Ronald Reagan is without a doubt of the United States most famous presidents. The role he played while president in the 1980s set the wheels in motion to create a lot of what we experience in modern America. Which is why I think I was so disappointed by his autobiography. I read autobiographical accounts in order to discover who the person was behind the history books flaws and all. But in this account, president Reagan reveals very little about himself. To me the retelling of his early life through his presidency felt flat. He admits to little or no mistakes in his life, leaving out key periods like his entire first marriage, his children, etc. I think I left this book feeling less like I had gained insight into the man and more like he was selling a picture of how he wanted people to view him. And I suppose that in and of itself might speak a lot to who he was.

"A lot has been written about college students and other young people who rebelled against society during the 1960s. But there was another, quieter revolution sweeping across the land during the same decade. It was a rebellion of ordinary people. A generation of middle-class Americans who had worked hard to make something of their lives was growing mistrustful of a government that took an average of thirty-seven cents of every dollar they earned and still plunged deeper into debt every day. There was a growing sense of helplessness and frustration across the country over a government that was becoming a separate force of its own, a master of the people, not the other way around. People were growing resentful of bureaucrats whose first mission in life seemed to be protecting their own jobs by keeping expensive programs alive long after their usefulness had expired. They were losing respect for politicians who kept voting for open-ended welfare programs riddled with fraud and inefficiency that kept generation after generation of families dependent on the dole. And they were growing mistrustful of the self-appointed intellectual elite back in Washington who claimed to know better than the people of America did how to run their lives, their businesses, and their communities. There was unrest in the country and it was spreading across the land like a prairie fire." Pos. 2257

My experience as a member of Generation X is that Reagan was a cultural figure. Reagan was strong and my friends and I had confidence in him. I remember one person in my high school that backed Walter Mondale in 1984 explaining why and it was a foreign language to me. I didn't understand political issues then or care to.

Back to the Future (1985)

Doc Brown (in 1955): Who is president in 1985?
Marty: Ronald Reagan.
Doc Brown (incredulous): The actor?

Before winning in 1980, Reagan was asked whether an actor could be president. At the end of his presidency Reagan said he didn't know how anyone could do the job that wasn't an actor. It was both Reagan's style of humor and also a wise statement. We don't really know if the president is doing a good job outside of our idea of him and an actor can better create a winning persona. When the Challenger exploded, Reagan showed seriousness and grief. When he was shot he used humor saying “honey I forgot to duck.” Is a president creating the prosperity or decline or are American citizens creating it? I didn't understand how the 1986 tax reform bill tanked real estate as an investment until 1995 when I bought a place for less than it's 1985 sales price. I then learned to appreciate how the most dangerous legislation is bipartisan because it lacks enough critics to smooth out the flaws.

Republicans have been looking for the next Ronald Reagan since 1988 like Democrats have been seeking the next Barrack Obama since 2016. These kinds of generational figures do not return in the same form. They can only exist as ideals as we forget their flaws and remember their charms.

Michael Korda talks about this book in his memoir, Another Life. Korda was Reagan's editor at Simon and Schuster. Reagan didn't mention Jane Wyman in his first draft out of respect for Nancy. Korda told him that not mentioning her would be mentioned by all the book reviewers giving her even more attention. They settled for mentioning Jane in a single throwaway sentence. Korda also said that Reagan attended a meeting with several people including Korda. They passed a plate of cookies around and he could tell that Reagan wanted a second cookie, but Reagan wouldn't take the last one, likely from his upbringing.

Other biographies are going to give a different take on the events and issues, but this book will make you understand Reagan's worldview and why he pursued certain issues and approaches to those issues.

Worthwhile autobiography of our 40th president. On Kindle, there are some videos showing Reagan answering interview questions, plus snippets of his memorable speeches. The writing style is clear, concise, straightforward, and lively. This book plus In Reagan's Hand are definitive sources for understanding Reagan's thinking.

I really enjoyed this concise and informational read. President Reagan was the narrator and he was very enthusiastic, empathetic and easy to cheer for. I appreciated the clear and concise manner in which he explained both his path in life and in politics. He spoke directly to his points and his policies and views were easy to understand.

Reagan's autobiography reads a little like his journals, its just cleaned up a little and moves pretty fast. Written just after he left the White House, there are a few glaring omissions--his movie career is glossed over, including the wild child portion, the first wife isn't even mentioned and his kids receive no coverage. So, this is mostly about his political career and the reader can understand it's the man seeking his legacy. He does talk about his successes and political failures and spends a lot of time on Russia and little on Iran-Contra. Good primer on the political man and nicely supplemented a visit to the Reagan Library and Museum.

This was a terrific book, and one that came very close to 5 stars. Why? While the first third of the book was a customary "introduction" to Ronald Reagan, the last third of the book was a fascinating discourse of foreign policy with failures - Iran/Contra, and successes - ending the cold war.

Reagan's defense of his Iran/Contra policy as not trading guns for hostages rings hollow, but his continued defense of his strategy as sound is fascinating to read. His admittance of continuing to pursue the policy even against his staff's recommendations is pure political drama and stubbornness.

Likewise his dealings with the Soviet Union leadership was fascinating and his single minded approach of dealing with the Soviets with strength is the key factor to ending the cold war. The exchanges documented between him and Gorbachev are stuff of legend and fascinating to read.

On second thought, I'm giving this 5 stars, a book that describes the monumental shift in geopolitics in the 80s through correspondence with the main parties involved is a great read.

Ronald Reagan has a writing style that’s easy to read and engaging. He comes across as a little naive to what his detractors thought about him during his presidency. I learned that he had 3 things he wanted to accomplish during his presidency and he accomplished 2.5 of them.

One of the most patriotic, comprehensive and deeply personal account written from a former president of the United States. Reagan's love for America and his resolve to inspire freedom and democracy based on the value of individual incentive and expression is clearly reflected in all his accounts as a child, actor, speaker, governor and president.

A key highlight was his determination to abandon the corrupted Jeffersonian Democratic Party and join the Republican Party, saying the issue was "whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves."

The book ends with Reagan's laudable and honorable efforts to spread American ideals to the outside world. His foreign policy adventures in the Middle East and ultimately with the Soviet Union culminating in the signing of the INF treaty was detailed in a deeply intimate and captivating personal account. Reagan concludes his memoir with a note on the importance of a one-to-one "silent diplomacy," which was manifested by his relationship with the then Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and the initial traces of Western democracy dissolving the Communist regime.

A must read for all people who identify as Americans in today's America. In the end, Reagan shows that, (despite the cliché) love conquers all, and especially sheds light on the challenges to our growingly political polarization of America today.

Short audio book narrated by Ronald Reagan himself. I'm not going to get all political and start debates about it. I'll just say it's worth listening too and he did a lot for our country. I grew up in the 80s and it was pretty great times.

Meh. Not my kind of politician.

რამდენიმე ასეულ გვერდში ჩატეული წარმოუდგნელად გრძელი გზა პრეზიდენტობამდე . რეიგანი როგორც საუკეთესო პრეზიდენტი არა მარტო ამერიკისთვის , არამედ მსოფლიოსთვის და საუკეთესო ქმარი ნენსისთვის .
ადამიანი , რომელმაც საბჭოეთის ბარიკადები "ჩუმი დიპლომატიით" გაარღვია . პატრიოტი ამერიკელის "An American life “