Customer Reviews:
October Surprise: America's Hostages in Iran and the Election of Ronald Reagan.......2007-05-21
An intriguing look at teachery and treason by the Republican Party. I have never understood the interest that Republicans have in running for elected office; they have little or no knowledge or understanding about how a modern government should work and less interest in the subject. Their dependence upon misogyny, free ranging corporations, inflated dollars, social slavery, outright corruption and pagan material idolatry stymies me. They would regulate the poor and warehouse the rich in gated communities and are loathe to remember that both heaven and hell are gated communities. Never has there been a political party with such base intentions and such great appeal among the nouveau riche.
This story is probably true but now unindictable like the crimes of 9-11; it typifies the arrogance and modus operandi of the GOP. To have negotiated and extended the hostages' captivity in Tehran for any reason whatsoever is the height of immorality and inhumanity but standard political expedience for jumpy political losers like the GOP. They are cut from the same cloth as the kidnappers themselves and thus their nascent ability to negotiate with them. But this is the same party that two decades later suspended our civil liberties, tortured prisoners and took us to war for no credible reason. At this point (2007) if you are catching up on your political research, this book is a great sequel to anything written about Watergate or Richard NIxon's plumbers and an ominous prophecy to the political horrors that follow.
A Well-Documented Must READ!!!.......2005-11-27
If this work were fiction it would be an exceptional read, unfortunately, it is just HORRIFYING!!!
Casey is the ominous voice & Bush is the corrupt clown behind the curtain strategizing & manipulating his way to the White House.
Liberals will love it, Conversatives will repel its Republican blasphemy, and everyone else will appreciate the sliver of light exposing this political cancer.
Gary Sick writes a fabulous tale of factual American political corruption, deceipt & manipuation...painfully it carries the burden of being a history book...and for its contents, I am ashamed.
A mishmash of proven lies and half truths.......2005-10-08
I read this book years ago when it was first published. Mr. Sick allowed himself to be taken in by a collection of Iranian liars as well as some phonies claiming to have experience in intelligence. Some of the people Sick listened to were shown in the Iran-Contra hearings to be con artists who also took in Ollie North and Bill Casey. These con artists are experts at saying what the listener wants to hear. One guy claimed to have been in Special Forces and was an eyewitness to one of VP-candidate Bush's flights to meet with Iranians. It turns out that he was not in Special Forces at all and he had been dishonorably discharged from the US Army. In addition, he could not have been an eyewitness to the event he claims to have seen because he was in jail at the time. The phony intelligence specialists have also been proven to be liars with no experience in intelligence or anything resembling national security work. By the time I finished this book, I actually felt sorry for Sick because he had allowed himself to be taken in by these jokers. He clearly wanted to believe that what he was being told was true.
This book does not prove anything except that even an experienced researcher can be fooled if he really wants to believe. Subsequent investigations by a Democratically dominated Congress proved that there was no October surprise.
Completely Discredited - Fast And Loose With Facts.......2004-04-23
The irony of this book is that it changes the meaning of what "October Surprise" actually meant. The phrase was actually invented by the Republicans (Bill Casey, Stu Spencer, and VP candidate Bush) as a warning as to what Carter would try to do with the hostages. Yet now a former Carter administration member writes a book and hangs the term around the necks of his opponents.
The thesis simply doesn't work. A Congressional investigation spent over a million dollars and released a 968-page report that refutes the claims in this book. (I would add to those who see everything through partisan eyes that the Democrats controlled Congress and all the committees at that time).
The most obvious question is this: how did Ronald Reagan and his team get ahold of the equipment necessary to pull this off? Supposedly, an SR-71 Blackbird flew Bush to Madrid to negotiate for the hostages to be kept until after the election. But SR-71s don't just fly themselves, so who flew it? And what commander signed off for the plane to be missing from his fleet for a couple of days? Did Bush really have time to do that since the polls were showing a close election?
Sick has a well footnoted book, but it fails all across the line. Just because there's a footnote doesn't mean we know who actually said what. We don't know if the antagonists had been in contact with each other (the Congressional investigation showed they were - which ruins their credibility).
The book appears to be a retroactive attempt to say the reason Carter lost was because of the hostages. While there is no doubt that is one of the reasons, it is simplistic to say that such is the ONLY reason. How, after all, can you blame Reagan for the helicopters that didn't work in the bungled rescue attempt in April 1980? And let's not forget that half of the Democratic voters in the primary didn't want Carter to run again anyway.
This book is an attempt to besmirch a Presidency solely because the author disagrees with that man's ideology. It is a shame and a disgrace that this can be done. Reagan won, Carter lost. And it wasn't even close. Please get over it, Mr. Sick.
Totally Discredited Book.......2002-07-18
Gary Sicks' bizarro theory that George Bush flew to Paris in an SR-71 to meet with the Iranians to convince them to keep the hostages until after the election in 1990 is just plain crazy. Congress investigated this and found no basis for Sicks account. This is better fiction though than most spy stories but no one should take this silliness seriously.
Book Description
Affirming Reagan's position as one of America's greatest presidents, this is a bold and philosophical reevaluation.
Following his departure from office, Ronald Reagan was marginalized thanks to liberal biases that dominate the teaching of American history, says John Patrick Diggins. Yet Reagan, like Lincoln (who was also attacked for decades after his death), deserves to be regarded as one of our three or four greatest presidents. Reagan was far more active a president and far more sophisticated than we ever knew. His negotiations with Mikhail Gorbachev and his opposition to foreign interventions demonstrate that he was not a rigid hawk. And in his pursuit of Emersonian ideals in his distrust of big government, he was the most open-minded libertarian president the country has ever had; combining a reverence for America's hallowed historical traditions with an implacable faith in the limitless opportunities of the future. This is a revealing portrait of great character, a book that reveals the fortieth president to be an exemplar of the truest conservative values. 13 photographs.
Customer Reviews:
Reagan's Three Dragons.......2007-10-15
There is already a vast amount of literature on the life of Ronald Reagan, and it shows no sign of abating. The 40th President of the United States is a continuing subject of fascination as the man who reasserted his country's superpower dominance, engineering the fall of communism and the end of the Cold War.
His domestic policies, dominated by his passionate belief in small government and the ability of individuals to shape their own destinies, earned him the enmity of liberals, yet even on his own side of politics he is not the unquestioned hero as for example his contemporary, Margaret Thatcher, is among British conservatives.
I recall a conversation with a retired American diplomat who preferred the unsuccessful 1964 Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater as the true founder of the modern conservative movement in the US, dismissing Reagan as an opportunist, a former Democrat who could see the way the wind was blowing, jumping on the bandwagon in the right place at the right time.
John Patrick Diggins seeks to dismiss this argument. For him Reagan deserves to be rated alongside George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt as one of the greatest presidents of all time. He believes history will vindicate Reagan in the same way it did Lincoln, whose reputation was besmirched for many decades after his death, but more about that relationship later.
The problem that Diggins and any other biographer of Reagan face is proximity. As the author states with some exasperation in the bibliographical notes, more than 80 per cent of the material in the presidential library remains classified and can be obtained only through the laborious and often unsuccessful method of applying under the Freedom of Information Act.
Undeterred, he turns to other sources, notably the evidence emerging from Soviet archives of the relationship with the Soviet Union's last President, Mikhail Gorbachev, as well as the burgeoning amount of literature discussing the origins behind the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union two years after Reagan left office.
The result is a scholarly, meticulously-researched book that seeks to understand not just the president of the 1980s, but the film actor of the 30s, 40s and 50s, the California Governor of the 60s and 70s and the man who passionately believed in a new beginning for his country - a rebirth that came to be called "Morning in America".
