Book Description

Reviews (6)

THE BEST REAGAN PHOTO BOOK BY FAR
James Spada has done extraordinary photo research for this book, uncovering many photographs among the nearly 300 in the book that will be new to even the most die-hard Reagan followers. The text is elegantly written, lively, and informative. If you want to have one photo album to remember Ronald Reagan by, this one hsould be it!

Heavy on the Style, Skimpy on the Substance
This book is the perfect illustration of Ronald Reagan. Give the people lots of pretty pictures to look at and keep them distracted from the deficiency of intelligent thought. Heavy on style yet skimpy on substance. If you want to celebrate the shallowness that was Ronald Reagan, then this is a good book for you.

Like Family Album!
I got this book on my birthday, which is on February 7, one day later that of Ronald Reagan himself. I am amazed how James Spada got all those pictures in this one volume book. I am amazed at his comments. You got the feeling that he was next to him. President's assassination attempt and his Golden State retirements pictures are also here. BUT BE ADVISED: Unlike other books, this are BLACK AND WHITE pictures. If you are looking for the color pictures, go and buy 'REMEMBERING REAGAN' and 'UNGUARDED MOMENTS.'You will be able to compensate the color phenomenon. I would like to see another book like this one but only in color pictures. All in all, the book is great and the author should be recognized for his efforts. I hope he will start another project and we shall see the color one. You won't be upset as you will see wonderful pictures of President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan.

Absolutely Delightful!
What a refreshing look at our country's most admired President. After enduring the past 8 years of efforts by the former administration to demoralize family values, I am rejuvenated to see the wonderful photos and read the narratives. There is once again optimism that the Bush family will be the ones who will bring honor and pride to our White House and First Family. The book is a perfect collection of photos showing the geniuine love and respect for families and marriage, as exists with the Reagans. We have been fortunate enough to see Pres. Reagan during campaigns and in Washington, and want our grandchildren to learn more about this wonderful man. I purchased a copy for our grandson, and after receiving it-looked through it, and quickly ordered another copy for our own home.

Outstanding!!
James Spada is brilliant! I have always admired Ronald Reagan, the greatest president of our times! This book offers fantastic pictures, most of which I had never seen before, with many pictures coming fairly recently (within the last few years). I only hope that President Bush will live up to the great conservative standards of former-President Reagan. May God bless Ronald Reagan in the final years of his unbelievably effective life!! ... Read more

Book Description

For a decade, Marlin Fitzwater was White House Press Secretary for Presidents Reagan and Bush, a remarkably long sojourn in that high-pressure post.His longevity was a testament to the unique combination of talents he brought to the job.And his long tenure gave him unparalleled insight into the way the press and the presidency collide in today's Washington. CALL THE BRIEFING is an insightful memoir of the Reagan/Bush years that provides a richly detailed account of both Presidents, their lives, and their power.It is essential reading for students of journalism or politics, those who loved two of our greatest Presidents, or those who admire the life of a remarkable press secretary. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Payback Time
I have read my fair share of political memoirs and to me they always seem to all into one of two categories. It is either the disgruntled guy that maybe did not leave on such good terms who is going to put as much venom as possible into anyone that slightly crossed him during his time in the administration, or it is the guy that thinks the President he served walked on water and is wondering why the American population did not create a monarchy with his President as the King. This book falls into the later category. I am not apposed to these types of books, I tend to like them if I liked the President so I was ok with the authors glowing review of Reagan and Bush. I just wished the author had given us little more meat with his comments. Most of the book reminded me of a rambling conversation you might have with a friend where, at the end, you really do not know what was talked about. One thing did come out very clearly, the author loved working for these two Presidents and there is absolutely no criticism, fair or unfair, within these pages.

The one thing that I did get a little annoyed at was the author's attacks on the Clinton administration. I could understand the comments about the 1992 election and those comments were fair, but what was with the comments of what the Clinton team was doing in 95? These looked to me as nothing else but simple-minded attacks to help a bruised ego. As the book went on into the Bush administration this author started to really tear into the press. On and on he would spout off about the liberal press that was just out to get good old George when maybe the author should have realized that it was the Bush team that was losing focus and was losing the election one day at a time. The author hardly ever admitted that the Bush administration made mistakes; the No New Taxes issue was not even discussed. And as other reviewers here have mentioned, the author did not touch on the two military actions undertaken during the Bush administration. Overall the book was light on new facts, but had some interesting parts about the press and some internal meetings and issues. I could not get past the petty attacks on the Clinton administration and the obsessive mantra about the negative, unfair liberal press.

Outstanding Insider's View of the White House
Fitzwater's book is perhaps one of the finest insiders views of the White House and the White House press corps to ever be published.
Fitzwater details the inner workings of the Reagan White House like none other, including the scandals and how they did not affect the inside of the White House regardless of the pressure from the media. His admiration for Ronald Reagan is palpable in this book, however he's not as favorable to George Bush. While it's clear he personally likes Bush, it's also clear that he did not agree with Bush's policies and the rest of the Bush White House team as much as he seemed to agree with much of the Reagan White House. However, overall the only person to come out of Fitzwater's book looking bad is John Sununu the former Chief of Staff. He comes off as paranoid and really a generally nasty guy.
Fitzwater also writes probably the finest view of why Bush lost the 1992 Presidental race and the bungling inside of the White House that caused it. Unfortunately he avoids writing much about the invasion of Panama and Desert Storm, two of the biggest events of the Bush Presidency. Fitzwater rationalizes this by stating many other books will be written on those two events, however I would liked to have known how he handled it in terms of the briefings and the announcement of the invasion of Panama and the beginning of Desert Storm.
Overall, this is a fine book and should be read by anyone who wants an insider's view of what the Washington Press Corps and their relationship with the White House is really like as well as anyone interested in how Bush managed to turn huge popularity raitings during and after Desert Storm into a political defeat in 1992.

