Product Description
Authoritative, even-handed and meticulously researched,Lou Cannon's "President Reagan" will stand as one of thegreat accounts of an American presidency.Amazon.com Review
This is possibly the single best book available on the Reagan presidency. Lou Cannon began reporting on Ronald Reagan as a journalist when Reagan first ran for governor of California in 1966, and then covered him again in Washington after his 1980 presidential election. In short, there is probably no man or woman who has spent more years writing about the Gipper than Cannon. The result is a magisterial account of Reagan's two terms in the White House. Cannon is broadly sympathetic to his subject, but also coolly detached. President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime pulled off the remarkable feat of winning praise from both Reagan's admirers and detractors when it was first published in 1991. This reissued edition, which includes a new preface describing Reagan's postpresidential descent into the abyss of Alzheimer's disease, must now be considered the standard text on the subject--especially in light of the controversy surrounding the book that aspired to Cannon's mantle, Edmund Morris's quasi biography Dutch.

Cannon's book is full of wise analysis and sound observation. He explains Reagan's success convincingly: "Optimism was not a trivial or peripheral quality. It was the essential ingredient of an approach to life.... [Reagan] had a knack of converting others to his optimism, almost as if he drew upon some private reservoir of self-esteem. People who listened to Reagan tended to feel good about him and better about themselves." Though the book bursts with detail, it's never so cumbersome that it bogs down Cannon's narrative. And these pages give only cursory attention to Reagan's life before the White House; this is more a biography of President Reagan than of Ronald Reagan. Conservatives who are defensive about Reagan's legacy may bristle at certain points; Cannon's portrait is not always a flattering one. Yet it's a compelling biography of a compelling man's most important years. It's possible to imagine that a fuller biography of Reagan will be written some day. Right now, however, this is the best there is--and it's very, very good. --John J. Miller ... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

Chomsky on the Vampire
Noam:

"Another stunning illustration of the success of propaganda, with considerable import for the future, is the cult of the killer and torturer Ronald Reagan, one of the grand criminals of the modern era, who also had an unerring instinct for favoring the most brutal terrorists and murderers around the world, from Zia ul-Haq and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar in today's Afpak to the most dedicated killers in Central America to the South African racists who killed an estimated 1.5 million people and had to be supported because they were under attack by Nelson Mandela's ANC, one of "more notorious terrorist groups" in the world, the Reaganites determined in 1988. And on and on, with remarkable consistency. His grisly record was quickly expunged in favor of mythic constructions that would have impressed Kim il-Sung. Among other feats, he was anointed as the apostle of free markets while raising protectionist barriers more than any postwar president - probably more than all others combined -- and implementing massive government intervention in the economy. He is hailed as the grand exponent of small government and of law and order. Government grew relative to GDP during his years in office, while he informed the business world that labor laws would not be enforced, so that illegal firing of union organizers tripled under his supervision. His hatred of working people was exceeded perhaps only by his contempt for the rich black women driving in limousines to collect their welfare checks.

There should be no need to continue with the record, but the outcome tells us a lot about the intellectual and moral culture. For President Obama, this monstrous creature was a "transformative figure."At Stanford University's prestigious Hoover Institution, he is revered as a colossal figure whose "spirit seems to stride the country, watching us like a warm and friendly ghost." We arrive in Washington at Reagan International Airport - or if we prefer, at John Foster Dulles International Airport, honoring another prominent terrorist commander. His achievements include installing the torture regime of the Shah and the reign of the most vicious of the terrorists of Central America, whose exploits reached true genocide in the highlands while Reagan praised the worst of the mass murderers, Rioss Montt, as "a man of great personal integrity" who was "totally dedicated to democracy" and was receiving a "bum rap" from human rights organizations.

Painfully to record, many of the Joe Stacks whose lives the "warm and friendly ghost" was ruining join in the adulation, and hasten to shelter under the umbrella of the power and violence that he symbolized."

Thorough Tour of Regan Presidency
I grew up in the 1980s. I remember lots of vague pieces of the Reagan presidency but few details. Mostly I remember his presidential addresses coming on television to interrupt my TV shows like Different Strokes and Facts of Life. I bought this book hoping to fill in the gaps and it certainly delivered. Lou Cannon knows Reagan and his cabinet very well. He gives a nice overview of Reagan's time before he became president, back when he was an actor and governor of California. Then he gets into all the details of his two terms - the elections, Iran-Contra, Grenada, the Russians, Libya, all of it. As I read each part, I found myself often thinking, 'Yeah, yeah, I remember that now.' The part about Reagan's negotiations with Gorbachev was riveting. To think of these two men, representing the super powers of the day, arguing back and forth over nuclear arms. Great stuff. Cannon's prose is easy to read. Some parts dragged since he tries to truly give a thorough account. But for the most part the text flowed nicely. I do not consider myself someone who easily devours dense historical books yet this one was not a problem to get through.

Interesting Inside Information, Dated Outside Information
Lou Cannon's start to this book is not very appetizing to the Conservatives that have loved Reagan for the economic policies that he has been associated.Cannon begins the first chapter by taking Reagan to task with statistics that show that Reagan really wasn't what Conservatives have always thought.However, what Cannon fails to explain or even hint at is that economics do not start with the inauguration and end with the next president's inauguration.Additionally, this is the real problem with writing about a historic subject too quickly.Without the years necessary to allow various plans to come to fruition, the conclusions drawn can be absolutely incorrect; and that is what we have in Cannon's analysis of Reagan's economic policies.Many can agree with Cannon that the results did not show up when the Reagan administration predicted, but the statement on page 254 made by Stockman is used by Cannon to show this conclusion:"A forecast that combined soaring real growth with sharply declining inflation described an unlikely combination of events".This is a topic that Cannon hits very hard.However, time has now shown this to be exactly what happened as the years progressed; although is was not as quickly as the press, the people or the administration expected.Cannon shows his distain for Reaganomics over and over again.

As the writing progresses, it is obvious that Cannon was truly touched by Reagan, the man, but wants or needs to show his liberal bias and his skeptical side to the beliefs that Conservatives hold dear.The first chapter will probably set off many Conservatives and set a bad tone for the remainder of the book.

Cannon's approach is really not a biography nor is it truly historical; it is more a look at Reagan's administration.It is not presented in a very logical, linear, or chronological order; and many times the chronology skips from year to year and can easily lose the reader; this can be annoying at times.Each chapter starts over with a new topic with the chronology changing to the topic at hand.In some historical biographies this might work, but in this one, there are so many players that came and went, it is very difficult to match the parties to the events and keep them straight.

