Reviews (2)

Not a bad book, but not what it seems
About three quarters of the way through this book, I was ready to throw it out the window. I am biased on the issue of Ronald Reagan, I am a huge fan of his. I wasn't angry just because the book was mostly in criticism of Reagan, but I didn't like that it showed more bad than good, and I think that that is unfair. However, after reading through the whole book (an encouraged practice before making a judgement, and writing a review), I found that, while I believe that Kenneth Walsh is anti-Reagan, he did an okay job of portraying the good side of Reagan as well, but by no means sufficient. I don't think that this book is what it says it is: an unbiased portrait of the Reagan legacy; but rather, a censure in disguise.

Short and to the point. Great read!
Mr. Walsh presents the information well and tells both sides (good and bad) about one of the most influencial presidents of this century. I read this book within hours and learned a tremendous amount of information. ... Read more

Book Description

Laham argues that Reagan's civil rights policy was determined not by any political desire the president may have had to play the race card, but rather by his own commitment to colorblind justice and limited government, two core principles of his conservative agenda. ... Read more

Book Description

Nearly a decade after Ronald Reagan left office, his stature is, if anything, greater than ever. One of the best-loved American Presidents in history, he is remembered the world over for his crucial contributions to the spread of democracy, free trade, nuclear disarmament and human rights. But nowhere is his legacy more cherished than in the United States, where millions remember the sense of pride, confidence and love of country that infused the Reagan years. Even those who disagree with his politics cannot forget how his decisions and stubborn will revitalized the economy and lifted the spirits of a nation.

This collection of heartfelt tributes and post-Presidential remarks captures the legacy of the fortieth President and invokes the spirit of those significant years by revisiting the challenges, victories, struggles and defeats that he faced in the course of two administrations. His inspirational remarks, from his Farewell Address to the Nation in January 1989 to his moving Letter to the American People in November 1994, in which he acknowledged that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, reiterate the principles he stood for as President. From his Address to the Oxford Union Society, in which he reprimands England and "a Europe moving toward union" for "refrain[ing] from action" in Bosnia, to his Remarks to the Captive Nations Week Conference, in which he underscores the importance of keeping our commitments to Taiwan, his post-Presidential speeches examine and pronounce upon the political developments in the United States and abroad since he left office.

The never-before-published tributes, written by more than forty world leaders and prominent public figures -- including the four other living U.S. Presidents, Mikhail Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher, George Will, Colin Powell and Billy Graham -- describe, often in moving detail, their greatest memories of the fortieth President. Their anecdotes and reflections conjure up his greatest attributes, from his "soaring sense of possibilities" (George Will), to his "courage to act on principle and take the heat" (Robert Dole), to his "indomitable faith in the promise of freedom" (Jack Kemp) and "in the greatness of our country" (Henry Kissinger). In so doing, they truly capture his legacy. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Should be required reading for every school child
Ronald Reagan's speeches give us an insight into the complex character of this great and historic man. The liberal press and electronic media still refuse to give him the credit he deserves for ending the cold war and revitalizing the U.S., both spiritually and economically. His critics pan him for deficit spending when during his administrations the governemnt took in more revenue than any time in history despite tax cuts. The Democrat congress just spent all of it and more. President Reagan did not veto the spending bills as many think he should have, but rather used them as chips for political support for his missile defense system. This system, or the contemplation of it by Gorbachev was the single most influential factor in the negotiations between the US and Soviets. These negotiations led to the fall of Communism, an event still troubling many in the liberal press. As far as social programs, propaganda to the contrary, during the Reagan years school lunch programs increased 120% and other social programs were at all time highs. So here was the first 'Compassionate Conservative". George W. Bush is following suit.

The Speechmaker Side of Reagan
This book illustrates (although I prefer video) the powerful speeches of our 40th President. If anyone is interested in why he was labeled the Great Communicator, this book might be a good place to start. Reagan himself denied he was great speechmaker but said that his speeches expressed "great ideas". That's what he was all about... pragmatic yet poetic, realistic, idealistic, and (as history has shown) prophetic.