Riveting Tale of Real-Life Politics
"Call the Briefing" by Marlin Fitzwater puts you inside the White House. The reader is brought right to the Podium, fielding questions from a voracious Press Corps ready to do almost anything for a story. And you are there with the President and the Cabinet, discussing strategy and estimating every action's media reaction.It was hard to put this book down. You meet the very idealistic Ronald Reagan and the very professional George H. W. Bush through the eyes of the man who served a Press Secretary in both Administrations. Mr. Fitzwater's longevity in that position attests to his skill at working with the White House insiders and the news media.

Many of the events covered are specific to the Reagan and Bush days, but you also experience the many duties of the White House Press Secretary in any Administration, a role that could give ulcers to almost anyone. This gave me a real appreciation of the "24/7" crises White House Staff in any Administration, must battle every day.I especially liked Mr. Fitzwater's writing, honed through years of experience. I liked his ability to paint events in a terse yet rich way. All the journeys of Marlin Fitzwater come alive, starting as a farm boy in Abeliene, Kansas and a reporter and editor in small-town Kansas newspapers.

Although he had originally wanted a career as a journalist, his opportunity came on the other side of the podium, handling public relations at Government agencies. Mr. Fitzwater got his baptism by fire at the Environmental Protection Agency, handling the hot potato of the Three Mile Island Nuclear leak. For better or worse, it is the news media which ultimately decides what is news and how that news is presented to the public. But their power is even greater than we perceive. They can choose to make any particular event, such as a Presidential Speech, front-page headline news or bury it on the Obituary page.

Mr. Fitzwater handled his dual challenge very well: to communicate the Administration's activities in the most favorable light, and at the same time building trust among the White House Press Corps by being fair and honest. One sees the successes, such as the Summit Meetings held by both Presidents Reagan and Bush with Premiere Gorbachev of the Soviet Union. And you see the bad times, such as the unfortunate illnesses suffered by Mr. Bush at Camp David and again in Japan, which caused many people to question his ability to finish his term. The reader also learns about the successes and failures of the Movers and Shakers in the White House, from Caspar Weiberger and Iran-Contra to the rise and fall of the autocratic Chief of Staff John Sununu. And of course the Media are happy to make a story at anyone's expense.

Definitely five stars, and recommended for anyone who wants to know more about what happens in White House and how it affects the Nation.

Riveting Tale of Real Politics
"Call the Briefing" by Marlin Fitzwater puts you inside the White House. The reader is brought right to the Podium, fielding questions from a voracious Press Corps ready to do almost anything for a story. And you are there with the President and the Cabinet, discussing strategy and estimating every action's media reaction.It was hard to put this book down. You meet the very idealistic Ronald Reagan and the very professional George H. W. Bush through the eyes of the man who served a Press Secretary in both Administrations. Mr. Fitzwater's longevity in that position attests to his skill at working with the White House insiders and the news media.

Many of the events covered are specific to the Reagan and Bush days, but you also experience the many duties of the White House Press Secretary in any Administration, a role that could give ulcers to almost anyone. This gave me a real appreciation of the "24/7" crises White House Staff in any Administration, must battle every day.I especially liked Mr. Fitzwater's writing, honed through years of experience. I liked his ability to paint events in a terse yet rich way. All the journeys of Marlin Fitzwater come alive, starting as a farm boy in Abeliene, Kansas and a reporter and editor in small-town Kansas newspapers.

Although he had originally wanted a career as a journalist, his opportunity came on the other side of the podium, handling public relations at Government agencies. Mr. Fitzwater got his baptism by fire at the Environmental Protection Agency, handling the hot potato of the Three Mile Island Nuclear leak. For better or worse, it is the news media which ultimately decides what is news and how that news is presented to the public. But their power is even greater than we perceive. They can choose to make any particular event, such as a Presidential Speech, front-page headline news or bury it on the Obituary page.

Mr. Fitzwater handled his dual challenge very well: to communicate the Administration's activities in the most favorable light, and at the same time building trust among the White House Press Corps by being fair and honest. One sees the successes, such as the Summit Meetings held by both Presidents Reagan and Bush with Premiere Gorbachev of the Soviet Union. And you see the bad times, such as the unfortunate illnesses suffered by Mr. Bush at Camp David and again in Japan, which caused many people to question his ability to finish his term. The reader also learns about the successes and failures of the Movers and Shakers in the White House, from Caspar Weiberger and Iran-Contra to the rise and fall of the autocratic Chief of Staff John Sununu. And of course the Media are happy to make a story at anyone's expense.

Definitely five stars, and recommended for anyone who wants to know more about what happens in White House and how it affects the Nation. ... Read more

Book Description

"I held my breath until they gave the gunman's name. I was afraid it was my son." This letter and others like it from anxious parents reached Jack and Jo Ann Hinckley after their son John shot President Reagan and three other men in 1981.

Ironically, the Hinckleys had no such fears. They had never recognized the danger signs in John's "typical" childhood. "A terrifying account of the unpredictability with which serious mental illness strikes...If out of the Hinckley's tragedy a better public awareness of the reality of mental illness results, then their suffering...will not have been in vain." --John A. Talbott, M.D., President, American Psychiatric Association ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Surprisingly good!
Thought this one would be dull but it's incredibly interesting, the story of an average American family and the trials of discovering their son's mental illness. Worth reading!