The primary references are mostly from interviews with Reagan insiders, other Washington Post writers and Lou Cannon's own articles and writing notes from the many years that he covered Reagan.While using interviews can be good, they can also be used in whatever light you deem to use them.With a twist here and an absence of a remark there, you can turn meanings easily.I don't particularly like biographical studies that are entirely interview oriented due to this problem.However, as a reporter, Cannon is comfortable with this style.Cannon can be an very entertaining writer, but much of this book seems to be an anthology of vignettes of detailed points of each small event in the Reagan White House.Additionally, Cannon tends to repeat himself a number of times and quotes someone different for each iteration, but the manner in which it was done left me wondering whether or not the complete context was used.He often uses hearsay as fact - it doesn't work in court and should not be allowed in a nonfiction work either.

Cannon gives Reagan credit for his intellect more so than many others have done, but he takes shots for things that really are opinions rather than statements of fact.President Reagan ran the White House in a very different manner than previous Presidents.Cannon alludes to this style as that of a movie star rather than the executive commander of the largest county in the free world.However, in the next sentence Cannon will state that all of the men surrounding Reagan were definitely selected by him for the jobs that they had.In my business background, that is exactly what an executive does.He surrounds himself with smart people and gets out of their way.Understanding that this is not the norm for Washington doesn't make it the wrong way.The President of the Unites States is the Leader of the Country and the White House staff.He doesn't have to be the doer or knower of everything.These are points of contention I have with Cannon's conclusions.

The Iran-Contra affair is front and center in this work and commands a couple of hundred pages.Over time, this particular event has become a mere speck of dust in history of our country.Again, this is one of the problems with writing about a current subject.Time must pass to really ferret out the important and lasting stories from the chaff.For example, the assassination attempt on Reagan barely gets a couple of pages and that is in the context of Alexander Haig's behavior during that time period.The chapter on the Soviet - Reagan relationship was very interesting.There was very little about Ron and Nancy's relationship during the White House years.And although Cannon describes the relationship between Reagan and Bush to be closer as the years went by, there is almost no information about anything that Bush did or how the two related to each other.

No matter your politics, this is a decent look from the inside of the Reagan White House.It is less a biography and more a series of newspaper-like stories crafted together to give you the inside dope of the Reagan Administration; albeit from somewhat jaded interviews from staffers that had been fired or had "resigned" or as Cannon proclaims "unappreciated" individuals from the inner core.Additionally, when this book was written, Reagan's Alzheimer's condition was yet made public and some of what is written makes me believe that Reagan may have been beginning this progression sooner than many thought or could see.I will still await the definitive book on Reagan as this is just not it.

Some big complaints
The second of the 2 part series is by far the weaker of the two books.

First, the second book appears to be written as almost a standalone. It continually rehashes happenings in the first book like the reader either doesn't remember or didn't even read the first book. This gets in the way of what is happening in the Reagan Presidency and tended to get me offtrack. I would suggest that Cannon should not make it easy for readers to be lazy. Anyone willing to read 700+ pages on the Reagan Presidency is probably willing to read the first volume so don't rehash things.

Second, I couldn't figure out what method Cannon was using to tell this story. It jumped around quite a bit. At times, it seemed chronological and it times it seemed more subject based. The only part of the second book that really captivated me was the 100+ pages describing in detail the Iran-Contra affair. I was in high school when this took place and appreciated Cannon's detailed account. I though he was even handed with this account, but I can't say that for the rest of the book.

Clearly Reagan was in over his head but haven't most Presidents been in the too too deep end throughout history. Reagan may have had his cue cards and his talking points, his stories and his jokes, but the President is a figurehead more than anything else and Reagan was a great figure who knew more than Cannon gave him credit for.

I wish Cannon would have spent more time dealing with the Cabinet, specifically those not named Donald Regan or James Baker. He spent way too much time talking about these guys. It got to be a chore rehashing what a bad job these guys did at times. How about Reagan's relationship with Bob Dole, GHWBush, Margaret Thatcher, others... not enough analysis there.

Cannon's liberalism shines through in the second book. I didn't think it was untrue but I did think it was unfair. Reagan was a figurehead but Cannon thinks that made him a bad President... I think that was what made Reagan a very good President. He didn't get bogged down in the details and instead gave the country something to get excited about as we emerged from the Hell that was the Carter administration.

I'm not saying Reagan was the best President ever but he sure deserves more credit than Cannon gives him. Familiarity breeds contempt and that is the only thing that can explain Cannon's interpretation in the second book.

You still should read it to complete the series but make sure you pack plenty of grains of salt with that highlight pen.

Pathetic Hogwash
This book is filled with blatant lies, half-truths and hearsay. There is nothing credible to this guy's ludacris accusations and slander. If you are a thinking person then put this book down and save yourself the trouble of reading this liberal hatchetjob. But if you believe aliens are stealing your thoughts, JFK and Elvis are still alive and dogs are telepathic then this is the book for you. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an admiring personal reminiscence of Ronald Reagan from the strategic genius behind his presidential campaigns. But Dick Wirthlin's relationship with Reagan was more than strategy and polls. They were friends who shared values, love of people and respect and admiration to forge a friendship that  weathered 36 years of political ups and downs. From their private moments and shared experience, Wirthlin will share a story others cannot tell. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

In Top 3 of Best Ronald Reagan Books
I learned about this book from a "progressive" operative's book that I read to get intel on the mind of our opposition.Found Dick Wirthlin's insights into the impact and staying power of RR to be outstanding and enjoyed every word in this book.For anyone who loved RR or wants to understand why he is so deeply respected this is a must read!

Powerful, funny - sometimes touching
This author does a great job of putting us beside him as he interacts with President Reagan.What surprised me most was how different Reagan really was compared to the image the "drive-by media" gave us.

Wirthlin is someone who's name we've heard but this reallly solidifies him as an important insider and confidant to the greatest president in the 20th century.

Well done Mr. Wirthlin!

The Reagan Legacy
Dick Wirthlin's myriad experience with the Reagan presidency, including a three-decade relationship with the "Greatest Communicator," is eloquently recounted by Wynton Hall, Wirthlin's co-author and an expert in presidential rhetoric.To say that this book is a must read for anyone wanting to know the man behind the politician is an understatement.Read Chapter 7, "Three Goodbyes," for a poignant and uplifting account of Reagan's bravery in his battle with Alzheimer's.

Good read but.....
Most reviews submitted are friends of the author or work for him.This makes their reviews a bit unfair to the rest of the reading world.However, the book was well written and interesting.I love Reagan and always enjoy reading about him.It's interesting to see from an insider's point of view.

Connecting with President Reagan
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and it really held my attention throughout. It is a personal portrayal of a man that provides unique insight into how his values truly drove his behavior and how his personality and vision built the foundation for successful communications. Dick Wirthlin does a wonderful job of communicating friendship and of creating a very human connection in the reader's mind with President Reagan. ... Read more

Product Description
Twenty-five years after Ronald Reagan became president, Richard Reeves has written a surprising and revealing portrait of one of the most important leaders of the twentieth century. As he did in his bestselling books President Kennedy: Profile of Power and President Nixon: Alone in the White House, Reeves has used newly declassified documents and hundreds of interviews to show a president at work day by day, sometimes minute by minute.

