Interesting on his rise to presidency, thoughts on his reforms and ideals followed by the unsightly stuff:

Tons and tons of transcripts of presidential letters. I swear, politics has got to be one of the worst jobs ever, to read and write endless tons of this diplomatic flowery bull. The second half of this book took me two weeks, while the first half took less than a week. Go figure.

Ronald Reagan’s An American Life is more than just the autobiography of a U.S. president; it’s a reflection of the journey of a man whose path was shaped by his distinct worldview, ambition, and deep sense of duty. Published in 1990, Reagan’s autobiography traces the milestones of his life, from his humble beginnings in rural Illinois to his time in the White House. The book offers personal anecdotes, political insight, and reflections on a long career marked by transformation and historical significance. It’s an engaging read for those interested in Reagan’s life and political philosophy, but it also leaves some gaps, particularly in his presidency.

Childhood and Early Influences

Reagan’s early years, growing up in a small town in Illinois, set the foundation for many of the values that would guide his life. He was born in 1911 to John and Nelle Reagan, the son of a shoe salesman and a loving, idealistic mother. Reagan’s childhood, marked by economic hardships and a sense of instability, shaped his personal philosophy. He often reflects on the values his parents instilled in him: hard work, faith, and a deep love for the United States. His early experiences with poverty, particularly during the Great Depression, made him sympathetic to the challenges of everyday Americans and influenced his later economic policies.

College and Early Career

Reagan attended Eureka College in Illinois, where he majored in economics and sociology, and it was here that he began to develop his passion for acting. As a college student, Reagan was also an athlete, president of his class, and deeply involved in campus life. These years, while academically formative, were not as politically charged, though they planted the seeds for his later involvement in politics.

Reagan’s acting career, which began with small radio jobs and progressed to Hollywood stardom, is covered extensively in the autobiography. He was under contract with Warner Bros. for much of the 1930s and 1940s, appearing in more than 50 films. While he is often remembered for his role in movies like Kings Row and Knute Rockne, All American, Reagan’s story in Hollywood is also filled with the challenges of navigating the studio system, dealing with typecasting, and his eventual involvement in the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). He was president of the SAG from 1947 to 1952, and this period marks the beginning of his public political engagement, particularly in relation to anti-Communist sentiment in the film industry.

State Politics in California

Reagan’s transition from Hollywood to politics is one of the most interesting aspects of his autobiography. His entry into California politics began with his strong opposition to the liberal policies of the 1960s and 1970s, particularly those of Governor Edmund "Pat" Brown. As a two-term governor of California (1967-1975), Reagan emerged as a forceful advocate for fiscal conservatism, tax cuts, and a more traditional set of American values. His tenure as governor was marked by efforts to reform California’s budget, address the state’s growing problems with student unrest and crime, and push back against the expansion of the welfare state. His policies were often confrontational, but they resonated with the growing conservative sentiment in the country, setting the stage for his national political ambitions.

Reagan’s views on the role of government were shaped during this period, as he became a champion of a limited government approach. He came to believe that the state’s economic problems were largely the result of excessive taxation and regulation. This mindset would define his approach as president and inform his later battles with Congress and the federal bureaucracy.

Political Views and Influence of Thomas Jefferson
One of the central themes in An American Life is Reagan’s deep admiration for the Founding Fathers, particularly Thomas Jefferson. Reagan sees Jefferson as the quintessential American, a visionary who championed individual liberty, the rights of states, and a government of limited scope. He frequently references Jefferson’s principles, including his belief in the importance of self-government, personal responsibility, and a government that serves the people rather than controls them. Reagan also drew inspiration from Jefferson’s writings, particularly the Declaration of Independence, as he crafted his own political identity.

Reagan’s political views align with those of classical liberalism, emphasizing individual freedoms, a free-market economy, and a limited government. He consistently rejects the idea that government should be the primary solution to societal problems, preferring instead to trust the American people’s ability to solve issues through initiative, hard work, and entrepreneurship.