For Diggins, the man who took office in January 1981 had three dragons to slay: the nuclear arms race that threatened the world with extinction; the expanding welfare state that increased dependency and lowered self-esteem and the third, most controversially "a joyless religious inheritance that told people their kingdom was not of this world and they needed to be careful about pursuing happiness in case they enjoyed it".
This was hardly the language that the increasingly influential religious right would have wanted to hear but Reagan could see no conflict in embracing the rewards of this world - after all, it was what trade unions had been advocating for their members for half a century. He may have been ushering in the decade of Wall Street and `Greed is Good', but it is the author's insistence that the president wanted Americans to enjoy the pursuit of wealth and not be ashamed of the bounty they accumulated. It was, Diggins asserts, a necessary step in order to restore Americans' confidence in themselves after the debacle of the Vietnam War, Watergate, the Iran hostages humiliation and a decade of economic malaise.
Diggins does not hold back on the obvious black marks of the Reagan presidency, most notably the Iran Contra scandal, occurring deep into Reagan's second term and at least partially resorting from the arrogance that comes from years of unbroken power.
As with the Nixon presidency 15 years previously, there had been the subtle growth of a macho `can do' culture with little regard for moral or ethical objections. The difference being that Reagan quickly shouldered the blame in a televised mea culpa address in which the Great Communicator was at his best: "A few months ago I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me that's true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not...what began as a strategic opening to Iran deteriorated in its implementation into trading arms for hostages."
I take issue with the final chapter in which the author seeks to link Reagan even closer to Lincoln by likening Reagan's battle against communism to Lincoln's struggle to free the slaves. It is for readers to follow Diggin's closely argued reasoning and come to their conclusions, but the fact is Lincoln went to war not to free slaves but to save the Union and that the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 was a ploy to turn foreign opinion against the Confederacy and disrupt it internally at a time when the conflict was going badly for the North.
However, it is certainly worth noting that the Cold War was won bloodlessly while the Civil War resulted in the deaths of more Americans than have been killed in all conflicts combined in the century-and-a-half since.
There are times when this book stumbles into academic denseness, and I am unconvinced that Diggins has made his case for Reagan to be elevated to the heights of the presidential pantheon, but for those seeking an insight into the mind of the man who radically altered the face of American politics, it is to be recommended.
An Intellectual Historian in Name only.......2007-08-26
The dust jacket of this biography claims that John Patrick Diggins is one of America's "most interesting intellectual historians". This description gets two things right - Mr. Diggins is interesting, and Mr. Diggins is undoubtedly a historian. Whether he is much of an intellectual is another matter.
Mr. Diggins' thesis is a peculiar and engaging one - that Reagan is one of the greatest Presidents of our nation, and also one of the most Emersonian, classically liberal Presidents of our time. Diggins, however, does not quite manage to provide definitive proof for either claim, though he does a better job of proving Reagan's intellectual roots than of proving his greatness. The reason for this failure, unfortunately, is not a problem with Diggins' scholarship, but rather an unfortunate case of self-sabotage which begins to show in the latter half of the book. During this section, one wonders if Diggins himself doubts his own thesis. In fact, one wonders if Diggins actually wanted to write a book with said thesis, or if the original argument he wanted to make was as follows: "Ronald Reagan is not a conservative, but even if he was, conservatives can't beat communism in the long run, anyway. Ha ha ha. Neener neener neener."
To this end, many passages within the book are unabashedly, obnoxiously didactic. In fact, one often feels as though one is reading a philosophical essay meant to impugn the purity of American conservatism, rather than a biography of a conservative figure. One of the more absurd of these moments comes near the very end, when Diggins tries to impugn Reagan's conservatism by contrasting his vision with that of Edmund Burke. There are two problems with this analysis - firstly, Diggins misinterprets Burke's quote about the necessity of restraint for rights as implying that a paternalistic government is required to stop people from being greedy. What Burke was actually talking about, of course, was the tendency of people to believe they have a right to everything they want - a dangerous tendency, which often leads to things like the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights (which contradicts itself numerous times). The second problem with this analysis, however, is that Mr. Diggins is assuming that conservatism's nature has not changed at all since Edmund Burke. It is not as though Burke sat down and wrote out a "Constitution of Conservatism". Many conservative thinkers, in fact, believe that deriving a contemporary position from Edmund Burke's writings is impossible. It doesn't help, of course, that Burke was from England, and the conservative tradition in England is almost completely non-applicable to America.
Furthermore, Diggins seems determined to convince his audience that Reagan was not really all that religious, as though there is something shameful in one of our greatest presidents being religious. Diggins also seems fixated on Reagan's fiscal policy, which he often links with the words "greed" and "selfishness." Finally, though Diggins initially credits Reagan with ending the cold war, he later throws in backhanded implications that it had more to do with Gorbachev than Reagan. It is as though Diggins wrote his thesis that Reagan was one of our greatest Presidents and then choked on it and had to go back and assure his readers that while Reagan was one of our greatest Presidents, he was still the selfish, shortsighted clod that Academics envision him to be.
The existence of these flaws is unfortunate, because the book is historically excellent and so readable that it almost rivals a Harry Potter novel. Ultimately, I must recommend the book, with reservation. I give Mr. Diggins three stars for interesting history, and no stars for his intellectual pretensions. It is a pity. If Mr. Diggins had the courage to stick to his original thesis rather than frantically reassure his audience that he was not one of those awful Reagan-loving freaks, we might be reading the best Reagan biography yet.
Uninformed by recent events.......2007-08-09
Dr. Diggins seems to be an erudite, intelligent man who put some serious time into researching his book. The other reviewers have rightly praised his efforts to look at Reagan through the lense of history and not idealogy, and for his ranking of Reagan with Roosevelt and Lincoln among our greatest presidents.
At the same time, I must confess that having recently read the Reagan Diaries as well as other books dealing with the Reagan legacy like Victory, Bill Bennett's recent second history volume, Reagan "In His Own Hand" etc., I must find that some of the conclusions drawn in this book diverge from the facts and tread familiar academic paths of thought about our great President.
The final negotiations that ended the Cold War occured PRECISELY because Reagan worked on every front to thwart the Soviets. This included Bill Casey flying all over the world covertly, actions to stop Soviet technology acquisition, efforts to make them spend money they didn't have on defense, and a lot more. Reagan mentions anti-communist efforts on a daily basis in the diaries. Also, the preposterous comment that Reagan did nothing to support Solidarity is false on its face - not making speeches about something (even though he did) does not mean inaction. Again, his diaries reveal many efforts on behalf of Solidarity, and Walesa himself gives Reagan great credit for his support. The fact remains that Reagan didn't alter or change his demands on the Soviets when Gorbachev came to power - the final agreement reached was the US STARTING POSITION on disarmement years earlier. His strong stance in negotiations and the arms build up (laughably described as starting under the Carter administration in the book - are you kidding?) drove the Soviets to the table because they literally could not afford to fight anymore. Fighting them on every front was intended from the beginning to realize this result. It is as Reagan described before he became President - his view of the cold war was "we win and they lose".
On a philosophical point, Diggins rightly remarks that Reagan often acted against the conservatives of his time's wishes. This does not make him somehow "less" conservative - just proven right in the argument. All idealogies are constantly in these debates, and Reagan comments on his reviews on the right constantly in his diaries as well, since he was such an avid reader of their writings. Just because the greatest conservative of the last fifty years didn't agree with every midget wonk at National Review or in congress is a comment on the midgets, not him. The line between "classical" and contemporary liberalism also seems to blur in his discussions. Yes, many current conservative thoughts on freedom and liberty are classicly liberal views (as many liberal statist views are classicly conservative), the modern distinctions are all that really matter in current discussion.