A true account of the misery these illnesses bring us.
I read this book in 88 after my son was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and so much is similar to what I have lived. My husband and my other son did not understand why I was protecting him, they were reacting like thedoctors the Hinkleys have seen before everything broke loose. I knew he wassick, and I did what Mrs Hinkley did. We have progressed in the field ofmental illness, but there is still so much to be done. I wish all parentsof mentally disabled people could share their pain. Go to A.M.I.' I knowthis not a true review of the book, but the book is a true review of thepain we suffer. Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts with others. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A good read...but not much new here
First, let me start off by saying that Anne Edwards "Early Reagan" is one of my favorite books about Reagan. Her latest, The Reagans: Portrait of a Marriage" is a good read but there really isn't much new information Reagan fans and scholars don't already know about these remarkable people. My biggest criticism of this book is that I believe Edwards overdoes the old stereotype that Nancy wore the pants and was the brains behind the man and his rise to power and what a dragon lady she was. Parts of the book are very unfair, in my opinion, to Nancy and come pretty close to doing a hack job. In that regard, it's disappointing. Still, Edwards knows her subjects very well and the book is very easy to read and uncluttered. The last chapter does bring the story of Reagan's life up to date with his struggle with Alzheimers. Overall, a good read about two fascinating people and their loving relationship. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Insightful view of presidency from first lady's perspective
Heard the taped version of my turn: the memoirs of Nancy Reagan . . . I never followed her career too closely, when she was the first lady, though I do recall she was always involved in a lot of controversy . . . now I can see why . . . it was interesting to read her version of why she consulted an astrologer, about her feud with Ronald Reagan, etc. . . . what comes though loud and clear: her passionate love for the president . . . I particularly liked the fact that she did the actual narration . . . in addition, I admire her ability to admit her mistakes.

Just for the record...
Mrs Reagan makes no apology for this personal partisan expose of her life.This is as the title states HER turn to tell Nancy's side of the story which she does with candour,regret,humour a slight bitterness and a little sadness.Her love and devotion to her husband and their marriage stands out above everything including a candid admission that between the two of them they could have been better parents.Despite their closeness Nancy adamantly refutes any suggestion she was a power behind the throne or weilded great influence on her husband "otherwise Don Regan would have been dismissed much earlier than he was".Neither does she make apology for giving Ronnie unwelcome opinions about policy and personalities in the administration.Anyone sleeping with the leader of the free world is going to put in their sixpence worth and no mistake.But does that mean he takes the advice? Probably not.

She also makes no bones about people she disagreed with and her meetings with Raisa Gorbachev bear testimont to an ability to carry on regardless.You go girl! What other similar situations did she leave out I wonder.Her opinions of Roslyn Carter were interesting and uncatty,considering the circumstances both women deserve a medal for their restraint. I read this book by chance soon after the joint briefly worded statement from Mr & Mrs Reagan about the Presidents illness was announced to the world, "...for me personally it is the start of a long goodbye..." so tried not to let this affect my views. Nancy Reagan admits to a faults on her part and actions she regretted but I was pleasantly surprised about this revealing biography of a public person who had been vilified in the press for doing what she did best,trying to protect the interests of the dearest person in her life. Would that most of us could say the same.

Book was unsincere and defensive
Nancy Reagan's book lacked sincerity, and the tone was perceived to be highly defensive of the charges against her. The book was critical of certain individuals whom Mrs. Reagan fought with. I recommend that readers read what Mrs. Reagan had to say, and the other books by Patti Davis and others from the Reagan administration in order to make a fair evaluation of the contents of the book.

What a crock
What the world needs is another book by someone valueless and elitist. Here it is. A story told by the woman who brought bourgeois society to the White House while people were starving all over the world. I guess since she doesn't eat, she thinks nobody else need to either. One of the worst people of the twentieth century talking about one of the darkest times of the twentieth century, Reagan's Presidency. Goes to show that even a hatemonger can find the perfect mate. Hey, does anybody know if Eva Braun ever wrote a memoir?

the most self-defeating book of its time
Nancy Reagan does all she can to defuse the negative images of herself by telling her real story in the white house, but for most readers she ends up only reinforcing their negative impressions. She has a huge list of grudges to work through, and strikes back at endless people who she had conflicts with, including her own children. Kitty Kelley, who did her best to paint Nancy in the worst light in her bio, concluded in the end that of all the kiss-and-tell books that embarrassed the Reagan administration, this one was the most damaging... and she may be right. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When Ronald Reagan won the Republican nomination for governor of California in 1966, The New York Times called the GOP's decision "against all counsels of common sense and political prudence." That comment probably deserves to go down in history as one of the most spectacularly wrong political assessments ever to appear in a newspaper. As historian Matthew Dallek writes in The Right Moment, his account of Reagan's campaign against Democratic governor Pat Brown, "Ronald Reagan redefined politics like no one since Franklin Roosevelt." The future president's "stunning, out-of-nowhere victory," in which he beat Brown by nearly a million votes, altered the course of American politics for at least a generation: it signaled liberalism's descent into the fatal politics of 1970s McGovernism, announced the rebirth of the conservative movement out of the ashes of Barry Goldwater's crushing defeat two years earlier, and foreshadowed Reagan's greater accomplishments on the national stage.

Before becoming governor, Reagan faced the formidable challenge of persuading mainstream voters that an affable actor could indeed perform effectively as a chief executive. But an even trickier task, in Dallek's telling, was how Reagan rescued the conservative movement from its own extremist elements. There was, for instance, the John Birch Society, a right-wing organization whose thousands of members would form a part of any successful conservative coalition, but whose leaders believed in the plainly absurd idea that President Eisenhower was a Communist agent. Reagan at once had to harness this group's energies and keep his distance from its nuttier beliefs. This he accomplished with a deftly written one-page statement repudiating some of what the group's leaders had alleged and courting their followers at the same time. By zeroing in on this half-forgotten episode of Reagan's career, Dallek shows how the consequences of one election can reverberate throughout the years. This book is almost as much about Pat Brown as it is about Ronald Reagan--fans of Ronald Radosh's Divided They Fell, for instance, will surely enjoy that aspect of it--but most readers will be drawn to The Right Moment for its detailed chronicle of how Reagan got his start in politics. --John J. Miller ... Read more

Reviews (12)

the right man at the right moment
I have one minor quibble with this book: its slightly misleading title. On the one hand, it concisely captures the book's thesis (that Ronald Reagan came at just the right time, capitalizing on political trends over which he had no control) while also cleverly playing on conservative-right. But on the other, I can't help thinking that it was so titled and subtitled in order to advertise its Reagan content and sell more books. For although this book is about Ronald Reagan and the rise of conservatism, it is equally about Pat Brown and the decline of liberalism.