Views on the Middle East and Communism

Reagan’s foreign policy views, particularly in relation to the Middle East and communism, are significant themes in the autobiography. His stance on the Middle East, while not as detailed as some might like, is clear: he believed that the U.S. should stand firm against any form of tyranny or radical ideology, particularly Islamic fundamentalism. His handling of the Iranian hostage crisis, the U.S. embassy bombing in Beirut, and the eventual withdrawal from Lebanon after the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marines barracks are covered, though Reagan is quick to note that his actions in the Middle East were often mischaracterized.

Reagan’s view of communism, however, is a central part of the book. He describes his deep-seated opposition to communism, shaped by his early involvement in anti-Communist activism in Hollywood. As president, he adopted a confrontational stance against the Soviet Union, exemplified in his famous "Evil Empire" speech and his aggressive military and economic strategy designed to undermine the Soviet regime. His belief that communism was an existential threat to the United States and the values of the free world underpinned much of his foreign policy.

Economic Views

Reagan’s economic philosophy is perhaps the most enduring aspect of his legacy. His belief in supply-side economics, tax cuts, and deregulation are all key points in the autobiography. Reagan emphasizes that his economic policies were designed to reduce the burden of government on individuals and businesses, thereby stimulating growth and innovation. He argues that by lowering taxes, particularly on the wealthy and businesses, it would lead to greater investment, job creation, and overall economic expansion. While Reagan acknowledges the challenges and criticisms of his policies, he stands firm in his belief that reducing government intervention was key to revitalizing the American economy.

The Reagan tax cuts, which reduced income tax rates across the board, were a cornerstone of his administration. Reagan defends these cuts as necessary to promote economic growth, and he points to the subsequent economic boom of the 1980s as evidence of their success. However, he also recognizes that the federal deficit expanded during his presidency, a point that his critics often cite. Reagan attributes this in part to the increase in military spending during the Cold War, though his critics argue that the tax cuts exacerbated the deficit.

What the Book Misses

While An American Life is a rich and engaging memoir, there are notable areas where the book falls short. For one, Reagan’s autobiography doesn’t delve deeply into some of the more controversial aspects of his presidency, such as the Iran-Contra affair. The scandal, which involved the illegal sale of arms to Iran to fund Nicaraguan rebels, is given only a cursory mention. Reagan does not fully address the complexities or the political fallout of the scandal, which remains a significant part of his legacy.

Additionally, while the book offers insights into his views on foreign policy, it glosses over some of the challenges and ambiguities of his presidency, particularly in dealing with the complexities of the Middle East. Reagan’s policies toward Iraq, Israel, and Lebanon are not explored in-depth, and his administration’s relationship with Saddam Hussein and the Iran-Contra affair is underrepresented. Furthermore, the book provides no color on 1986 amnesty of illegal immigrants.

Finally, the autobiography is relatively light on the personal toll of the presidency. While Reagan reflects on his time in office and his accomplishments, he is less forthcoming about the personal costs—such as the impact of his deteriorating health, especially towards the end of his second term, or his internal struggles during moments of crisis.

Conclusion

An American Life is a captivating look at the life of Ronald Reagan, offering insights into the experiences and beliefs that shaped one of the most significant figures of the 20th century. Reagan’s storytelling is candid and filled with personal reflections that offer valuable context for understanding his political evolution. While the book is more of a memoir than a detailed policy analysis, it offers a compelling portrait of the man and his ideals, especially his deep-rooted faith in the American people and his belief in the virtues of freedom and individual responsibility. However, it leaves out some of the more controversial aspects of his presidency, and readers hoping for a thorough analysis of his time in the White House may find the autobiography lacking in certain areas. Nevertheless, for anyone interested in Reagan’s life and legacy, An American Life is an essential read.

I absolutely love this book. I picked it up for a school project and ended up really enjoying it. I love Ronald Reagan so much and having a book by him to tell his story is so cool. When I was reading this book I felt like I was with him and he was talking to be about his life over a cup of coffee. This man wasn't only an amazing guy or president but a remarkable story teller. The book has helped me realize that this man has been through a lot of struggles in his life and just to see him overcome all of the struggles and adversity that he has dealt with throughout the book was just absolutely inspiring. I would for sure recommend this book to everyone but especially all of Reagan's fans. It really tells the story of his life very well.