I started to read this book with great enthusiasm, as its take on Reagan seemed fresh and interesting, but as I saw conclusion after conclusion follow other tired academic views on Reagan and contradict what I had read him say in his own hand were his views and thoughts, I found it ultimately unhelpful.
The Great Communicator's Political Philosophy.......2007-08-07
I read this book for a graduate class in American history. In this noteworthy biography, John Patrick Diggins sheds light on Ronald Reagan's evolving political philosophy and how this philosophy was his rule and guide throughout his life. Expertly written and based on both primary and secondary sources, this book's view favors Reagan's political career in general. Diggins did an excellent job of pointing out both historical and contemporary figures who helped form Reagan's religious beliefs and political philosophy. Some examples are Thomas Paine, Reagan's mother, Whittaker Chambers who was an anti-Communist, and economist F. A. Hayek. By following a more psychological approach in this biography of the fortieth president of the United States, Diggins drew a clearer picture of Reagan's political motivations than has been previously available. Diggins' biography has made Reagan, who was perhaps the most important president of the second half of the twentieth century, more understandable to his readers.
In his biography, Diggins was adept at pointing out many of the misconceptions that liberals had of Reagan's religious and political beliefs. As an example, Diggins emphasized the role Reagan's mother had in formulating his religious beliefs that stayed with him throughout his life. From his mother, Reagan inherited the optimistic outlook on life that the Disciples of Christ Church espoused. It would fit very neatly with his political philosophy that he shared with Thomas Paine. Both men were staunch believers in people attaining liberty and freedom from oppressive government. After all Diggins made the point innumerably throughout his book, that if there was one defining and deeply held belief that Reagan had, it was that "Reagan inevitably saw government as the problem" (xvii). There were so many incongruities in Reagan's religious attitudes and actions that historians will be debating them for many years to come. Diggins expertly pointed out that for all the support that the Moral Majority crowd, led by the Reverend Jerry Falwell, gave Reagan in both his presidential campaigns, he truly shared little in common with their strict religious beliefs. Reagan did not wear his religion on his sleeve. He did not claim to be a born again Christian. During his years in the White House, he seldom attended church services. Although as Governor of California in 1967 Reagan signed a bill to grant women the right to have an abortion, he soon had misgivings but never tried to push legislation through to abolish abortion. He would speak out against abortion for the rest of his life. Similarly, Reagan spoke of the need for religion in the classroom; however, he made no political moves to bring that goal of the Moral Majority to fruition. In essence, "Reagan looked to religion less as a source of divine guidance than as a bulwark against the power of the state" (32).
Since Reagan believed that removing the stifling yoke of government off the neck of the people was of paramount importance, it is no wonder that Reagan came to believe that Communism was the worst sort of government that could be foisted on humanity. His anathema against Communism and to its liberal sympathizers was sharpened by the Hiss-Chambers congressional hearings of the early 1950's. It was also influenced by two particular books. One book was Chamber's book, "Witness as the book that would shape his political outlook" (10). In addition like many conservatives, Reagan read F. A. Hayek's book Road to Serfdom and "accepted Hayek's thesis that liberalism paves the way for communism by institutionalizing a centralized state" (110). Diggins recounted the numerous times throughout Regan's life that he railed against the evils of Communism, which led to his well-publicized "evil empire" speech in 1983. This speech finalized Reagan's reputation as the anti-Communist jingoistic cowboy. Diggins cogently showed in his book that it was Reagan's life long vitriol against Communism, was the only cold war president that could reach out to the Soviet Union and substantially reduce the nuclear weapons arsenal.
Diggins did a masterful job of showing how Reagan, while in the hospital recovering from the wounds he received from the attempt on his life in 1981, awakened to the realization that he had to do his utmost in reducing the chances of the world being destroyed in a nuclear holocaust. Diggins found Reagan was completely misunderstood by liberals who characterized him as a warmonger. Reagan came to see the folly of Mutual Assured Destruction, which had been the cornerstone of America's nuclear deterrence. For the always-optimistic Reagan this new mission was akin to Nixon opening China. Only Reagan who called the Soviet Union the "evil empire," could befuddle his neo-conservative supporters and liberal critics time after time as he worked to get Mikhail Gorbachev to trust him and ultimately become his partner in arms reduction. In doing so, Reagan was instrumental in paving the way for the end to the cold war, and ultimately the collapse of the Soviet Union. In his book Diggins recounted one of the most poignant speeches Reagan, also known as the great communicator, ever delivered, which took place in 1988 to students at Moscow State University. It was Reagan, the optimist and defender of liberty and not the warmonger and staunch anti-Communist that addressed the audience. Reagan spoke about the new revolution that would sweep across the globe, and a technological revolution that computers would bring, which would ultimately transform humanity with the new information age.
In conclusion Diggins' book, though written when very little of Reagan's presidential papers have been accessed by historians, has captured the essence of the ideas and life experiences that motivated Reagan to act the way he did. Since Diggins' book focused more on the psychological, religious, and philosophical makeup of Ronald Reagan and not on the details of his administration, it will be valuable for years to come by students studying Reagan and the Cold War era. It is doubtful that Diggins' book will need much revision as more presidential papers are released.
As a graduate student I recommend this book for anyone interested in Reagan, American History, Cold War History.
Like Reagan himself: gets some lesser things wrong, but the big, important things beautifully right.......2007-06-11
I never thought I'd give a five-star review to a book with which I had disagreed in so many places. But this is just a fantastic book; original, provocative, magnificently insightful, and oftentimes poetic. It should revolutionize understanding of Ronald Reagan, even if not every interpretation in the book holds up.
Diggins sets out to rescue Ronald Reagan from his acolytes on the right and his detractors on the left. He argues that both fundamentally misunderstand the nature and meaning of his greatness. For Diggins, Reagan is clearly among the greatest two or three Presidents after Lincoln. He credits Reagan with finding a peaceful way to end the Cold War, and for the Soviet Empire to dissolve without war or violent revolution. Diggins states that this is one of the great political surprises in all of history, and so it is.
Diggins rejects the conventional rightist explanation that the Soviet Union collapsed only after Reagan and his conservative Administration challenged the Soviets on every front: via a military buildup with which the Soviets couldn't contend; with counter pressure against communist aggression around the world; with the strategic defense initiative, etc. In fact, Diggins depicts many of Reagan's policies, both domestic and international, as misguided. Diggins contradicts the Reagan view that many of the world's communist insurgencies were facilitated by Moscow. Diggins further asserts that the Soviet Union imploded on its own, and would have done so with or without US economic and military pressure.
But Diggins credits Reagan for seeing beyond other US strategists, and for understanding the opportunity and necessity of negotiating communism's demise without war. Diggins depicts Reagan as seizing a unique historical moment, and understanding how to do business with Gorbachev. He portrays Reagan not as a warrior but as a great diplomat and educator of the international public. The final pages of the book are very moving, when Reagan goes to Moscow State University and addresses the Russian people. Taught that the pursuit of wealth led to despair and to self-estrangement, they instead heard from Reagan that free economies were the path to fulfillment and self-reliance, something that America's "academic-media complex" (a felicitous phrase) failed to understand, perhaps because their own well-being depended less than the Russians' on such understanding.
One needn't agree with Diggins's take on Reagan and his policies in all respects, and I certainly did not. But Diggins is absolutely right in showing the Reagan that was utterly misunderstood by the American left. Far from being a warmonger, Reagan maintained a horror of nuclear war, and he fully grasped the folly of the doctrine of Mutual Assured Destruction that had held decades of American thinkers in its deluding sway. Reagan understood that an American President could not assure his people's, or the world's, security solely with the threat that he could destroy the Soviet Union while the USSR destroyed America. As Diggins noted, the survival of humanity depended utterly on innovative conceptual thinking, and this Reagan had, perhaps uniquely among American statesmen of the time. Many of Reagan's policies, from his attachment to SDI to his determination to negotiate disarmament, rightly or wrongly stemmed from the priority that he attached to avoiding a nuclear exchange, indeed a higher priority for him even than his lifelong objective of destroying communism.