Nevertheless, this is a solid book. It isn't extraordinarily or imaginatively written, but it flows and reads very, very well, especially for an academic-type work. Dallek treats all sides, left and right, fairly and objectively, criticizing and praising both as necessary. The book takes us into the rapidly changing world of the mid-1960s, where things were tamer than 1968 but hints of what was to come were evident. Vietnam was only beginning to rise as a divisive issue, and in 1966, it divided the Democratic party and hurt Brown. The Free Speech Movement at Berkeley didn't reach the levels of chaos that would reign in later years, but it was enough to make Brown look like he didn't have control over the state university system. Race still seethed, with fair housing a major issue after 1963-64, and again, the left split over Brown's handling of it; but worse, the governor pushed a progressive civil rights agenda on a state that wasn't quite ready for it, and the backlash was intense. Race riots broke out in Los Angeles in the summer of 1965, adding to the issues of race and crime. All trends seemed to go against Brown. Events suggested that Brown was an ineffective leader. The left fragmented. And the public at large rejected Brown's liberalism.

Enter Ronald Reagan, whose skills Dallek does not dismiss, to take advantage of these trends. He ran a strong campaign that pushed law-and-order issues (united under the banners of morality and the "Creative Society"), made fewer mistakes than his opponent, and proved to have far more substance and intelligence than detractors had hoped. Still, argues Dallek, it was largely the collapse of liberalism and the rush of events that propelled Reagan. Victory was his, and the groundwork laid for what was to come fourteen years later.

A wonderfully informative book, this functions extremely well when read in tandem with Rick Perlstein's Before the Storm.

(I did find one error. On page 108, William Scranton is parenthetically referred to as "Senator," whereas he was actually governor of Pennsylvania. A small mistake, no doubt overlooked in proofreading.)

a well written piece of history
Being an account of Reagan's rise the book couldn't ignore the man he confronted to become Governor of California: the liberal Democratic Pat Brown searching a third term.
So here we have a breathtaking book where Dallek guides you chapter after chapter through the parallel paths leading the two politicians to their 1966 clash. The chapters dedicated to Brown are useful and interesting because they not only make you familiar with an outstanding figure like Brown but - telling all of his long and succesful political career - they make you acquainted with all the California matters that in the long run will shape Reagan's politic view and will decice in Reagan's favour the 1966 campaign.
Dallek refers lots of meaningful anecdotes and is able to make you understand the personality of all the characters involved in this story. This is a well written and excitingly told piece of history.

Amazing
Matthew Dallek must have put in thousands of hours on research for this wonderful historical account of President Reagan's first race in 1966 for Governor of California. Dallek shows how Reagan's conservatism unseated a 2-term incumbent governor bent on spreading socialist values by emphasizing a few all-important facts. More importantly, this election proved that the fate of Goldwater was not the same fate that awaited ALL conservatives. This is a scholarly and superb look at an election that American conservatives still model today. Excellent read!

It Started Here
This account of Ronald Reagan's first electoral triumph is rather remarkable for its evenhanded approach to Reagan and his opponent in the 1966 California gubernatorial election, Edmund G. "Pat" Brown. Reagan is a polarizing figure for most authors --- from the Leftist chorus that maintains the untenable assertion that he was an "amiable dunce" who got lucky, to those who have penned recent volumes that are more like hagiographies than serious pieces of non-fiction. Titles like Dinesh D'Souza's "Ronald Reagan: How an Ordinary Man Became and Extraordinary Leader" and Peggy Noonan's "When Character was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan" speak for themselves.

Dallek does a superb job of profiling lesser-known political characters like Los Angeles Mayor Sam Yorty and Reagan's "Kitchen Cabinet." His narrative of Watts and Berkeley is succinct and dispassionate, two characteristics that defy the usual cant readers can expect from accounts of the 1960's tumult. The introduction and the epilogue seem hurried; they do not adequately address Reagan's signature impact on the conservative movement or the larger civic debate.

"The Right Moment" stands alongside the works of Lou Cannon in the Reagan literature in terms of its readability, use of primary sources, and latent objectivity.

Good Book About Reagan, Bit Too Much About Pat Brown
Well-written, easy to read with the book being chronologically sequenced. Every Reagan admirer should have this because other books on the "Great Communicator" skim over his '66 gubernatorial election. Bit too much of the book is devoted to Pat Brown, but, don't let this keep you from buying it (currently at a bargain price). ... Read more

Book Description

Volume I includes the "Evil Empire" speech, the InauguralAddress, the 40th anniversary of the U.N., his first public appearanceafter the assassination attempt, the "Economic Bill of Rights" and more!11 Tracks. Run time, 74:54 ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An Interesting Topic & CD.
Ronald Reagan is the first president I knew as a child. I have many memories of him as an icon, including him being shot, but I have so few of him being a political leader. As I have grown up, I have become a political junkie and have become so impressed with both he and Goldwater as abortions of the second half of the twentieth century. This album does a really good job of helping to understand the messenger of a very difficult time. In addition, it also does a great job of contrasting the styles of recent political leaders, and making me realize how the lack of a great cause has effected their Presidential aspirations. I think this is a great CD and one that really is very interesting. If you are interested in Reagan, I would recommend it.