President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination is the story of an accomplished politician, a bold, even reckless leader, a gambler, a man who imagined an American past and an American future -- and made them real. He is a man of ideas who changed the world for better or worse, a man who understands that words are often more important than deeds. Reeves shows a man who understands how to be President, who knows that the job is not to manage the government but to lead the nation. In many ways, a quarter of a century later, he is still leading. As his vice president, George H. W. Bush, said after Reagan was shot and hospitalized in 1981: "We will act as if he were here."

He is a heroic figure if not always a hero. He did not destroy communism, as his champions claim, but he knew it would self-destruct and hastened the collapse. No small thing. He believed the Soviet Union was evil and he had contempt for the established American policies of containment and détente. Asked about his own Cold War strategy, he answered: "We win. They lose!"

Like one of his heroes, Franklin D. Roosevelt, he has become larger than life. As Roosevelt became an icon central to American liberalism, Reagan became the nucleus holding together American conservatism. He is the only president whose name became a political creed, a noun not an adjective: "Reaganism."

Reagan's ideas were so old they seemed new. He preached an individualism, inspiring and cruel, that isolated and shamed the halt and the lame. He dumbed-down America, brilliantly blending fact and fiction, transforming political debate into emotion-driven entertainment. He recklessly mortgaged America with uncontrolled military spending, less taxation, and more debt.

In focusing on the key moments of the Reagan presidency, Reeves recounts the amazing resiliency of Ronald Reagan, the real "comeback kid." Here is a seventy-year-old man coming back from a near-fatal gunshot wound, from cancer, from the worst recession in American history. Then, in personal despair as his administration was shredded by the lying and secrets of hidden wars and double-dealing, he was able to forge one of history's amazing relationships with the leader of "the Evil Empire." That story is told for the first time using the transcripts of the Reagan-Gorbachev meetings, the climax of an epic story -- as if he were here. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Reaganism
This review refers to the unabridged audio cassette edition of "President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination" by Richard Reeves (Recorded Books)- Narrated by George Wilson

This book is not a complete biography of President Regean, but rather focuses on his very challenging political and personal times in the White House. It is a completely absorbing and thouroughly researched and reported account of the years that define the 80's. There is included many detailed political facts, figures,and quotations from various sources.It is not a lopsided or sugar-coated account, but reports on all sides of the spectrum, the good, the bad, and the ocassional goofy happenings(like when Reagan didn't know the microphone was on and joked about being at war with Russia - let the bombings begin!)

Reagan was a man with a vision for returning to the old fashioned times. But with things moving along quite steadily in space, arms, disease(it took him a couple of years before he could say the word AIDS in public),terrorism. federal spending, this was a tough ideal to hold on to. Above and through all, he was at all times a very patriotic man.The first president to have been described in the form of a noun - Reaganism, and a Conservative Repulican who usually carried a high approval rating even by the younger voters. Noted for his positive outlook, and joke cracking(sometimes repeating the same old jokes) even after being shot in an assassination attempt. And when his rating did drop a bit, he would quip that that was no problem, he'll just go out and get shot again. An actor turned politiican he was always on stage, and his way with words and patriotism seemed to endear him to the American People. It was just "Reaganism"

But the issues through the 80's were serious.Here's a sampling: the deficit,an unbalanced budged, the assassination attempt, terrorist hijackings,the Challenger disaster,arms and arms control,"Reaganomics",the Nicaraguans, the Russians, Greneda, Iran,Iraq, Israel,the Iran-Conta hearings(and Oliver North),atstrologists advising on good and bad days,and signs of Alzheimer's beginning to show - toward the end of his 2nd term an assissant was overheard telling him that he(Reagan) was in the oval office getting ready for an interview. And even though his health was beginning to fail him, he still managed to improve relations with Russian leaders. He made a difference.

The book just doesn't touch on these subjects, it gives an in depth look at all sides of the situations.Also getting into Reagan's private thoughts as there are many diary entries as well. Narrator George Wilson gave an amazing reading. He not only kept me enthralled - there were many facts and figures to digest and I think listening to them was helpful - he became the characters that were speaking. He sounded so much like Reagan, at first I thought they were recordings of some sort, also getting the voices and nuances of many of the major players in the story just right as well. V.P. George Bush, Journalist Tom Brokaw,and others.
History buffs will love this one. There are 18 cassettes - with great sound quality - with 26 hours of the 1980's to relive.The only thing this audio edition didn't have, that I sometimes find helpful with bios and nonfiction accounts was the bibliography and any notes that might have gone along with the reading. But stilla 5 star read for audio enthusiasts.

Enjoy the read.....Laurie

Nice account of the Reagan presidency
Nice, not great. This is 30,000 ft fly by of the Reagan presidency. I was a bit surprised by it's lack of depth in some story lines but you can't put everything into one book. I know there is a liberal basis to the book and that was ok with me since I see myself as an independent. I didn't want to read a pro or con book about Reagan, just some interesting facts. That's about all you'll get, basically press releases from all 8 years of the Reagan administration. One thing this book did for me is motivate me to read other books to get a different perspective. So, for that I am thankful.

for some not others
This book is written by a liberal -and in my opinion-for liberals.If you are a conservative and a fan of Reagan I don't recommend it.Instead, I'd site a work like 'Ronald Reagan' by Dinesh D'Souza.

Deliberate Distortion
If you want to read a book about President Reagan, this is not the book to read.In reality, Reeves paints a word portrait of Reagan as Reeves would like you to believe Reagan was.It is written as though Reeves were present at every meeting of Reagan's eight years of presidency.He starts off with a day-to-day rundown of life as President, and with the word-by-word dialogue Reeves uses, the reader would think that Reeves actually was present.However, as the book continues, a spirit of vindictiveness in the author becomes apparent.Using every quote he could find by disgruntled people, ex-cabinet members, Reagan's enemies, as well as the liberal media, Reeves paints a picture of Reagan as a bungling old fool who didn't do anything while he was in office, and that if something gooddid happen, the reason was not because of Reagan's doing.The book closes with this quote on page 490 about Reagan's funeral:" `God, this is impressive,' said Steven Weisman, a New York Times White House correspondent during the Reagan years.`But the man they're talking about is not the President I covered every day.' " If you disliked Reagan, I can not imagine why you would want to read this 500-page book about him, even if you think Reeves' picture is what you want to believe.If you liked Reagan, you surely do not want to wade through this 500-page negation.And if you really want to get to know Reagan, there have been over 900 books written about him.So, I am sure you can find a better and more subjective book than this one.