Diggins also reveals a Reagan that was in many ways very distinct from the American religious right. Reagan rejected the traditional religious view that humankind was inherently sinful and needed to be restrained. Rather, Reagan saw human nature as fundamentally good (a view Diggins says he acquired from his Transcendentalist mother), and he tried to eliminate government restraints upon that noble nature. The support of the religious right for Reagan was in many respects a consequence of their common objection to American liberalism, and especially its coddling of communist strong-arm tactics. Reagan understood the tendency of the American left to look the other way from the worst habits of America's enemies (a tendency that persists today), and he felt an obligation to speak out against this. But Diggins argues that while Reagan and the religious right made common cause, Reagan's fundamental view of humanity was far different from theirs.
Reading this book was, for me, an unusual if not unique experience. At first I was surprised by several of Diggins's interpretations, which were counter to my own. As I read on, I found the book so provocative, so original, that I found myself reconsidering many of my own long-held views, and loving the book despite my occasional disagreements. Around page 200 or so, however, I reached a sort of critical mass in no longer tolerating what I believed to be interpretative errors by Diggins. He wrote one too many statements that I felt were inexcusably sloppy and ahistorical, shattering my faith in some of his other judgments. But then on the strength of the book's final chapters my reading experience recovered, and by the end I felt that Diggins had put his finger on something fundamentally great about Reagan, so important, and so right, that it outweighed the other factual beefs I had compiled along the way.
Among the many examples of the sloppy statements that Diggins makes en route: He says early on that the US government now faces its highest debt in history (in reality, debt has been declining, and is fairly typical of historic norms.) He writes that Carter easily beat Ford in the 1976 election (in reality, it was one of the closest elections of the era). At one point, Diggins mocks Reagan for reminding Gorbachev of the US/USSR common cause in WWII (Diggins parenthetically wonders what Gorbachev thought of this, given that America had looked the other way as Hitler prepared to attack Russia. This is an absurd aside from Diggins, given that Stalin himself was sending resources to Hitler on the eve of his attack on the USSR. Most assuredly, Gorbachev would have been well aware that Stalin's tunnel vision had been worse than FDR's.) He also asserts that no American statesman has ever offered a rationale for why the Vietnam war was fought, an absurd statement even for a strong opponent of that war.
There are many such slips in the book, and one is a bit surprised that an editor didn't catch and remove them. But in the end, they do not undo one of the most fascinating reinterpretations of a Presidency that I have ever read. In Diggins, Reagan finds his most important biographer to date. Diggins finds in Reagan the "greatness of soul" that saved the world at a truly critical time. Reagan's legacy deserves and needs this understanding, and Diggins's book is the finest available place to discover it.
Book 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:
A 'must' for any college-level collection .......2007-08-09
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
Watching a President Develop.......2007-03-15
We have a tendency in this country to assume that when a president is thinking your way he is a genius. When he is presenting a position opposed to you; first he is an idiot, and second all his thoughts are really those of his handlers. Then the presidential advisors start leaving and writing books about how brilliant they are and the president just doesn't listen.
It's only when the books come out much later that we really begin to learn what was going on. In this book, the author concentrates on the magical speech that Reagan made in 1964 in support of Barry Goldwater at the Republican National Convention. 'The Speech' was a turning point in American politics. And of course the sarcastic will say that Reagan didn't write it but his handlers ....
This book goes back many, many years and reviews speeches that Reagan gave. From them comes a line here, a line there and in the end we get 'The Speech.' It's an interesting way to look at how Reagan changed from union president heading the Democrats for Truman to fundamentally changing the country's direction. Along the way we learn, Reagan was no dummy. And I think that as history continues to develop, his reputation will continue to go up.
Why Ronald Reagan was the Great Communicator.......2007-03-10
An excellent book and well written. In addition to showing how GE gave Ronald Reagan the opportunity to become a conservative and a great communicator it also provides a fascinating perspective on the battle between business and labor from 1950-1970. This book shows the journey that Reagan takes from being a confirmed New Dealer to a Goldwater conservative.
Book Description
Based on extraordinary research: a major reassessment of Ronald Reagan's lifelong crusade to dismantle the Soviet Empire–including shocking revelations about the liberal American politician who tried to collude with USSR to counter Reagan's efforts
Paul Kengor's God and Ronald Reagan made presidential historian Paul Kengor's name as one of the premier chroniclers of the life and career of the 40th president. Now, with The Crusader, Kengor returns with the one book about Reagan that has not been written: The story of his lifelong crusade against communism, and of his dogged–and ultimately triumphant–effort to overthrow the Soviet Union.
Drawing upon reams of newly declassified presidential papers, as well as untapped Soviet media archives and new interviews with key players, Kengor traces Reagan's efforts to target the Soviet Union from his days as governor of California to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of what he famously dubbed the "Evil Empire." The result is a major revision and enhancement of what historians are only beginning to realize: That Reagan not only wished for the collapse of communism, but had a deep and specific understanding of what it would take––and effected dozens of policy shifts that brought the USSR to its heels within a decade of his presidency.
The Crusader makes use of key sources from behind the Iron Curtain, including one key memo that implicates a major American liberal politician–still in office today–in a scheme to enlist Soviet premier Yuri Andropov to help defeat Reagan's 1984 reelection bid. Such new finds make The Crusader not just a work of extraordinary history, but a work of explosive revelation that will be debated as hotly in 2006 as Reagan's policies were in the 1980s.
Customer Reviews:
Bringing Down the Walls of Communism.......2007-09-09
Ronald Reagan is one of the rare figures in history who transcends political ideology. Often portrayed as more communicator than true statesman, The Crusader presents a far different picture. Paul Kengor does a masterful work of combining Reagan's own words with seldom published source material. The picture that develops is of a man who truly believed communism was evil and dedicated the later part of his life to seeing its downfall.
Since President Reagan's death, more and more historians have begun to change their opinion of his effectiveness and influence as leader of the free world. No matter what your political leanings, The Crusader is a fine example of historical writing done right.
Ronald Reagan - The Crusader.......2007-09-09
I have been a supporter of Ronald Reagan since his first run for the Presidency in 1976. I learned things about President Reagan that I did not know before reading this book. Most notably, this book details and documents just how President Reagan was in charge of his agenda, notwithstanding the best efforts of the American left to portray him otherwise, particularly the defeat and destruction of the Soviet Union.
The book is extremely well written and is a page turner from the first chapter on. This is a must read for any fan of the greatest president of the last century. Reagan haters and deniers will want to avoid this book so as not to have to confront real history and all its implications.
Ronald Reagan= One Great American .......2007-07-22
The late President Reagan's crusade against Communism in Russia freed millions of innocent people around the world, and in the end made the world a much better place when he died.
History will record that Reagan was one of the greatest presidents in American history, and we should all take his example in both moral leadership, and courageousness.
All future American leaders should look to Reagan as an example of honesty, sacrifice, and fortitude for taking on the problems of the 21rst century.
God rest the soul of President Ronald Reagan, and may God bless America.
"The Crusader" One person can make a difference........2007-05-18
If there was ever a book showing that one person can make a difference, it is "The Crusader," by Paul Kengor. It is amazing how many times Ronald Reagan went against the advice of most if not all of his advisors, and in the end proved to be correct.(Most advisors did not want Reagan to tell Garbachev to "tear down this wall," during his now famous speech.)