8 years in less than 80 minutes
Excrepts from Ronald Reagan's speeches will guide you through his years in office. From his nomination in 1980 to his farewell address in 1988, this historical compilation offers 11 of his speeches. When Mr. Reagan was President, I was young and in another country. I purchased this audiobook to get a sense of who he was, and what he meant in history. Listening to it made me understand why people say that Reagan returned the pride to Americans. His words are empowering, and while you will be listening to it over a decade later, it still has the power to make you feel energized. On the negative side, the audio goes from one speech to the other with no introduction. By listening to it, you need to figure out what was happening, where he was, and what the date was. The booklet does have dates and some background information on each speech; however, if you are planning to listen to this CD on your commute, you won't be able to read it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A juvenile biography of the key events in Reagan's life
As one of the most recent juvenile biographies of Ronald W. Reagan, this volume by Jean Kinney Williams for the Profiles of the Presidents series is able to deal a bit more with the revelation the former President has Alzheimer's disease. Eventually historians will debate whether the disease affected Reagan during his two terms in the White House, but Williams strikes a different note in this final chapter, citing an inspirational story told by Reagan's daughter Patti Davis and reproducing the first page of Reagan's letter to the nation announcing his disease.

This ending is in keeping with the overall tone of Williams's biography, which focus on Reagan as "the Great Communicator," who was much admired, even by many of his critics.However, the emphasis is more on biographical details than political philosophy.Young readers will know the key foreign policy issues that confronted Reagan, but will not really get a sense of the Reagan brand of Conservatism, although his leadership style is considered (the closest you get is that Reagan was against Communism).Williams provides a solid introductory biography that covers the major periods of Reagan's life, and makes a point of mentioning some key films other than "Knute Rockne-All American" and "Bedtime for Bonzo" (although I am still waiting for one of these juvenile biographies of Reagan to give due consideration to his fine performance in "King's Row").

As with all of the books in this nice little series this profile of Reagan has lots of illustrations; most of them are in color but the editors make a point of often framing old black & white photographs with colored frames.The result is that these books look really nice and the print is large enough to make it easy for young readers to get through the major events in Reagan's life.There is a glossary of key words, a couple of pages that provide Ronald W. Reagan's Life at a Glance, a time line of his life and times, and an index.Along with the Our Presidents series, the Profiles of the Presidents series provides a good introduction for young readers into the lives of the presidents; I just think in this particular instance this volume comes in a close second. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A solid juvenille biography of Ronald Wilson Reagan
Zachary Kent's look at "Ronald Reagan, Fortieth President of the United States" was published the year after he left office, so there is not much here in terms of historical perspective on the Reagan years in the White House.But in terms of providing biographical details on Reagan's long road to the presidency and cataloguing the main issues and accomplishments during his two terms in office, this is a substantial effort geared towards younger students.If anything this book might be more substantial that such students would expect, so it is not necessarily the first juvenile biography of Reagan I would recommend.But once students have read a more concise biography of Reagan to understand the basics, this is where I would send them for more details.

These volumes in the Encyclopedia of Presidents series always begin in media res, and I was curious to see what choice Kent would make for picking one episode in Reagan's life to introduce his biography.Kent's choice is the assassination attempt in which Reagan was wounded on March 30, 1981, just a few months into this first term in office.The episode evidences Reagan's sense of humor and explains how the incident made him a national hero as well as president.But most importantly in setting up how Reagan, having survived an assassin's bullet, would set out to change the course of American history, strongly implies that had he died the world in which we live in would be considerably different.

The first chapters in the book looks at Reagan's boyhood and how he became interested in acting, chronicles how he became a rising star in Hollywood until he called to active duty after America became involved in World War II, and then tells how the actor set the stage for his political career.One of the strengths of this juvenile biography of Reagan is that Kent provides decent coverage of Reagan's film career, more so that most comparable books.The chapter "Reagan of California" begins with Reagan's terms as governor of the state and ends with his defeat of Jimmy Carter in the 1980 election.

The book devotes one chapter apiece to the two terms Reagan served in the White House."The Great Communicator" covers the first term, where Reagan survived the assassination attempt, fired the air traffic controllers, put the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, saw 241 Marines killed in a truck bombing in Beirut, landed troops on the island of Grenada, and made jelly beans popular again.If you lived through those years you can see that Kent has all of the major events of those four years covered."One More for the Gipper" details Reagan's second term, which saw the United States retaliate against Libya for the bombing of a West Berlin nightclub, Reagan face cancer surgery, the "Challenger" explosion, the Iran-Contra affair, and meets with new Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev.Again, the major events and issues of the period are covered.

My one complaint about this book is that because the subject is so recent, the editors were able to find private and public photographs to go with just about everything Kent covers in his narrative (there are pictures of both John Hinkley and Jodie Foster, for example, in discussing the assassination attempt).Consequently, this Encyclopedia of Presidents volume is rather unique in the series because it does not contain one editorial cartoon.This is unfortunate because I do not think anything better captures the idea of the "Teflon President" or Reagan as the "Acting" President than a choice editorial cartoon.But this regret is also because there have been such marvelous examples of the art form in previous volumes.Still, Kent has provided an informative biography on Reagan to which you students can term in doing research on the president or the issues that defined his administrations.

Kids Book?
While this is a book geared towards kids, I found it very useful in my studies on the life and times of Ronald Reagan, perhaps one of the greatest Presidents the United States has ever seen. I was surprised to see that it was a book for children, particularly because of the strong examples and hard-to-understand (for kids) scenarios and events. Overall, this book was great and I recommend to anyone (kids and adults alike) looking to increase their knowledge and awareness of Ronald Reagan, the Great Communicator. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Reagan Years
Darv Johnson's insightful Reagan biography is a wonderful reasource for anyone writing a paper on that president, or even anyone with even the slightest interest in American history or politics. Unbiased and informative this book stands an unparalleled reasource to all who take the time to read it. Excellent.

Worst children's book ever
Written with a liberally conservative bias, aggrandizing the man who was president rather than providing any useful or substantive information about events that transpired during his tenure of office.