Better Than The Title
Towards the end of President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination, Richard Reeves references the multiple books underwritten by the Hoover Institute and the Heritage Foundation which have sought to lionize Reagan.Based on Reeves' title choice, I thought I might be in for one of those.I also recalled a few reviews when the book came out that discussed Reeves' style, which seems to use documents and interviews to reconstruct conversations.As I listened to this on CD and did not read it, I could not check the footnotes to see how all of the quotations were reconstructed.

Starting with these somewhat diminished expectations, I was impressed with Reeves detailed account of the Reagan presidency.Although Reeves calls it a day by day, hour by hour, and even minute by minute account, I would argue that the book is written episodically.When certain issues come on the scene, they dominate sections of the book.For example, most of the last third of the book is devoted to Iran-Contra and US/Soviet Summits.While these issues certainly dominated the headlines in the last third of Reagan's presidency, it is difficult to believe Reagan himself and the multitude of aides were not engaged in anything else.This is not really a criticism of the book, just an observation.

There are two major themes that run through the entire book, despite the "episode" at issue.These are scandals besides Iran-Contra and Reagan's memory.Regarding the scandals, it is common for political biographies to mention ever mini-scandal that occurs and Reeves' book is no different.Although Michael Deaver was out of the White House when he was in a corruption scandal, the book spends a bit of time on it.As for Reagan's memory, there are multiple mentions and observations of his memory's shortcomings.Because these events are reconstructed from other people's writings and memories, we are getting multiple perspectives and Reeves never really addresses what the state of Reagan's memory actually was during his presidency.

Another observation about the book is that it does not really touch on the 1984 presidential campaign with any detail, so do not expect to learn much about it except some highlights most readers of this book probably already know. ... Read more

Product Description
An inspirational collection of quotes by the president and stories about him that reveal his strong religious convictions. Readers will learn that Reagan believed in America's Christian roots, championed the struggle of good versus evil, advocated prayer and fasting, defended the rights of the unborn, celebrated strong family values, upheld the virtue of patriotism, supported prayer in schools, and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A profound and meaningful testimony of faith direct from the lips of the Great Communicator president
Reagan's God and Country fills in a gap left by many of President Ronald Reagan's biographers, which often overlook, minimize, or even look down upon his strong religious convictions. Author and political campaign consultant Tom Freiling presents portions of every meaningful public address Reagan gave about God, religion, and morality. Each excerpt is a few lines to several paragraphs long, and each refers to a different facet of spirituality and personal convictions concerning tough choices. A profound and meaningful testimony of faith direct from the lips of the Great Communicator president. "If you came upon an immobile body and you yourself could not determine whether it was dead or alive, I think that you would decide to consider it alive until somebody could prove it was dead. You wouldn't get a shovel and start covering it up. And I think we should do the same thing with regard to abortion." - remark to reporter, White House press conference, January 19, 1982.

Let's hear it for the Gipper!
If you have any interest at all in Reagan, you have to read this book. This helps round out the man and his convictions. Although this is a very insightful look at Reagan's religious beliefs and how he was not afraid to share his faith with the public, I still find it hard to determine whether he was a Christian or just a deist. Either way, Reagan was a complex fellow. Just one more thing that was impressive about this great president's administration.

The "Great Communicator" at his best!
I've read just about every book about former President Ronald Reagan.This one is one of my favorites.It includes portions of every address Reagan gave about God, morality, and religion.If you have fond memories of this great President, you'll want to own a copy of this book. ... Read more

Product Description

In October 1964, Ronald Reagan gave a televised speech in support of Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater. "The Speech," as it has come to be known, helped launch Ronald Reagan as a leading force in the American conservative movement. However, less than twenty years earlier, Reagan was a prominent Hollywood liberal, the president of the Screen Actors Guild, and a fervent supporter of FDR and Harry Truman. While many agree that Reagan's anticommunism grew out of his experiences with the Hollywood communists of the late 1940s, the origins of his conservative ideology have remained obscure.

Based on a newly discovered collection of private papers as well as interviews and corporate documents,The Education of Ronald Reagan offers new insights into Reagan's ideological development and his political ascendancy. Thomas W. Evans links the eight years (1954-1962) in which Reagan worked for General Electric& mdash;acting as host of its television program,GE Theater, and traveling the country as the company's public-relations envoy-to his conversion to conservatism.

In particular, Evans reveals the profound influence of GE executive Lemuel Boulware, who would become Reagan's political and ideological mentor. Boulware, known for his tough stance against union officials and his innovative corporate strategies to win over workers, championed the core tenets of modern American conservatism-free-market fundamentalism, anticommunism, lower taxes, and limited government. Building on the ideas and influence of Boulware, Reagan would soon begin his rise as a national political figure and an icon of the American conservative movement.

Customer Reviews (7)

The Metamorphosis
An excellent book on Reagan's conversion from a New Dealer who supported and benefitted from Franklin Roosevelt's policies to a hard line conservative. From the man who could say:..."I considered myself a rabid union man ever since" to the man whotried to break the back of organized labor as president, we are left with the portrait of a supreme opportunist who saw his path to political power resting on the limitless finances of big business. Tragic...for America, which is still paying off the legacy of Reagan's blind obeisance to American capitalism, and for the world at large.

Why You Should Read This Book
The more years that pass by, the greater in historical stature Ronald Reagan becomes. He effectively brought down the Soviet Union and Communism (though maybe the problems with Russia itself are not over yet); he gave America a whole generation of prosperity. He renewed us as a people. Historians are even now saying that he was one of the greatest presidents in American history.

How did he do this?

His opponents, essentially the leftist media, the columnists, the pundits, and of course many in the universities, have said that he really didn't do anything, that he "sleepwalked through history", that he played "the greatest role of a lifetime", that he left his duties to his staff and they made these things miraculously happen. Another approach of his critics is to say that the Soviets were going to collapse anyway, and that he had little to do with it, also, that the American economy would have recovered from its stagflation, anyway from ongoing recession, in spite of Ronald Reagan. Or maybe he was just lucky: all those achievements seemed so effortless.

These assertions are all silly. No great leader in all of human history has ever "sleepwalked" from smashing success to smashing success.

Other critics say he was lucky, and, yes, he was lucky: great leaders, like great generals, need luck and usually are blessed by it. That is just how it works in history. Churchill was a lucky man. In his early years, he fought in many battles, bullets and artillery and swords were everywhere threatening his life moment to moment, and he was never wounded. But throughout a life of incredible achievement he worked long, hard hours. So did Reagan.

Many leaders have demonstrated outstanding acting ability: Roosevelt, Churchill, and Andrew Jackson; even Bill Clinton is a great actor; Obama is not far behind. Reagan was merely an actor who traveled the reverse route. Rather than becoming the politician, then learning to become a good actor, he was the actor who learned and studied and grew and evolved into a politician/statesman of gravitas.

