol.[23] While governor of Texas, Bush said of his wife, "I saw an elegant, beautiful woman who turned out not only to be elegant and beautiful, but very smart and willing to put up with my rough edges, and I must confess has smoothed them off over time."[18] Bush also claims that his faith in God was critical in the process to give up drinking. "I believe that God helped open my eyes, which were closing because of booze".[24]

Hobbies
Bush has been an avid reader throughout his adult life, preferring biographies and histories.[25] During his presidency, Bush read the Bible daily,[26] though at the end of his second term he said on television that he is "not a literalist" about Bible interpretation.[27][28] Walt Harrington, a journalist, recalled seeing "books by John Fowles, F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Joyce, and Gore Vidal lying about, as well as biographies of Willa Cather and Queen Victoria" in his home when Bush was a Texas oilman. Other activities include cigar smoking and golf.