Brilliant
Darv Johnson may have written the greatest biography ever. Period. His book on Reagan is objective and brilliant

Brilliant
Darv Johnson may have written the greatest biography ever. Period. His book on Reagan is objective and brilliant ... Read more

Book Description

Domestic programs and foreign policies--and the man himself--explored in almost a hundred articles and essays, with expert commentary. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Balanced, Thoughtful Collection
Unlike some of the popular works on Reagan, which are all too often uncritically fawning (Peggy Noonan, Dinesh D'Souza) or overly polemical and extremely critical (Haynes Johnson), Paul Boyer's collection of speeches, articles and essays presents a wonderfully balanced and fair look at Reagan. An excellent text.

An unbiased look at President Reagan...
*Reagan As President* is one of the few worksabout Ronald Reagan that is written without bias. Though the book is a collection of close to 100 articles and essays that were written by various propents and opponents of the Reagan Presidency, its purpose is to compare different thoughts and ideas. In the beginning of each section, Paul Boyer gives a brief history on the covered topic and then allows the writers to present their views. At the time of the book's publication, Boyer was Merle Curti Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin and a senior member of the Institute for the Research in the Humanities at the school. His work is written in a scholarly manner and will undoubtedly be used as a reference for historians in the years to come. Though not written in a chronological manner, *Reagan As President* begins with Boyer's recount of the 1980 campaign and election, which is followed by the president-elect's acceptance speech at the Republican National Con! vention and Reagan's first innaugural address. The book then covers articles critiquing the Reagan Era, to include the president's persona, his second election victory, economic and tax policies, welfare and the poor, national defense, the Iran-Contra Scandal, Central America and Reagan's relationship and attitudes toward the Soviet Union.For the student of the Reagan Presidency, Paul Boyer's work will eliminate hours of research. Key issues are presented by reprints of various leading journalists and writers of many different newspapers and other media. For the interested reader, *Reagan as President* provides an exellent comprehensive one-stop reading.

An unbiased look at President Reagan...
*Reagan As President* is one of the few worksabout Ronald Reagan that is written without bias. Though the book is a collection of close to 100 articles and essays that were written by various propents and opponents of the Reagan Presidency, its purpose is to compare different thoughts and ideas. In the beginning of each section, Paul Boyer gives a brief history on the covered topic and then allows the writers to present their views. At the time of the book's publication, Boyer was Merle Curti Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin and a senior member of the Institute for the Research in the Humanities at the school. His work is written in a scholarly manner and will undoubtedly be used as a reference for historians in the years to come. Though not written in a chronological manner, *Reagan As President* begins with Boyer's recount of the 1980 campaign and election, which is followed by the president-elect's acceptance speech at the Republican National Con! vention and Reagan's first innaugural address. The book then covers articles critiquing the Reagan Era, to include the president's persona, his second election victory, economic and tax policies, welfare and the poor, national defense, the Iran-Contra Scandal, Central America and Reagan's relationship and attitudes toward the Soviet Union.For the student of the Reagan Presidency, Paul Boyer's work will eliminate hours of research. Key issues are presented by reprints of various leading journalists and writers of many different newspapers and other media. For the interested reader, *Reagan as President* provides an exellent comprehensive one-stop reading. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wisdom, Humor, But Most of All, Ronald Reagan
This book is a collection of quotations from Ronald Reagan, most of which consist of one or two paragraphs lifted from speeches given during his political career. The quotations are interspersed with pictures of the Reagan we know. The quotations are organized by topic into 8 sections.

Although containing a few memorable phrases such as "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!", the true substance of this book is to be found in the enduring values reiterated repeatedly by Ronald Reagan over his political career. From his earliest days as Governor, Reagan warned us that freedom is never more than a generation from extinction and that it must be fought for and defended by each generation. His faith in the creative powers of individual people shines through on these pages. Again and again we are reminded that America is the last, best hope of mankind, the shining city on the hill and that its best days lie ahead. One haunting irony is a jest from his 83rd Birthday party in 1994, only months before the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: "I'm not one for looking back. I figure there will be plenty of time for that when I get old!"

This book contains three speeches substantially in their entirety. The first to be presented is the stirring address to the nation the night of the Challenger tragedy. We are reminded that our President pledged that: "We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them." The book concludes with a beginning and an ending of a public career. The career begins with the rousing 1964 speech for Barry Goldwater which propelled Reagan to national prominence and is completed by the heart touching 1992 farewell to the Republican party.

While reading these pages, the reader learns to appreciate the deeply held beliefs which formed Ronald Reign's vision of the world. This vision can serve as a guide for our own lives and helps us to recognize that the speaker truly was the Last Lion of the Twentieth Century.

Good Book for reference.
If you can't find enough quotes from Bartletts on ronald Reagan then this is a good you may need. Includes "The Speech" and his speech at The 1992 RNC, as well as his letter to the nation annoucing he has Altzheimers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frances FitzGerald (Fire in the Lake) offers a history of the politics surrounding American antiballistic missile technology. She focuses most of her account, appropriately, on President Reagan's efforts to establish a Strategic Defense Initiative (popularly known as "Star Wars") to provide the United States with umbrella-like protection from nuclear attack. FitzGerald, like many of her fellow Reagan detractors, is relentlessly critical of this initiative. Her book, in fact, is partly a psychobiography of the 40th president. She makes the familiar claim that Reagan's acting career had a profound effect on how he governed. Yet she takes it a step further by arguing that specific movies had a deep influence on his political decisions. "SDI was surely Reagan's greatest triumph as an actor-storyteller," she writes, and goes on to suggest that Reagan was favorably disposed to spending billions on ABM technology because, in the 1940 film Murder in the Air, he played a secret agent assigned to protect a new weapon "capable of paralyzing electrical currents and destroying all enemy planes in the air."

Although much of Way Out There in the Blue covers recent history, the controversial debate over missile defense continues today. An epilogue covers developments in the 1990s and mentions a pair of successful tests that occurred in 1999. Yet FitzGerald remains a skeptic, believing a workable ABM system is too complex, too expensive, and too easy to defeat. Conservatives will chafe at her condescending appraisal of Reagan; liberals will appreciate her aggressive attacks on a defense strategy they have never liked. --John J. Miller ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Thank God for the US Congress!
Reading this book, my overriding thought was, "Thank God for the Balance of Powers!"