How did this happen? That is what The Education of Ronald Reagan explains in detail. This book is my favorite type of history: dry and factual, non-polemic. It lays out in detail many of the formative years that Ronald Reagan spent in learning to be a leader. It shows the foundation of his greatness.

Ronald Reagan went back to school. For eight years he studied conservative ideas and philosophies in a virtual postgraduate seminar. In those years he must have read a thousand books. He gradually became a conservative.

When he went to work for General Electric Co. as a public spokesman, he was attracted to several deeply conservative mentors. They led him to book after book, numerous writings and pamphlets, and he read them all, often on long train rides across the country, where he had plenty of time to do so. He studied Jefferson, he studied Madison and the Federalist Papers, he studied the Constitution, and he never stopped reading. He studied communism and socialism; he read many books on economics, and mastered the "dismal science" more profoundly than possibly any other president; he learned how government functions, especially in its dysfunctional parts; and he loved to read biographies.

He learned how to work with and project himself to millions over that new medium called television, which was just coming into its own at that time (1954-1962).

Eight years of study, of growth and learning. What happened to him from this experience? He developed a vast intellect, often obscured by his charm, friendliness, and charisma, but it was always observing, evolving. He developed a conservative mindset, a philosophy that goes back for hundreds of years, which emphasizes the rights of man, a connection to God, a right to create prosperity (pursue happiness), and which generally affirms the vast creativity that evolves out of human freedom.

All of his mentors in the GE years were effective executives, and they taught him a lot about that too, namely, how to make things happen, get results. That is part of his GE years.

The GE years were where he learned talk over the talking heads directly to the American people. With his natural talent--then polished by this training--he became the best, the most powerful communicator in America.

This book shows part of how Ronald Reagan developed into one of the best presidents ever to serve the American people.

Would recommend it highly for anyone interested in the real history of this great man.

The conservative movement has collapsed in the last election (2008); it has collapsed before; it is in need of rebirth. This book lays out many principles, offers many ideas, as to how this can take place. Read it for that alone.

Highly recommended
This book is more a history about General Electric and its battles with unionized workers in the late 1940's and 50's. Included in the narrative is how Ronald Reagan gained an invaluable education in big business, employee relations and collective bargaining.

Chasm in Reagan

The book is just what the doctor ordered for someone, like me, who searches to understand how people and their politics evolve.How did an oily haired actor get to be president?Why is the United States in such dire straits?This book gives many answers; but, does not tell why RR and his cohorts showed no compassion for the mentally slow, the ill, the incompetent, the frightened, and all who just can't get a handle on how to 'get it.'

Perhaps the reps and cons plan to take care of the problem the way the Nazis did.Great Book.

A 'must' for any college-level collection
The Education of Ronald Reagan: The General Electric Years and the Untold Story of His Conversion to Conservatism is a far different portrait of Reagan than typical biographies have covered. For one thing, the focus is much narrower and more specific: for another, it's based on a newly discovered collection of private papers, interviews and corporate documents, and provides fresh revelations on Reagan's ideological development. From mentors and influences on his development to the ideals of modern American conservatism, THE EDUCATION OF RONALD REAGAN is a 'must' for any college-level collection strong in not only Presidential analysis or Reagan in particular, but for those strong in American political debates.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more

Product Description
Ronald Reagan, one of America’s most beloved presidents, is now gone. But his voice lives on in this stirring and very personal collection of letters written during his presidency to his fellow Americans, showing us a new and surprisingly intimate side of our fortieth president.

During even the busiest times in his presidency, Ronald Reagan took time out to respond to dozens of letters each week from the many friends and private citizens who wrote to him about their concerns. These letters, collected in the president’s “Handwriting File,” have never been examined by historians. Now Ralph E. Weber and his son, Ralph A. Weber, have culled the best of this collection, arranged chronologically to track the course of political events during the eight years of his presidency. A fascinating glimpse at the issues facing the United States during the 1980s, Letters from the Desk of Ronald Reagan traces history in the making.


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Product Description
Presents a comprehensive picture of Ronald Reagan, focusing on how his distinctive leadership style was the source of both his setbacks and his success. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Behind the scenes of Reagan Administration.
This book is based on Peter Wallison's year in the White House when he served as a legal counsel.

This book shares some of Ronald Reagan's wit,humor,and humility.

Mr.Wallison offers an assessment of the media coverage regarding the Reagan administration. The media had a tendency to over-cover the sensational while ignoring subjects of substance,like policy(foreign or domestic).They trolled for scandals.

This book shows what management style was used by the President.
It also debuncts the myth that President Reagan was not intelligent.

Another interesting topic in this book is the behind the scenes view of situations in the cabinet. Leaks to the media and how rampant they were from the White House and especially the Hill.

There was a comparison of the Chiefs of Staff. Mr. Wallison wrote mostly about Donald Regan because he worked with him.

The chapters dedicated to the Iran-Contra scandal were very good! I came away with a better understanding of exactly what happened and who was involved.

This is the first book that I have read about President Reagan. I recommend it as a balanced book from an author who worked in the White House. I wish that he had been there longer!

A true American Conservative Leader
I love this book as it contains what it means to be a true conservative and not a false one. As the great Conservative economist F.A. Hayek once stated "    . . . the whole conception of social or distributive justice is empty and meaningless; and there will therefore never exist agreement on what is just in this sense... I am certain, however, that nothing has done so much to destroy the juridical safeguards of individual freedom as the striving after this mirage of social justice."
That is in a Capitalistic Socieity there will be more losers than winners and that is just the way it is. If you can not make ends meet it is not "societys fault" but your own. Don't expect your mommy "the state" to make it right!
From here the author goes own to explain how all the scandals of the Reagan presidentcy where not the leaders fault but those of his underlings for they were to blaime not him. The buck stops there my friend!

An Excellent Read
This is an excellent "insider" perspective on Reagan's management style and the Iran-Contra scandal. Wallison debunks thoroughly the prevailing view of the liberal media that Reagan was intellectually limited, disengaged and manipulated by his advisors.Reagan's remarkable accomplishments are attributed to the clarity of and his unfailing focus on a few "big ideas" (e.g. a smaller and less intrusive government, freer trade, a strong defense, faith in the traditional American values of individualism and sense of personal responsibility) and his ability to inspire those within the administration to actively pursue his policy objectives. As legal counsel to the President, Wallison was the White House staffer most involved with Iran-Contra. He persuasively argues that the scandal was basically a foreign policy blunder made worse by a renegade NSC staff (particularly Oliver North) and a press corps more interested in scandal mongering than issues. ... Read more

Product Description
Ronald Reagan was a Hollywood actor turned Republican politician known for his sunny optimism and gifted salesmanship. He entered the White House in 1981, a time when many Americans were wondering if their country's best days were behind them. But things had changed by the time he left office-the economy was thriving and the Cold War was coming to a close.The child of an alcoholic, he was an intensely private man, yet he was so charming that he routinely befriended even his enemies. Reagan was both a complex man and political figure, and his legacy strongly influences politics today. ... Read more

Product Description

Ronald Reagan is hailed today for a presidency that restored optimism to America, engendered years of economic prosperity, and helped bring about the fall of the Soviet Union. Yet until now little attention has been paid to the role Reagan's personal spirituality played in his political career, shaping his ideas, bolstering his resolve, and ultimately compelling him to confront the brutal -- and, not coincidentally, atheistic -- Soviet empire.