Today, President Bush often gets criticized for unilateral inclinations. The book shows that Ronald Reagan was the unilateralsit of all unilateralists. It was even humorous to read how Reagan would go through the motions during his cabinet meetings and often in press conferences, while at the same time he had this whole separate operation going on to bring down the Soviet Union, that very few, even very few of his cabinet members, knew about. Can anyone say leader? It also shows, that even though Reagan was calling the shots, how important Bill Casey and Bill Clark were to the entire operation.
This is the best book I have read on Ronald Reagan, and the best book that I have read on the process that actually ended the Cold War.
It really does put the final nail in the coffin for those clueless "intellectuals" who say that the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and even the Berlin Wall would have fallen anyway. The book gives an amazingly detailed step by step account of the economic war against the Soviets and all of the National Security Decision Directives that Reagan virtually single-handedly initiated.
The book shows that Ronald Reagan would often go against conventional wisdom. For example, he had great disdain for the Yalta agreements, and for the policy of containment, and eventually, virtually reversed them.
The book also shows how Reagan's anti-communist passions go way back in his life, and how those sentiments are based on his respect for the human being. It tells of a time when he was in East Germany and saw a lady shopper accosted by an East German guard, and how this incident and others firmed his resolve against the evil of communism. It is pointed out how Reagan was actually motivated to act when others weren't, and how Reagan had an inborn sense of the right thing to do. And the book shows that Reagan's pattern to rescue those in distress goes back to his early days when saved 77 people over 7 summers from the swift currents of the Rock River in Dixon Illinois.
"The Crusader" goes into great detail about the relationship between President Reagan and the great Pope John Paul II, and his role in bringing down communism. And it details Reagan's great admiration for the Polish people, and how they admired him in return, and how Poland's Solidarity Movement was one of the major factors in Reagan's and the Pope's effort to bring down communism. And how the people of Poland, the rest of Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union gave great credit to Reagan for bringing them freedom.
The book also details how Reagan brought freedom to Central and South America.
Before I read "The Crusader," I thought that President Ronald Reagan was our greatest U.S. President. After reading the book, my opinion of him only improved. In fact, he and Pope John Paul II have to be two of the great men of the millenium.
It was often said that Reagan had very few, if any, close friends, except Nancy. Probably my favorite story in the book was when, in 1989, just before the previously unimaginable free elections in Poland, Reagan welcomed two members of Solidarity and the two Polish Americans who were hosting them, to his office in California. Reagan pointed to a picture of Pope John Paul II on his office wall and said: "He is my best friend. Yes, you know I am a Protestant, but he's still my best friend." If you are going to have a best friend, not a bad on to have. Thankyou.
Mark S.Robertson
Independence, Mo.
Irrefutable evidence.......2007-05-12
5 stars for the research, which includes documents declassified only in recent years, as well as confirmation from Soviet sources and press articles reaffirming what the Soviets feared, and what Reagan knew .. that the USSR could be brought down with economic pressure.
Despite doubters from even within his own administration (and Nancy), Reagan conspired to wage economic war on the Soviet Union, and succeeded. It was very normal during these times to consider the USSR invincible - understandably bringing about the detente of previous administrations both Republican and Democrat. But Reagan had a goal of actually WINNING the Cold War. Who knew it was even possible? Reagan did, that's who.
From conspiring against the USSR's natural gas lines into Western Europe (a major source of the USSR's revenues that even the West did not cooperate with him on), to actually sabotaging one of the lines, to SDI, and Reagan's military backing of the Afghans - all these factors and more contributed to straining the USSR's economy, and forcing the country to use increased funds into these endeavors - an unexpected expense for a government so thin on resources.
My biggest revlation from the book:
In addition, Reagan's friendliness with the Saudis was hugely beneficial to American interests of the day. Both sides' willingness to help one another led to the Saudis going against OPEC and lowering oil prices worldwide - something the Saudis faced huge criticism from Middle Eastern neighbors for.
Think about it: High oil prices in the 70s helped the Soviet (an oil-producing nation, remember) economy and naturally hurt the USA's - which led to increased military spending by the USSR and helped tighten its grip on the Eastern bloc. High oil also helped contribute to Americans' inferiority complex to the Soviets.
Then, low prices in the 80s hurt the Soviet economy drastically, helped the American consumer, which helped bring increased revenues to pay for Reagan's military spending.
Scholars may argue that each president during the Cold War contributed to the USSR's fall, and the USSR economy might have been on the tipping point anyway, but this book gives absolute, irrefutable evidence that Reagan accelerated the USSR's fall before a generation that never thought it would be possible.
Book Description
During his two terms as the fortieth president of the United States, Ronald Reagan kept a daily diary in which he recorded, by hand, his innermost thoughts and observations on the extraordinary, the historic, and the routine day-to-day occurrences of his presidency. Now, nearly two decades after he left office, this remarkable record—the only daily presidential diary in American history—is available for the first time.
Brought together in one volume and edited by historian Douglas Brinkley, The Reagan Diaries provides a striking insight into one of this nation's most important presidencies and sheds new light on the character of a true American leader. Whether he was in his White House residence study or aboard Air Force One, each night Reagan wrote about the events of his day, which often included his relationships with other world leaders Mikhail Gorbachev, Pope John Paul II, Mohammar al-Qaddafi, and Margaret Thatcher, among others, and the unforgettable moments that defined the era—from his first inauguration to the end of the Cold War, the Iran hostage crisis to John Hinckley Jr.'s assassination attempt.
The Reagan Diaries reveals more than just Reagan's political experiences: many entries are concerned with the president's private thoughts and feelings—his love and devotion for Nancy Reagan and their family, his belief in God and the power of prayer. Seldom before has the American public been given access to the unfiltered experiences and opinions of a president in his own words, from Reagan's description of near-drowning at the home of Hollywood friend Claudette Colbert to his determination to fight Fidel Castro at every turn and keep the Caribbean Sea from becoming a "Red Lake."
To read these diaries—filled with Reagan's trademark wit, sharp intelligence, and humor—is to gain a unique understanding of one of the most beloved occupants of the Oval Office in our nation's history.
Customer Reviews:
Great Read.......2007-10-14
This is a super book written by a man who turned out to be a fairly decent and good President. It was so easy to read and difficult to put down. Most will enjoy. I did.
A Must Read for Those Who Care.......2007-10-11
I am only about 250 pages into this long book and it already has had a big impact on me. Reading the thoughts of this great president in his own words is very powerful indeed, especially in this modern political world where we get little more than partisan spin in most communication. "The Reagan Diaries" successfully conveys the fact that Ronald Reagan was far deeper, more fair and thoughtful than what most of the media has given him credit for over the years. It is already clear that his values and ideals were not presented correctly (by the press) while he was in office.
His viewpoint is presented in his earliest days in office when he notes that the U.S. may have been treating the Soviet Union incorrectly from a historical perspective. Reagan muses that perhaps instead of propping up this Communist empire to avoid a dangerous imbalance, the U.S. and the world would be better off if we let it implode from within. Another entry to the diary notes that Fidel Castro was very uncomfortable with Reagan and his administration coming into office. Reagan writes of Castro, "Let's hope we give him a good reason to be uncomfortable." Priceless.
If you are any fan of history at all, you need to read this book.
easy read..........2007-10-09
Loved the book easy bed side book for long put to sleeps or casual relaxing Sunday time...either way it was a nice book from on a thoughtful sincere president....makes me wonder what happened to the Party.
fascinating look into the oval office.......2007-10-06
Whatever your political persuasion, this book provides a great look into the incredibly busy schedule that a President has to deal with. It's fascinating to read what he was thinking about historical events and then think back to the way we were told about them from the media at the time.
As some of the other reviewers noted, this isn't a book that you read cover to cover like a great novel that you just can't put down. I read several pages at a time over several weeks to finish it. All in all, if you're a fan of Reagan or you're just interested in politics, you'll find this book worth the time to read.