It is not a big national security secret that Ronald Reagan is a likeable guy. Despite what other reviewers imply, I did not get the impression that FitzGerald dislikes the former president or is out to belittle or poke fun at him. In places, her portrait of the man is even endearing. Where she does point out his shortcomings, she uses documented quotations from those who worked in the Reagan White House or on his campaigns. I can't see how that is controversial, especially since all of the critical comments she relates are from conservatives.

Reagan may have had a hands-off management style, but clearly he was a shrewd politician. As an actor, he knew the power of image, and how to use it. Reagan also had a genius for making the small move that gave big returns, like the "impromptu" fireside chat at Geneva with Gorbachev. FitzGerald relates these events but underplays Reagan's good moves and emphasizes his disinterest in policy and micromanagment. Carter micromanaged and I can't say America was better for it.

It's interesting to me that the reviews here are of a piece with the on going debate over military and nuclear strategy. Some claim that FitzGerald doesn't know the subject. FitzGerald herself often claims that many of the principal policy makers in the story didn't know the subject. The game rule seems to be that anyone who doesn't share your opinion doesn't know what he or she is talking about and is a radical of the opposite camp.

Of the cast of characters, the US Congress, particularly Sen. Sam Nunn and Rep. Les Apin come off best. On the White House team, George Shultz appears as a reasonable and decent man, probably the best of the bunch. Cap Weinberger seems an insecure bulldog who doesn't think much for himself. Paul Nitze is more human than I remember him. Richard Perle, well, is Richard Perle; and Bill Casey is the American Brezhnev: an old Cold Warrior who was not keeping up with the times. Lastly, George Bush is largely quiet and off camera (doing God knows what).

In retrospect all this blather about arms control came to naught. The Soviet Union imploded from its own dead economic weight. It had nothing to do with the arms race.

SDI would have been no help on September 11th. Nor would it be any help against chemical or biological weapons. (Ironically, Reagan gave $300 million, arms and training to the dogs that returned to bite America's hand: the Afghan mujaheddin, and their leader Osama Bin Laden. So much for defense.)

My opinion (fwiw): SDI is a boondoggle. Still is. It will never stop a terrorist. It will only stop domestic programs, create budget deficits and (listen up you conservatives!) cause Congress to raise our taxes to pay for it (for which Bush, Sr. was denied re-election). The only real reason I can see to support SDI is if you are a defense contractor. Profit is good, but let's be honest about our motives.

The book is timely for today, as the Bush Jr. administration replays Reagan's best scenes.

Despite all the naysayers, I give this book 5 stars, as a well researched, respectful, thought-provoking rehash of the Reagan years and how a nation had its chain pulled in the name of the Strategic Defense Initiative.

First-rate scholarship and second-rate understanding
The major merits of Fitzgreald's dense tome is that it undeniably calls to attention perhaps the most blatantly misguided policy of the Reagan years--SDI, "Star Wars", the anti-nuclear missile defense system that cost the taxpayers billions and failed to deliver. Reagan partially concieved and spearheaded the admirable goal of breaking the deadlock MAD [mutually assured destruction] had on U.S.-Soviet relations. Despite Reagan's vision, or maybe because of it, SDI was an unmitigated failure. Fitzgerald highlights Reagan's hands-off approach to his cabinet, which lead to massive problems and came close to destroying his reputation when Iran-Contra broke. Why, then, with such a tight grasp of these particular concepts and the researched facts to back them up, is Fitzgerald's book less than perfect?
For one thing, the reader doesn't get the whole story on a number of points. Had Fitzgerald restricted her focus entirely to SDI the book would be nearly flawless. However, she's intent on showing how Reagan's dedication to SDI is related to other less-than-perfect incidents in his administration. And so we get the financial wiz-kid and architect of the miserable supply-side "Reaganomics" David Stockman being portrayed as a hapless bystander to Reagan's barrage of indifference (Lou Cannon demonstrates otherwise). Don Regen is shown to be screwed over by Reagan's indifference (Edmund Morris sets the record straight in this regard). Sure, Reagan did often give off the impression of indifference, whether or not he was so. It is simplifaction to say that Reagan just didn't care, though.
The intense, limited scope of Fitzgerald's research shows through in other areas. Henry Kissinger's seemingly irrational support of SDI makes no sense without knowledge of Nixon's Safeguard plan in the 70s, where Nixon and Kissinger--much like some of Reagan's aids hoped to do with SDI--started an ABM system program in order to bargain it away with the Soviets.

Fitzgerald's work is valuable but only in context with other works studying Reagan and his legacy. The casual reader interested in the how and why of Reagan should look elsewhere and come back here only after learning more background.

Me think Book good
Me think book good. LIberals smart, conservatives dumb, me think liberals better then Regan, stoopid Regan, not smart like liBarels, Francies Fitsjerald smart, jest like cuzzin in Arkansaw who maried sister, liBiarals smart.

Poorly written and ideologically biased
Of all the books written on the Reagan administration, this one may be one of the worst. Poorly written with excessive attention to detail that makes the story plod, it makes one wonder if Frances Fitzgerald was a one hit wonder. Fitzgerald's portrayal of Reagan as out of step with reality - starting with the book title and included throughout its content - is less of a description of reality and more, I suspect, the blowing off of ideological steam. If you despise Reagan and think he was a dunderhead this book will do more than reinforce those beliefs. If you want an intelligent and useful discussion of the Reagan Administration and its foreign policy walk right past this one.

Disillusionment
The JCS would never accept an arms reduction without a space defense program. The JCS goal was keep SDI in research avoiding deployment and increase interceptor missile deployment. The doctrine of deterrence would could through the twenth century.