In this groundbreaking book, political historian Paul Kengor draws upon Reagan's legacy of speeches and correspondence, and the memories of those who knew him well, to reveal a man whose Christian faith remained deep and consistent throughout his more than six decades in public life. Raised in the Disciples of Christ Church by a devout mother with a passionate missionary streak, Reagan embraced the church after reading a Christian novel at the age of eleven. A devoted Sunday-school teacher, he absorbed the church's model of "practical Christianity" and strived to achieve it in every stage of his life.

But it was in his lifelong battle against communism -- first in Hollywood, then on the political stage -- that Reagan's Christian beliefs had their most profound effect. Appalled by the religious repression and state-mandated atheism of Bolshevik Marxism, Reagan felt called by a sense of personal mission to confront the USSR. Inspired by influences as diverse as C.S. Lewis, Whittaker Chambers, and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, he waged an openly spiritual campaign against communism, insisting that religious freedom was the bedrock of personal liberty. "The source of our strength in the quest for human freedom is not material, but spiritual," he said in his Evil Empire address. "And because it knows no limitation, it must terrify and ultimately triumph over those who would enslave their fellow man."

From a church classroom in 1920s Dixon, Illinois, to his triumphant mission to Moscow in 1988, Ronald Reagan was both political leader and spiritual crusader. God and Ronald Reagan deepens immeasurably our understanding of how these twin missions shaped his presidency -- and changed the world.

Customer Reviews (27)

Buy it or borrow it, but definately read it.
I have just finished reading _God and Ronald Reagan_ by Paul Kengor, and recommend it more than I can say. This book really was an education. For the Publisher's Weekly to dub it as "more devotional than scholarly" is entirely inaccurate. The book reads easily and as the title says it's whole premise is the spiritual life of Ronald Reagan, but this is above all a scholarly work. If you want to read an accurate biography of Ronald Reagan that doesn't gloss over arguably the most driving influence in his life, don't miss this book. What does Publisher's Weekly think is a scholarly study I should like to know. Much of the book is gleaned from the writings and handwritten or hand editted speeches of Reagan himself. It also draws heavily from personal interviews with those closest to him. Devotional studies are rarely footnoted to any large degree, yet _God and Ronald Reagan_ is meticulously referenced and contains numerous pages of largely annotated footnotes. The Publisher's Weekly editorial is flawed, in my opinion, on so many counts that were I to elaborate any further this would become a review of their review instead of a whole-hearted praise of this book. It is reading for all Americans (yes, you Canadians and friends south of the border too though I did mean USA folks). If you are proud to be an American, read it. If you wish you could be proud to be an American, read it. If you think America is too proud and imperialstic, read it. You might be surprised by what Reagan really thought and lived that you were never told.

Great Look At Ronald Reagan's Spiritual Life
"God and Ronald Reagan: A Spiritual Life" by Paul Kengor is a well-researched and documented title on the faith of President Ronald Reagan.Despite your political convictions, Reagan appeared to be a true Christian despite the flaws he may have had.

The book covers mainly:

1.Reagan's spiritual upbringing (particulary influenced by the positive example of his mother).
2.His Christian worldview and how he incorporated that worldview into his speeches.
3.Desire to overthrow the "Evil Empire" (Soviet Union) and how he desired religious freedom for all peoples, regardless of their spiritual beliefs.
4.Religious background of his advisors and stafff.
5.Reactions, positive and negative, to his speeches and actions as president.

A highly readable book, the title flows freely and the author, while appearing to be a Reagan supporter, does not candycoat his subject.

Read and enjoy, highly recommended!

Religion and History
This is an excellent book outlining the spiritual life of Ronald Reagan.A subject not generally covered by the secular media.This is also a book about his contribution to the fall of the Berlin wall and the Soviet Union. A must read for history buffs who want to know "the rest of the story".

Faith led him
Ever wonder what shaped and made President Reagan such an optimistic, influential leader; here it is. Paul Kengor, in his 2004 biography of the former president, explains how Reagan's Mother Nelle, brought him up in the Christian faith; which led him to convert to it at a young age, and how his faith helped shape his Presidency and policies.

Reagan grew up in Dixon Illinois, graduated from Eureka College, became an actor who stared in 53 movies, governor of California, and later, #1 in the oval office.


It also includes background to Reagan's "Evil Empire" speech, his assassination, and meetings with Pope John Paul II, Mother Theresa, and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev

This Book Rocks! It will give you a load of insight into his life. His optimism will rub off on you.

An excellent read.
This book is well-researched, and Dr. Kengor gives us great insight into the faith of Ronald Wilson Reagan and the role that his faith had in his public life.Kengor uses many of Reagan's speeches and writings as well as the memories of those who knew the Gipper well to reveal a man whose faith in Jesus Christ remained deep and consistent through more than 60 years of public life, both in Hollywood and in the political arena.Obviously, Reagan's faith had its greatest influence on his lifelong battle against Communism, beginning in Hollywood and continuing throughout his entire political life.During his "Evil Empire" speech, Reagan said "The source of our strength in the quest for human freedom is not material, but spiritual...And because it knows no limitation, it must terrify and ultimately triumph over those who would enslave their fellow man."The President once spoke before a group of evangelical Christians and stated that the Cold War would be won not with bullets, bombs or missiles, but through our nation's great faith in God.By the end of the 1980's, that faith had prevailed and the great Soviet threat had been all but defeated.Following Reagan from his early childhood to his triumphant mission to Moscow, Kengor illustrates how Ronald Reagan, as both a spiritual leader and as a political leader changed the world, and changed the course of America, for the better. ... Read more

Product Description
Ronald Reagan chapter from the book-Facts about the Presidents, featuring data on the president-s background, life, and administration. Here you will find comprehensive,-uniformly arranged data on birth, family, education, nomination and election, congressional sessions, cabinet and Supreme Court appointments, vice president, first lady, and more--highlighting both the personal and political. Bibliographies guide readers to additional information on the president. ... Read more

Product Description
A controversial look at Reagan's role in ending the Cold War- from the author of The New York Times bestseller Rise of the Vulcans

In his surprising new book, critically lauded author James Mann trains his keen analytical eye on Ronald Reagan and the Soviet Union, shedding new light on the hidden aspects of American foreign policy. Drawing on recent interviews and previously unavailable documents, Mann offers a new history assessing what Reagan did, and did not do, to help bring America's four-decade conflict with the U.S.S.R. to a close. Ultimately, The Rebellion of Ronald Reagan dispels the facile stereotypes surrounding America's fortieth president in favor of a levelheaded, cogent understanding of an often misunderstood man.