You'll like it.......2007-09-29
I have not finished the book yet -- it's long -- but I already feel I have discovered things about Reagan that I never learned while watching him in office for eight years. It's delightful to see how he writes about all the Broadway shows he sees and mentions the performers he meets. His observations about Tip O'Neill and Al Haig have been noted and quoted in mainstream reviews but they are still well worth reading for yourself, in context, over the course of the book. For sure, I was not a Reagan fan and all of the recent mythologizing about him is distressing. At the same time, given he has been out of office for two decades, I am beginning to see him as a historical figure and the emotions have begun to fade. I can enjoy this book for the insight it provides into the office of the presidency. There is a sour note, however. Brinkley's introduction gushes too much about Reagan and leads me to wonder if he purposely (or unintentionally) left out things that might portray Reagan in a more negative light. Still if you enjoy politics, history or lived through the time, I think you will smile or even laugh out loud at things you read in the diaries.
Book Description
"You read her to thrall in her striking ability to behold great vistas through a pinhole . . . in a language that is always concrete and vital." (The New York Times)
"Noonan possesses an astonishingly deft touch for making the political process come alive." (USA Today)
It is twenty years—a full generation—since Ronald Reagan first walked into the White House and ignited a revolution. From the beginning, he enjoyed the American people's affection but now, as he approaches the end of his life, he has received what he deserved even more: their deep respect.
What was the wellspring of his greatness? Peggy Noonan, bestselling author of the classic Reagan-era memoir What I Saw at the Revolution, former speechwriter, and now a columnist and contributing editor for The Wall Street Journal, argues that the secret of Reagan's success was no secret at all. It was his character—his courage, his kindness, his persistence, his honesty, and his almost heroic patience in the face of setbacks—that was the most important element of his success.
The one thing a man must bring into the White House with him if he is to succeed, Noonan contends, is a character that people come to recognize as high, sturdy, and reliable.
Noonan, renowned for her special insight into Ronald Reagan's history and personality, brings her own reflections on Reagan to bear in When Character Was King and discloses never-before-told stories from the former president's family, friends, and White House colleagues to reveal the true nature of a man even his opponents now view as a maker of big history.
Marked by incisive wit and elegant prose, When Character Was King will enlighten and move readers.
Customer Reviews:
A fly on the wall account of Ronald Reagan .......2007-09-19
This book is not a be all end all historical biography. This book is about short stories that reflect on what type of person Ronald Reagan was.
My favorite story was about this little old lady from Indiana. She had contributed one dollar a month to the Republican party for 50 years. Well the White House heard this and sent her an invitation to meet with the President. She took a train to Washington D.C. went up to the gate only to find out that the invitation said RSVP which she overlooked. To her horror the guard at the gate said that she would not be admitted. They asked her if she was going to be in town for a few days, she was, and they tried to do what they could. Life in the White House was incredibly busy but during this time it was especially so. The Attorney General had resigned the day before and Libya was behind a bombing. As a consolation prize the decided to give her an all access pass of the White House. When they got to the Oval Office Generals Staff and other individuals were frequently in and out of the room. When the door opened Reagan who was on the phone saw her from the corner of his eye. When the conversation ended Reagan said "Delores get in here its those dang computers again if i would have know you were coming i would have gone and get you myself. Just think of it from her perspective here is the most powerful man in the world dropped everything during a busy day to talk with a little old lady from Indiana for 30 or 40 minutes. That shows the compassion and humanity of Ronald Reagan
Bring Back Character.......2007-07-13
I absolutely loved this book and Peggy Noonan is an excellent writer. For me the book was part historical part biography. I think my respect for Ronald Reagan was re-ignited by Noonan's expressive and dead on descriptions of Dutch. I remember folks saying, and still do, that he was stupid but someone with this much love for his country and compassion for his fellow humans is in now way stupid. This is a must read for fans of Reagan and those who still appreciate something called character.
One of top five greatest presidents in history........2007-04-16
Washington, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan - best presidents in American history. Peggy Noonan is an extraordinary writer with such a gifted ability to uplift.
What an incredible honor for her to have served with Reagan.
Just What I Expected: A Myth about a president who's bad ideas continue to hurt America.......2007-01-14
This book was well written. But for the most part it is like any other book written about Regan, propaganda. Ronald Regan was probably a great guy to know personally but he was not in my opinion a very good president. He continually gave huge tax cuts to the rich while pushing Americas less fortunate futher and further into poverty. He belived, if you read his writings and listen to his speeches, that it was the fault of the poor and middle class for being poor and middle class. I suggest that any one who reads this book also read Man Of the House by Tip O'Neil to get the other side of the story. To me after reading this biography I was more disappointed in Regan than anything. To go from living in a struggling family that was just able to make ends meet to becoming a rich movie star and later on govenor and president he quiclky forgot what it was like to be a working person in America to day. People often say that he the only person to push the fall of the U.S.S.R. this too is untrue. Communist systems just do not work the U.S.S.R. was going to fall anyways. Plus there were many people working in Europe for the U.S.S.R.'s fall i.e. John Paul II and Margret Thatcher. So in the end was Regan a respectable man. YES! Was he the best person to be leader of the free wrold. Probably not.
Excellent book about best President America has produced.......2006-12-09
When I use to read the reviews on books like this one by those who are leftist I really could not understand the rage and blindness that they contain. If you look at the negative ratings and the rants about this book it is apparent that these individuals really can't help it. It is almost like the story of Moses and the Pharoah, where God says that He "hardened Pharoah's heart." It's not a matter that the left won't be decent and civilized, it's that they can't. If you read the negative one star ratings about this book you will understand what I mean.
This book is nothing less then excellent. Peggy Noonan is a fine writer and I just finished her book on John Paul II. Reagan was quite frankly the best President that this country has produced. Noonan really helps us to understand the man. How he grew up, what his relationship was with his father and how he wound up in politics. This is an important book because there are so many wannabe writers out there that take every chance to smear a good man like Reagan because of their love for either a buck or to satisfy some psychological deformity. Unfortunately it is very in vogue these days by liberals to say the most outrageous things they can muster. The more they rant the more they believe people will listen to their insanity. The sad thing is that it is usually true. The liberals have alot of hate and alot of energy and they don't let up for a second. Especially when it comes to decency. Reagan was good and decent and so is this book, so the left has got their work cut out for them. They have to convince alot of people that good people are bad and evil people are good.
Aside from my soapbox, buy the book. It is good and Peggy Noonan is a great writer. The book is objective and decent. The book gave me a deeper understanding of the fact that people who had tough younger lives can and do turn out to be great leaders and good people like Ronald Reagan did.
Book Description
As one of the greatest presidents of the twentieth century, Ronald Wilson Reagan succeeded in renewing pride in America, strengthening the principles of family, faith, and freedom on which this nation was founded, and restoring our hope for the future. President Reagan endeared himself even to his political opponents with his self-effacing wit and irrepressible optimism. Inspiring, thoughtful, and at times downright funny, he had an amazing gift for stirring emotion, sparking debate, and calling a nation to action.
In
In The Words of Ronald Reagan, his oldest son Michael Reagan has gathered a wonderful collection of his father's public and private words, providing a close-up portrait of our fortieth president. From hilarious one-liners to eloquent letters to intimate family moments, these selections depict Ronald Reagan in all his many roles-as world leader, conservative icon, orator, actor, and father. Complemented by Michael Reagan's personal and insightful commentary on his father's life,
In The Words of Ronald Reagan will delight you, inspire you, and motivate you to finish the job Ronald Reagan began-the job of rebuilding the American dream.