Scary book for a Scary "man..."
Ronald Reagan not only lied to the U.S. public, but subverted the Constitution behind Congress' back. The Iran/Contra scandal is the biggest black mark on the presidency in history--and Reagan's actions were treasonous. Most agree his attention span was as long as the pages are thin in this book. A book which will never erase his mediocre presidency or his horrific legacy.

Reagan: He knew how to inspire the American People
This is an awesome collection of his last few speeches. He could say just about anything and the American people would be right behind him...he was a true leader, and the best President ever!

A MUST BOOK FOR EVERYONE FIGHTING FOR PEACE
For so long time we have been oppressed by the propaganda of the Evil Empire. And then, all of a sudden, along came the man who liberated us from those evil people. Ronald Reagan will be always rememebered by us as not only as Great Communicator, but also as Great Liberator. The world will be missing him and every February 6 should be observed as Great Presidents' Day. GOD BLESS YOU DEAR PRESIDENT! THE WORLD IS IN DEBT BEFORE YOU! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Super- Reagan
This is an excellent book for those of you who are interested in Ronald Reagan or American presidents in general. It takes you through Ronald Reagan's accomplishments and troubles. I learned about the trials Reagan suffered early in life and the courageous and outstanding ways in which he surpassed these stumbling stones in his path. I believe he was one of America's greatest presidents and this book really supports that opinion.
Sarah J.

great communicator book review
This is a book about Ronald Reagans life story. i would highly recommend this book to anyone who need info about his life for a project or just wants to know everything about him. this book tell his life from his birth to his death. however i wouldnt recommend this book for anyone who wants a good book to read for fun because it is so full of information it can get boring. Kyle M

My sweet review
If you are looking to learn about our nation's former leader Ronald Regean than this book is for you. It tells everything from his date of birth til the day he sadly passed away. From this book I learned everthing I could want to know about Mr. Regean and even more. It speaks of his life as a young boy, his days as a radio announcer, and his life as a Hollywood actor. While reading this book you can imagine how the man would have felt during his rough times and his good times.

Jordan K. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Reagan biography with a different focus
This book is an interesting exploration of the life of Ronald Reagan from childhood through the time he becomes Governor of California.It iswell-researched, balanced, and complete in its scope.I had always wondered how a person might go from B actor to President, and this book helped fill in the blanks. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

HIstory Repeats Itself
As I listen to this program, I realized how many of today's problems are repeats of history. Reagan answered a lot of them. Whether one agrees with him or not, his answers are concise and easy to understand.

The media has protrayed Reagan as someone who doesn't know much, and this program proves media's wrongful bias. Reagan read constantly, and he is well versed in many subjects.

I don't always agree with Reagan, but I do admire this true American hero.

Uncommon Wisdom From An Uncommonly Wise Leader
"The Uncommon Wisdom of Ronald Reagan" is a short book of Reagan quotes which both brings back memories and gives us an insight into this extraordinary leader.

Organized into six chapters, this 166 page book categorizes the quotes into periods of Reagan's life or by subject matter. The categorization aids the reader in finding a specific quote or words on a specific topic.

While not an in-depth study of Reagan's career, it is a worthwhile survey of the wisdom of this good and wise man. Read and enjoy.

A great book for any fan of Ronald Reagan.
A wonderful book for any one looking to learn more about Ronald Reagan through his own words. This book is excellent, with a collection of quotes from Reagan encluding his views on his early years in politics, his presidency and life after the presidency. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Glad It's Out of Print
As a psychiatric nurse with 18 years experience, I felt that I had heard this story many times.......blame, blame, blame, never taking responsibility for one's own actions, then piously trying to sound magnanimous by all that "forgiving" at the end.I read this book after the Reagan funeral because I was so fascinated at watching this author's actions, facial expressions, and body language during this heart wrenching time.I only wish I could have been privy to her thoughts.What went on in her mind when she heard all those people get up and talk about her father and how he ended the evil empire?The copyright date on this book is 1992, a whole four years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.Yet, amazingly, she does not even mention it. I am glad I happened upon this book in my local library.I certainly would not have wanted her to profit one cent on my account.