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Customer Reviews (20)

Great Read
James Mann, who has already written several books on the political history of post-war American, provides another great one in this story of Ronald Reagan, the United States, and the Communist world at the end of the cold war.Reagan, the star of the book, had to stand up to several groups of hardliners -- the Rebellion in the title.These included the foreign policy establishment who supported detente, radicals in the Republican Party who wanted Reagan to continue to militantly oppose the Communists everywhere.On the other side, there were hardliners amongst the Communists who did not want newly installed Mikhail Gorbachev, to work with Reagan, who they saw as either unintelligent or militaristic.But it was these two leaders, plus economic and political pressures on each side of the Iron Curtain, that made it possible for the old cold war policies to fall away and a new political era to begin.

I highly recommend this book to readers who are interested in Col War history or either of the main players involved.

Entertaining, but ignores the first half
Mann is correct in giving Reagan credit for allowing Gorbachev a zone of comfort for his reforms, yet ignores the early 1980s. The Soviets inched the world closer to nuclear war through its military buildup, expansion into the Third World, and intimidation of Western Europe. Reagan confronted them in his first term and stopped them. The Soviet strategy of intimidation and expansion was not working, and this led to the appearance of Gorbachev. Gorbachev was appointed not just to deal with the failed economy, but how to deal with reversals abroad. As Reagan said in his address to the British Parliament 'either the ruling elite chooses greater repression and foreign adventure or it chooses a wiser course' Reagan showed the Soviet Union that it could not gain anything abroad and its best course was domestic reform. This is missing from the book.

New Look at Reagan
In the past, as a died blue in the wool liberal, I would have scoffed at the idea of Reagan as good president. Afterall, the powers that be in the liberal establishment hark on the savings and loans scandels, the Iran-Contra affair, and the way the man took a hawkish stance to foreign policy. Furthermore, since casting my first vote for president in 2000, I had been hearing the unashamed hero worship of this man for the past 10 years. He is the standard against which all Repulicans compare each other and themselves. Every Republican primary becomes a goofy jockeyed to prove they are more like Reagan than anyone else. Therefore, one comes to equate all that is conservative to the man that is Ronald Reagan.

However, I think this book offers a chance to maybe take a different look at the former president. For one, I was surprised to find that the so-called hawk, doved later in his administration. I enjoyed hearing about the battles behind the scenes, during which Reagan lost his unwavering support from the far right, and indeed fell under their frequent attacks. This insight gives new light to the current climate of conservative American where such radically conservative personalities as Hannity and Coulter continue to hold the former president up as the quintessential conservative. In addition, over the years, I have heard many modern Republican and Conservative analysts insist that the Reagan push on military build up was an intentional attempt to force the USSR into an unsustainable arms race that would economically destabilize the nation enough to force changes. This book seems to call this explanation into question after examining the words and documents of former Reagan officials. These new insights into the former administration were certainly eye opening.

As far as the writing goes, the book is almost a random amalgamation of anecdotes and stories. As mentioned in other reviews, the author repeats himself often. Perhaps he meant this move to mirror the style of the book's subject, but it does more to exasperate the reader than anything else (one certainly begins to feel for Gorbachev). Furthermore, the book does seem to jump from time to time, and I would often have a go back a few pages because I thought I had missed something. Nevertheless, the book was worth the read for the chance to clarify my views on this former president

A New Look at the Legacy of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan's role in the end of the Cold War has been a long-debated topic. Some people believe that he used his pugnacious and confrontational attitude to bring an end to the Cold War. Others believe that he was extremely lucky or did nothing to aid the collapse of the Cold War. James Mann uses his book The Rebellion of Ronald Reagan: A History of the End of the Cold War to zone in on what role Ronald Reagan specifically had to do with the end of the Cold War. He tries to take out the opinions of his administration and fellow politicians and filter out exactly Ronald Reagan's role. James Mann argued that Ronald Reagan did play a large part in ending the Cold War (and does not stray from that), but he did not single-handedly end it; he had a great deal of help from informal advisors (such as Suzanne Massie), fellow politicians, and speechwriters. Reagan believed, contrary to the common belief, that the Soviet Union could be torn down. Previous presidents and his colleagues thought that he would have to attempt to negotiate with Gorbachev to end communism, but he believed that the Soviet Union could be defeated and, with that mindset, made arrangements that eventually ended the Cold War. Reagan created a strong relationship with Gorbachev and worked from there. He did not stick to the regular ways of the Republican party, but looked past them to choose what would work. There was a need for this book -- to settle the arguments about Reagan's role in the end of the Cold War.
James Mann tells the story of Ronald Reagan through an interesting and unbiased rhetoric. He gets very personal in his accounts and does not lump the entire Reagan administration in with Reagan himself. To get intimate with the reasoning behind Reagan's thoughts and policies, Mann uses interviews with many of Reagan's colleagues and friends, including his wife, Nancy Reagan. Mann expands on people and relationships that other books have not dared to explore -- the most significant being Suzanne Massie, Reagan's informal advisor. Massie, a writer, would travel to and from the Soviet Union to take notes and write about the lives of people living in the Soviet Union. She would then report to Reagan about her findings and opinions. Mann obtained these unique facts and such a rich amount of information about Massie through interviews. He personally set up and recorded the interviews for the book which added an undisclosed set of facts to the mix. Midway through the book there is a group of pictures that help add to the understanding of the events that Mann is writing about. These pictures include the location of his "tear down the wall" speech and pictures of Reagan and Gorbachev -- the friendliness emanating from such pictures indicates how hard Reagan was trying to create a strong, workable relationship with Gorbachev. James Mann effectively uses interviews and previously undisclosed notes and documents to back up his thesis.
James Mann was successful in arguing that Ronald Reagan did play a large part in ending the Cold War but did not do it singlehandedly. He writes clearly and concisely by using personable diction. The only confusing part about Mann's writing was that he would often put forward a bunch of names and events and expect the reader to know the background behind them. He did explain foreign words and phrases that the common English speaker wouldn't know, but he didn't provide the background to certain events that would aid the reader in understanding and agreeing with his thesis statement. The book The Rebellion of Ronald Reagan: A History of the End of the Cold War is informative and offers a new viewpoint on Reagan's real role in the end of the Cold War. Readers of this book should have (at the very least) a bit of background knowledge on Reagan's administration and policies before picking up this book, as Mann sometimes expects the reader to know about the events and people he is mentioning. To a reader who is well-educated in Reagan's story, this book will open up a new door of opinion and put forth a convincing appeal using previously undisclosed sources. Overall, it is an interesting read and will have the reader wondering about the behind-the-scenes information of other political stories.