Customer Reviews:
W A R Y......A D M I R A T I O N.....O F.....A....M O D E R A T E.......2007-06-07
Broadly speaking, many Democrats seem to think that most Republicans don't care about people who aren't rich, and haven't financially succeeded. And, also broadly speaking, many Republicans seem to think that most Democrats are spendthrifts, who like to use public tax money on programs which destroy families, and take away individual choice and initiative. While I am sure there ARE people in both philsophies that hold these extreme views, it is my own contention that most people, of whatever political stipe and ideals, mainly just want to live as happy long, and productive a life as possible, and make sure that their loved ones are able to do so as well.
I suppose the main thing, as a moderate, that I personally have against Republicans, is that, though I throroughy DO agree with the philosophy of being able, proudly and individually, (and WITHOUT any meddling of government telling one what to do), to "pull oneself up by one's bootstraps", it seems that many Republicans tend to forget that there are MANY people who CAN'T pull themselves up by their theoretical bootstraps....simply because they have no shoes! Democrats take a different tack on this -- one I also enormously dislike. Yes -- they will give "shoes to the shoeless".....but they will NOT allow the people they are "helping" to CHOOSE their own shoes. If you are "helped" by a social-service agency, it seems, THEY tell you what to study, and/or what type of job you "should" be doing.
So -- I guess, though I can see good things in both the Democratic and Republican philosophies, I also can see definite negatives in each. Being neither a complete Democrat, nor a complete Republican, I feel I am free to admire the best people of each party.... I admire Jimmy Carter, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Regan.........just to name a few.
This small volume, IN THE WORDS OF RONAOLD REAGAN, by his son (with first wife Jane Wyman), is a fascinating little book! You can tell it was put together with love and devotion....and the reader, perusing its riches, can only wish it were longer.
The picture of Ronald Reagan on the front cover, and the smaller one of Micahel Reagan, on the back inside bookjacket flap, are in "shiny" print....in a very good facimilie of an actual photograph. Within this book, interspersed between Ronald Reagan's words of wisdom and wit, are 28 additional photographs, portraying everything from a photo of the Regan family in 1915, (Ronald with his parents and brother Neil), to Mr. Reagan, as President of the US, inspecting sailors at the recomissioning of the USS New Jersey in 1982. Pictures are also present of the 1982 Inauguation, Mr. Regan's acting and football-playing days, meetings with world leaders, Mr. Regan on horseback and two very different pictures, taken seconds apart, on the day of the assassination attempt on Mr. Reagan.
After a heart-felt and proud introduction by the compiler, Michael Regan, 62 categories of Ronald Reagan's words are given.....from "Acting", "Age",
"Alzheimer's" and "America".....to "Education", "Faith, "Family" and "Football",.....through "Marriage", "Memorials", "Morality" and "Nancy",....to "Truth", "Values", "Veterans", and "Welfare State", to name just a few. Each category has at least one, and often
more, memorable quotes.
Mr. Regan's pithy, folksy, common-sense words cannot help but make one think....and even, however grudgingly, admire him. I doubt that any American, of any political stripe, can argue with these quotes....although one does tend to add one's own interpretion to them:
.........." In America, our origins matter less than our destination,
.......... and that is what democracy is all about." (America)
.........." History teaches that wars begin when governments believe
.......... the price of agression is cheap." (Defensse)
.........." They say the world has become too complex for simple answers.
.......... They are wrong. There are no easy answers, but there are
.......... simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know
.......... is morally right." (Morality) (( Of course, everyone has
a different idea of what "morality" really is, from, say, pro-choice people, to anti-abortion people, to people who, like myself, feel it's up to each individual to choose their own way, and respect other's rights to do things with their own lives, their own way. And therein, of course, lies the conflict. But at least knowing that one should have SOME moral compass is a good idea, I think. -- comment of this reviewer. ))
But here is a statement sure to elicit sympathy from ANYONE of any politcal stripe.
.........." It's so...frustrating! I'll make a statement, and an hour
.......... later, the press or the legislators will say, 'Sure, that's
.......... what he says, but what does he mean?' I don't get it. If
.......... they could only accept that I say what I mean, it would save
.......... so much time!" (The Press)
.......... " Nothing lasts longer than a temporary government program."
.......... (Government)
.......... " You know, Senator Kennedy was at a dinner just recently,
.......... for the ninetiethy birthday party for former governor and
.......... ambassador Averell Harriman. Teddy Kennedy said that
.......... Averell's age was only half as old as Ronald Regan's ideas.
.......... And you know, he was absolutely right. The Constitution is
.......... almost two hundred years old, and that's where I get my
.......... ideas." ( The Constitution ) (( Mr. Reagan would have
.......... been a powerful lawyer, with his turn of the phrase!......
.......... ....comment by this reviewer ))
.......... Two Soviets....talking to each other. And one of them says,
.......... "What's the difference between the Soviet Constitution and
.......... the American Constitution?" And the other one said, "That's
.......... easy. The Soviet Constitution guarantees freedom of speech
.......... and freedom of gathering. The American Constitution guaran-
.......... tees freedom after speech, and freedom after gathering."
.......... (( A good thing to remember, in these days of Vladimir
.......... (( Putin's regime.....comment by this reviewer ))
.......... " Secretary William Bennett makes, I think, an interesting
.......... analogy. He says that if you serve a child a rotten
.......... hamburgerin Americal, federal, state and local agencies
.......... will investigate you, summon you, close you down, or what-
.......... ever. But if you provide a child with a rotten education,
.......... nothing happens, except that you are liable to be given
.......... more money to do it with. Well, we've discovered that
.......... money alone isn't the answer. ( Education. )
.......... (( Of course, many people have differing opin......ions on what constitutes a "good" education...........comment by this reviewer. ))
Witty, thoughtful, thought-provoking.......all of the many quotes in this
small book merit reading and thought. Some are as short as a few lines. Others go on for a page and more. All are interesting....most are brilliant. One quote -- believe it or not -- seems to me it could
easily be given at some future commencement, say, from a "StarFleet" Academy graduation! (Yes....a quote from Ronald Regan, of all people!)
It is:
.........." For two hundred years, we've lived in the future, believing
.......... that tomorrow would be be better than today, and today
.......... would be better than yesterday. I still believe that."
( The Future )
As with any person, any group or ideal, sweeping generalities make for
stereotypes and narrow-minded ideas. Ronald Reagan was far more broad-minded and future-oriented than many give him credit for. His mind was
optimistic, realistic, and full of wit. Personally, I have great admiration for the man....wishing only that he had realized that ALL people want dignity and success.....but that, again, some people cannot pull themselves up by their bootstraps because, they have no shoes. Yet,
one must admit that government programs CAN cost over-much....because greedy politicians and lobbyists -- of whatever party -- get their hands in the till....and like the extra money they take out! I'm sure Mr. Reagan realized this.
Reading this book, it's obvious Mr. Reagan wanted the best for
Americans, and the best for every citizen of the world. His optimism and wit are timeless.....as demonstrated by every word of his in this book!
Great little book.......2006-09-13
This is a great book to have if you appreciate all that President Reagan represented and accomplished, or if you were not around to understand the massive impact he had on our nation, then this is a greeat introduction to our 40th president.
It is all the more valuable because it his insight from his son Michael, insight that can only be offered by a family member. For all the great publlic stuff I already knew about President Reagan, the advice he offers Michael for his marriage helped further my belief in what a great man he was.
This is a quick read, but it is also one you will refer back to for quotes and enjoyment!
My shop's best seller.......2006-08-04
Visitors to the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home buy more copies of this book than any other that we sell. Filled with positive little tidbits from a family perspective! It's great!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Simple but worthwhile..........2006-07-25
I was born just two years before Ronald Reagan was elected president, so I have virtually no memories of his work as a politician. However, my limited study of recent history left me with the impression that Reagan's life warranted further investigation.