The Reagan administration gave the Bush administration an unique opportunity to reduce arms. The Bush administration did not continue the Reagan administrations views on foreign policy with Gorbachev. The Bush administration would stop and the continuation of the Reagan summits ceased and Bush would contemplate the previous administrations philosophy and direction with disagreement. The Bush administration would take a broad interpretation of the ABM. The transition between the Reagan and the Bush administration would treat the ARM reduction opportunity like a hostile take over, replacing Shultz and Weinberger with Bush people, and resume deterrence buildup policy. Bush's differed in his view of foreign policy, not willing to take Reagan's hardline position. Bush felt Reagan's hardline rhethoric was offensive to the Soviet leadership. Reagan had openly challenged Gorbachev on issues of human rights condemning the violence. Reagan called the Soviet Union the "evil empire". Reagan's hardline position postured the United States as one of military strength, 3 to 4 percent increases for SDI, and a estimated cost of 1.6 trillion dollars to deploy SDI; inconsistency in reporting and engineering feasiblity of the chemical and X-Ray laser brightness (Daniel Graham and Teller) as a military weapon; economic drives to reduce military spending, balance the budget, and reduce inflation. Reagan's NORAD vision prompted his to dream of a defensive system capable of making the Soviet ICBM impotent eliminating the potential of first strike. Reagan realized "Mutal Assured Destruction" did not stop a first strike response, it only deterred; and with the Soviets considering the possiblity of winning a nuclear war, defensive missile systems needed to be engineered and deployed immediately. Moscow media was warning of the possiblity of U.S first strike. The fear was caused more by a pattern of military buildup than an particular doctrine. The nuclear arms races of the cold war positioned the U.S in a potential first strike position. ARM reduction talks were a mandatory must.

Gorbachev as General Secretary was considered trustworthy, known as "incorruptable and courageous", by Soviet leadership too secure Soviet communist interests and start reform leading too social and economic structural revolution of the soviet union paving a pathway for Marxist views of property rights, freedom of press and speech, primary elections, openings for foreign investment and transplating of foreign companies, free markets and free trade, and the arms reduction. Gorbachev would raise to the status and power of President. Boris Yeltsin was critical of Gorbachev. Gorbachev would not be able to break from Russia's totalitarian past. Yeltsin would be eventually elected as president. Yeltsin would struggle with reform against the hardliners and failing expectations of previous era's. Yeltsin would face the struggle to a market economy: failure of taxation, hyper inflation shock to lifting price controls, and problems with stablizing privatization.
Gorbachev received a standing obviation from the U.N. after a fifteen year soviet absence caused by Brezhnev condemning speech against the U.N. Gorbachev seemed different from other Soviet leadership and Margret Thatcher seemed to agree. Gorbachev return to the U.N signals a change in Soviet strategy. The strategy did not deviate from the goal of world domination.
Gorbachev proposed an unique idea, "the complete destruction of all nuclear weapons by 2000" and social change for the Soviet Union. This vision would make Gorbachev, man of the year, according to Times news. The reduction of 50,000 missiles. Was the offer pragmatic and realistic? Reagan never did buy into a 100 percent arms reduction nor believe in negotiate from a position of weakness. Reagan had forced the confrontation by building up the NATO missile arsenal.
The soviet military economy was bankrupt and the financial drain at a crisis level, social change was inevitable: the actual missile growth rate was lower than Soviet Analyst had originally reported, Soviet satelite terrorities conflicts could not be assured intervention, and Gorbachev would start Perestroika changing the face of communism. "Perestroika stimulate human initiative and creativity within the Leninist/Stalinist paradigm." Reagan exploited this weakeness and put the U.S in an unique negotiating position.
Reagan spoke to students at the Moscow University telling them they were part of a great change in their country and had the responsibility to ensure the change was successful. The U.S Soviet talks started at the same time: the Iran-Contra scandal with North and Ponidexter (arms/drugs for hostages); and the Chernobyl disaster forcing the evacuation of a hundred thousand people.
Reagan, Collin Powell, and Shultz formed a tight negiotating team advising Reagan on tactics and strategy during talks with Gorbachev. Shultz work with Sheverdnadze opened up allowed talks to open between the two countries. Powell was very aware of Gorbachev's skill in debate and couched Reagan on counter tactics: more one on one private discussion, type double space notes for Reagan to follow, and maintaining control of the conversation. Gorbachev was a tough negiotator, who knew his facts and Soviet interests and he came prepared and should not be under-estimated.

Reagan hardline rhetoric, love for America, and empathy put him one of the most unique negotiating positions in the world history: the position of achieve a realistic arms reduction. Eventually, Gorbachev would propose over a 1400 soviet missile and 429 U.S missile reduction and the beginning of START and condition SDI to stay in research phase only. The proposal could not be accepted. SDI research would continue through the Bush administration into the Clinton administration. The Clinton administration would provide the greatest chances for SDI deployment. Other deteriant missile types were conceived, such as small and light smart missile providing a defensive shield from space that cost hundreds of thousand of dollars rather than millions. The greatest challenge to the ABM technology was that Soviets missile changed from liquid fuel to solid fuel causing and increased variance in speed, obsoleting missile interceptor technology. Continual adaptions in Soviet missile technology threaten the security confidence.

The nuclear threat has not gone away. Topol M under the ABM treaty again challenges our perception of a defensive shield against an adaptive missile technology capable of confusing satelite tracking and mid flight navigational variation designed to avoid destruction by ground interceptor missiles. The need for defensive missile is as real today as in Reagan's era.

Other personality discussed in the Book were Jeanne Kirkpatrick, Weinberger, Meese, and Baker. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

nice coffee-table book
Book with beautiful photos. Simple, short historic text. No deep thoughts and very brief quotes from the president, but makes the award-winning author of "Dutch" look like an idiot. This writer with basic research could figure out Reagan. He may have been complex, but so is every president. The book shares interesting info. as it quickly looks over his life. Bought it for a friend, but found it enjoyable reading and had to jump on Amazon to get my own copy. If you love books, shopping this site can be too much of a temptation. -RM ... Read more