How Reagan Enabled the End of the Cold War

James Mann does a real service here, rescuing Reagan from the neo cons who seem to have taken over his legacy and positioned his arms build up as the cause of the collapse of the USSR. Instead, Mann points out it was Reagan's willingness to negotiate on arms control and seek an accomodation with Mikhai Gorbachev that allowed the walls to crumble.

I have a more favorable opinion of Reagan after reading this book than I did before, but it still felt as if Mann forced a "Great Man" theory of history onto events that may have actually been led from the bottom up, by the people of Eastern Europe and the former USSR. He also points too much weight on Reagan's reliance on sources outside normal diplomatic channels, such as the author Suzanne Massie. This hardly constituted a serious rebellion - even Reagan cut her off when she began pushing to be named ambassador to Russia.

He did recognize Gorbachev was different from his predecessors while Nixon, Kissinger and others were suggesting he was just another Soviet despot. Reagan in this book is shown to have charted his own path and his basic decency seems to have proven more important than intellectual vigor.





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Product Description
Ronald Reagan is more than a revered and popular president--he is a hero to millions, beloved as a persuasive leader who inspired America and shaped the future more than any other modern president. Reagan's everyman insight--stemming from his unique background as actor, sports broadcaster, and labor leader--make him America's most quotable president. In The Wit & Wisdom of Ronald Reagan, author James C. Humes brings together the best observations and opinions of the "Great Communicator." Spanning one-liners, anecdotes, zingers, and little-known stories, this collection also includes commentary about Reagan from friends and foes as well as analysis of his great speeches. The Wit & Wisdom of Ronald Reagan is an exceptional tribute to America's adored fortieth president. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

"The Wit and Wisdom of Ronald Reagan" Will Live Forever
I wish I had purchased a CD instead of the book...I would have loved to hear his voice once more. President Reagan had the most wonderful voice and a wit that no other president could match.His words of wisdom should be a must-read for everyone holding office, just to keep them humble and honorable.Wouldn't that be a wonderful thought?This book is a fun read, and will be read again and again.

Presidential Excellence
Humorous and insightful look at various moments in the life and times of President Reagan.Well written and thoughtfully organized to present a range of humor, history, determined statesmanship and love of country.

If you thought Ronald Reagan was an inspired and patriotic leader of our nation, then by all means buy this book.You will be toughly pleased.

If you believe the liberal establishment's denigration of this great man, then buy a book on Barack Obama.You will be shocked by the stark differences.

WONDERFUL
If you are a Ronald Reagan fan like I am, you will love this book.His humor, charm, and wisdom are timeless.He is sorely missed.

LIghthearted Reading
I recently purchased several books about Ronald Reagan. I have enjoyed the ones that quote him, as this book does. The categories for the quotes are helpful and I find it interesting to see how often Reagan diarmed people with his wit and quick timing.

The Wit and Wisdom of Ronald Reagan
An amazing President with a keen sense of what to say and when to say it!His quips and one-liners were timely, humurous and extremely insightful!This book was a pleasure to read and will remain on my bookshelf for many years to come. ... Read more

Product Description
Public Papers of the Presidents, Ronald Reagan, 1984, by the Office of the Federal Register, contains official public messages, statements, speeches, and news conferences of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, released by the White House from June 30 through December 31, 1984. The documents contained within this handsome hardbound edition of the Public Papers are arranged in chronological order.  Included in this handsome edition is an index and appendices.

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Product Description

As a young speechwriter in the Reagan White House, Peter Robinson was responsible for the celebrated "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" speech. He was also one of a core group of writers who became informal experts on Reagan -- watching his every move, absorbing not just his political positions, but his personality, manner, and the way he carried himself. In How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life, Robinson draws on journal entries from his days at the White House, as well as interviews with those who knew the president best, to reveal ten life lessons he learned from the fortieth president -- a great yet ordinary man who touched the individuals around him as surely as he did his millions of admirers around the world.

Customer Reviews (57)

Refreshingly Down-to-Earth
I greatly enjoyed reading this warm and entertaining account by an author who developed a genuine admiration and respect for President Reagan.Mr. Robinson saw first-hand the enduring work ethic, dignified behavior, and decency of this fine American statesman.The author observed with growing appreciation how Mr. Reagan, as a Constitutional Originalist, fought tirelessly to uphold the integrity of our Republic and its people's individual liberties. In doing so, Mr. Robinson also witnessed our 40th President exhibit only the highest esteem for the Executive Office with unwavering selflessness and dignity. By observing President Reagan express his core values in all that he did, Mr. Robinson came to gain renewed respect for, marital fidelity, self-reliance, hard work, individual responsibility and duty to country.Highly recommended reading!

Marceau O'Neill,
Author of "I Know You Know I'm Out Here!" and "If Not Honour"

Life Lessons Taught by the Gipper
In 1982, Peter Robinson was hired as a speechwriter in the Reagan Administration and came to realize that our fortieth president was someone who had many qualities worth emulating.

Robinson talks about how the former president's misfortunes and life experiences brought him to a place of great serenity and how this helped his political career.The author discusses how, contrary to myth, Reagan was a very hard worker, and also discusses the importance of Reagan's sense of humor.Another great chapter describes the conflicts in the administration between pragmatists and "true believers", and Robinson asserts why a political movement must have both.

This volume shows that while winning the Cold War, restoring the nation's sense of confidence, and building the modern economy, President Reagan also managed to have a personal impact on many younger people who worked in his administration.

Great Book
After reading this book from the library, I purchased a copy for myself, my brother and my father.While this is not really a biography, it gives some insight into the character of President Reagan.More importantly, it cuts right to the one of the best reasons for actually reading a biography and that is what lessons you can learn and apply to your own life.

Thought-provoking and appealing
This is a very appealing audio book for anyone who is interested in presidential history.It combines high points of President Reagan's presidency with inside information from one of his speech writers.The author's reading of his own work is warm and nuanced.I ordered a second copy for my son, a student of history.

The speechwriter teaches the president
Particularly good at illustrating both what a presidential speechwriter's challenge is, and how this particular speechwriter succeeded.Key is the episode in which Robinson points out that everyone else (including many presidential staffers senior to the staffer) wanted Reagan to eliminate the challenge, "Mr Gorbachev: Tear down this wall," but that Reagan kept it in.That episode illustrates the degree to which a successful speechwriter will absorb the outlook of the president and (my words) will teach him what he really wants to say.

In this and kindred absorbing accounts, Robinson's book teaches one much more about the speechwriting"vocation" than, say, Carol Gelderman's book on presidential speechwriting, which, however, is also valuable, though it includes unfortunate accolades of Bill Clinton.

Robinson's book also tells us a good deal about Reagan, his charisma, and his character. ... Read more

Product Description
A screen display featuring Ronald Reagan. ... Read more