So, I turned to this simple little book of the quotable Reagan, with commentary interjected periodically by his son, Michael. The contents of the book are far from earthshattering, and it wouldn't be too hard to find much more substantive information about Reagan elsewhere. Nonetheless, this book fulfills its promise as a compilation of some of Reagan's many soundbites that provide a window into his character and heart.
The quotes are organized into categories like "Alzheimer's," "Gorbachev," "Values," etc. Within each category are a few pages of short quotes that Reagan provided in very public settings (inauguration speeches, Republican convention acceptance speeches) and more private ones (like personal notes or anecdotes that he told to his family, to which Michael would have unique access).
Ultimately, the book provides only snippets, and after seeing the frequency with which some speeches appeared (like "The Speech" in 1964 on behalf of Goldwater), I was left pining for the entire transcripts of those famous addresses. The other primary fault of the book is that it paints a rather idealistic image of Reagan's life. I understand Michael's interest in promoting the greatness of his father, but the presentation was so overly flattering as to appear a bit artificial.
Nonetheless, there are a number of quotes worth reading in this collection. I laughed out loud a number of times, and I was moved at other times. For a quick snapshot of the wit and wisdom of Ronald Reagon, this book is a good place to start.
Great words from a great leader........2006-07-09
Ronald Reagan will be long remembered as someone who could give a great speech. Critics, however, wrongly labeled him a dim-witted actor, propped up by good speechwriters. Their hatred for all things `Reagan' make it impossible for them to attribute even the slightest bit of intelligence to the 40th President. As their goal to alter the Reagan legacy, they completely omit the hundreds of radio addresses he personally wrote during the years prior to becoming President, which aptly chronicle the true brilliance that truly was Ronald Reagan. IN THE WORDS OF RONALD REAGAN, by his son Michael Reagan, continues in that arena by sharing with us, many of the personal letters this prolific letter writer penned.
This compact, 200-page treatise, lends the reader yet a deeper look into the essence of thought that was Ronald Reagan. Here you will find a small portion of Reagan's discourse on subjects ranging from acting to welfare.
If you admired Ronald Reagan, then you will admire this book. If you are too young to remember Ronald Reagan, this book will lend critical insight into his character and ideas. If you hate all things Reagan, then there is nothing for you to see here. Just shut up and move on.
Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com
Book Description
Ronald Reagan is an American success story. From modest beginnings in a small midwestern town to a distinguished career in films and television, he lived the American dream; as governor of California and as the century's most popular president, he embodied and revitalized the American spirit.
Now in this dramatic and revealing memoir, Ronald Reagan recounts both his life and his beliefs with uncompromising candor and his familiar wit. He discusses his decision to run for president, historic meetings with Mikhail Gorbachev and other heads of state, his frustrations in dealing with an often hostile congress, his unshakable faith in the American people and the enduring love for Nancy, who will always be his First Lady. In a moving passage, President Reagan also speaks frankly about the assassination attempt on his life and its effects on him and his family.
An American Life is a richly detailed, definitive account of a great and historic presidency and of a unique American Life -- from the man who restored America's confidence and strength and shaped the future of the world.
Customer Reviews:
Ronaldus Magnus in his own words........2007-02-17
My first vote in a presidential election was for Ronald Wilson Reagan. I was a freshman in college and quickly coming to grips with my political philosophy and world view, when this idealistic, bright ray of sunshine declared it was "morning in America." Having remembered all to well the horrors of Watergate, the tepid Ford presidency, and the...well...you fill in your own perjorative for Jimmy Carter's presidency, Mr. Reagan, for me at least, was a breath of fresh air.
If you are looking for pure history of the Reagan years, the works of Lou Cannon and Richard Reeves will provide more objective views; i.e. the type of stuff political junkies like myself love to chew on. However, if you are looking for a first person account of a uniquely American story, this memoir will both uplift and inspire.
This book is quintessential Reagan. Missing is the self-adulatory, self-promoting tripe you read in autobiographies. Also, although he was bitterly opposed by "The Establishment," the literati, Hollywood, socialists, communists and the like, there is not an ounce of rancor to be found.
An American Life, despite the fact that it is 700+ pages, is a quick and fairly easy read. In order to obtain a full view of his presidency, I not only recommend this work, and the aforementioned volumes, but also the book that is the compilation of his letters. Far from being the "amiable dunce," you'll discover that "Dutch" was a unique and complex man and we are a better country for having him a part of the body politic for as long as we did.
Ronald Reagan's Autobiography.......2007-01-10
A very good book. Contains much history which either wasn't or couldn't be reported at the time it was happening. Although it is over 700 pages, it was a good and enjoyable book.
a history lesson on the 80's.......2006-11-27
Apart from the first few chapters about his own path to success, the book's an introductory history lesson on the u.s. and international political scene of the 80's. Easy to understand. Reagan explained very clearly on his ratinales behind the things he did. It was like listening to a wise old man telling his story. His international policies, as indicated in the book, made far reaching impacts on the development of world events then and afterwards. A great read. The book lets me understand this great man more and made me remember him more.
The Great Communicator Writes Too!.......2006-02-17
The Great Communicator has done it again! "An American Life" takes the reader from his birth in Tampico, Illinois to the return to California with mission accomplished. Ronald Reagan earned the moniker "The Great Communicator" for his ability to reach an audience. "An American Life" proves that he could do it in ink too. His writing is direct, easy to follow and engaging. The theme of the book is the optimistic world view of the Reagan we knew. There is little introspection. Reagan knew what he believed and told it with gusto! Many of the stories are ones with which we are familiar. This book is the Gipper's exposition of his belief in family values and the individual. The readers are drawn into the issues which defined the Reagan Administration.
As a frequent traveler in Reagan's native region in Northern Illinois, I found the narratives of his youth in Galesburg and Dixon and his years at Eureka College to be particularly interesting. The reader follows Reagan to Iowa and on to California. The sections on Reagan's years in Hollywood give the reader an insight into the movie world. The chapters on Reagan's involvement with the Screen Actors' Guild focus on his opposition to Communist domination of the industry.
Reagan's years in California politics are related with may of the stories we have heard, such as the student protesters who entered his office to tell him that his generation could not understand them because he did not grow up with the modern conveniences, to which he replied that his generation had invented them.
Reagan tells of his conversion, which began with the General Electric tour in the 1950s, from a liberal Democrat to a conservative Republican and from a reluctant candidate to an enthusiastic agent of destiny. From a reluctant governor, Reagan matured to a candidate who sought the presidency, not to be somebody, but to do something.
In the sections on his presidential years, Reagan goes through the issues, such as tax reductions, the military buildup, Supreme Court appointments, Middle Eastern diplomacy and Soviet relations. The exhilaration of the return of hostages contrasts with the pain of the return of bodies and disasters, such as the Challenger. Reagan's dealings with the Soviets pulled his car up and down the roller coaster of emotions.
On these pages we are made privy to turning points, such as his refusal to run for vice-president in 1976, Ford's refusal to run for veep in 1980, and the considerations involved in decisions dealing with SDI. His relationship with Margaret Thatcher is seen as one of the crucial partnerships of the Twentieth Century.
"An American Life" lacks the analysis of Dinesh D'Souza's "Reagan: How an Ordinary Man Became An Extraordinary Leader" (see my amazon review), but in it the Gipper tells his story. D'Souza says that an ordinary man became an extraordinary leader. In "An American Life" an ordinary man has written an extraordinary book.
Interesting reading.......2005-12-13
This autobiography is interesting reading indeed, in that Ronald Reagan was a very fascinating person and his life certainly amazign in every aspect. I hesitate to give it a raving review and more than 3 stars, as it doesnt seem to fully live up to the subject matter. It lacks analysis and sophistication, but is still worth a read.
Average customer rating:
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