Reaffirms what we already know
Quite a revealing book. This book just reaffirmed my suspicions about the Reagan family. Patti Davis is pretty jumpy in the timeline of the book. She attempts to give the impression that she is a "together" person now, but sounds like a person that has been through a lot of therapy and has still a long way to go. Some of her attempts at circumspect sound like her therapist wrote them. This book was not well written, but I'm glad I read it.

Worth the read
I picked this book up at a Goodwill store for the purpose or re-selling it on an internet auction. Then I opened it and started to read a few paragraphs. Bear in mind that I am of the age where I could easily identify with much of the political content described in this book i.e. Nixon,Watergate, Iran Contra, etc., not to mention the drug activity thatpermeated the nation during and after the Vietnam conflict. Once I startedreading, I kept thinking about it during the day and picked it up again assoon as I had time. There is just too much to cover in a review of thissort, but, suffice it to say that I feel I will not be selling the book nowthat I've read it. This close personal look at the Reagan family was prettymuch what I had imagined, but never realized the suffering the authorobviously experienced at the hand of parents obsessed with the need forpublic approval and acceptance. Having been connected with a prominentfamily on a local level, the book touched many recognizable chords in myown life.I did feel the book was a bit choppy in parts and didn't alwaysflow well from one scene or situation to another, but not to the pointwhere it was irritating or distracting. Generally, it made me feel that Iwould like to meet Patti Davis one day. However, in retrospect, after theread, I guess I already have. ... Read more

Book Description

This digital document, covering the life and work of Ronald (Wilson) Reagan, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thomson Gale. The length of the entry is 4604 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Book Description

The Last Jeffersonian gives Reagan his due as a politician, a patriot, and a political thinker. Michael Beschloss calls Reagan "one of the most important presidents in American history." This book explains why. Based on a close study of Reagan's most important speeches, as well as analysis of his key policies, The Last Jeffersonian shows why Reagan connected with the American people. He reformulated traditions of limited government, free enterprise, democratic participation, and patriotic belief in the future. He argued for his updated version of the American dream with perseverance, passion, and energy. As a result, he changed the country and the entire world. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Reagan's Philosophy in a Comparative Light
The succession of essays, each on a facet of Reagan's philosophy, reveals an inspiring amalgam of contrast and comparison among Reagan, Jefferson, Jackson and FDR. Even Gatsby, Willy Loman, Horatio Alger, Micawber and Mr. Magoo are pointedly drawn into the mix. Indispensible if you wish to know Reagan.

Not just an actor, but an advocate of democratic principle
I had long ago all but dismissed Ronald Reagan as an amiable and polished speaker of lines he had been given to read. Still I was curious about his appeal, even to such intelligent critics as George Will. Will and others had written columns over the years defending Reagan's views, but I wanted more: a coherent defense of the man's principles in view of his (to me) obvious callousness towards the have-nots. It was for this reason that I read Dr. Greffenius's impassioned championship of Reagan. Through Greffenius's presentation of the principles Reagan defended--all stemming from his radical belief in the importance of individual freedom--I began to think of Reagan, for the first time, as a brilliant conduit for the principles of democracy first espoused by Thomas Jefferson. Greffenius does not ignore Reagan's critics, but engages them directly. And as I read this book, I found myself thinking often of F. Scott Fitzgerald's conclusion to The Great Gatsby. The Last Jeffersonian opened my eyes to the ways in which Ronald Reagan gave us, perhaps for the last time in history, a view of our America from "somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night." I can't, even now, describe myself as a Reagan fan. But The Last Jeffersonian was nevertheless an interesting and very worthwhile read.

A Unique and Valuable Analysis of Reagan
In The Last Jeffersonian, Steven Greffenius persuasively contends that Ronald Reagan articulated the values of American democracy as understood and defined by its great Founding Father, Thomas Jefferson. It's a unique and valuable analysis. (Lou Cannon) ... Read more