There was so much wisdom and insight in this book concerning politics and running a state/country. I quite enjoyed it. Reagan truly lead his governments for the people. My favorite part was that Ronald Reagan himself read the audiobook.

I listened to the abridged version and, after reading other reviews, I am glad I did.

Caveat: didn't finish. Wasn't interested in his politics. I have Peggy Noonan for that. It sounds like Reagan... but I was disappointed, somewhat, in his positivity and the lack of depth to the earlier time in his life. Perhaps that's just his way or a result of time passing. Who knows?

This reading of Ronald Reagan’s autobiography is the second time for me. I read it the first time in 2009 when I was very disappointed in the political climate. This time I was prompted to read it again when I had become even more discouraged and wanted to think back to a better time and way.

As one might guess I am an advocate of a more conservative direction for America moving forward in a nation deteriorating morally and economically. And seeing our nation falling into a very vulnerable position with Islamic terror threatening us at home and even in the now not so distant Middle East, I am concerned. As I read An American Life, I above all, observed the patriotism and love of freedom that Ron Reagan brought to the highest office and advocated for all Americans. I never see that in our leadership today.

Anyone who lived during the era or who have studied history knows well that Ronald Reagan was against big government and an advocate for what Thomas Jefferson proclaimed: “A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned—this is the sum of good government.” Reagan early in his move from being a Democrat to being convinced that he held Republican ideals summed it up this way, “By 1960, I realized the real enemy wasn’t big business, it was big government.”

Contrast Reagan’s thoughts on national health care to what has happened to health care today in America. Here is an early quote: “When a lot of the nation’s most prominent Democrats got behind socialized medicine, I started speaking out against it. If we didn’t head it off, I said, ‘one of these days you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children what it once was like in America when men were free.”

Ronald Reagan did not only speak about economic recovery in the time the nation was experiencing one of the greatest recessions, he propelled one of the greatest recoveries in history, even with Democrat majorities in both houses. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 while not having all that he had proposed gave way to more prosperity for all. The tax cuts proved beneficial to middle income and lower income citizens. Here is a quote to show that realization:

“Knowing they could now keep seventy percent of what they earned instead of paying seventy percent of it to the government, the most affluent Americans invested in new projects and new ideas; but contrary to what some of the tax-and-spend liberals have said, tax reform didn’t create a windfall for the rich at the expense of the poor; instead, it was the other way around.” This recovery, by and large, created jobs during the expansion that were “good” jobs; more than ninety percent were full-time jobs and paid well. Today the government is looking to raise minimum wages so that people employed in these entry positions, often times with work hours below securing benefits, can be counted as career jobs so they could be added to the workforce numbers. Now we know that today the economic and political climate is different, however the principle is the same. Private sector job creation encouraged by lower taxation creates prosperity. That is what Ronald Reagan believed. I know that there are perhaps reasonable arguments contrary to these conservative principles, but for Reagan and his economic expansion it all worked until torn apart by a persistence of liberal big government pressures.

Concerning international affairs and in particular those of the Middle East, Reagan faced much of the same threats as we do today, albeit at a much smaller scope. Just think of the Syria, Russia and Iranian alliance forming now. Hear this from Reagan from his book:

“Under President Hafez el-Assad, Syria had become virtually a Soviet satellite in the Middle East, its army supplied and trained by the Soviets, Russian money, arms, and influence were showing up throughout the region.” Does this all sound familiar? Well it goes further: “During the 1970s and early 1980s, the rapid spread in Iran and elsewhere of the most fanatical varieties of Islamic fundamentalism, with their goal of toppling secular governments and replacing them with theocracies modeled after Iran’s, made the Middle East even more unpredictable, giving the Soviets new opportunities to exploit the instability there. In a region whose oil exports were essential to the West, Soviet meddling was something the United States could not tolerate, and all our presidents since World War II, including me, felt an obligation to help reduce the instability and bring about peace.” It doesn’t seem that we have the same priorities today and have learned little from history. I don’t believe that our present administration even know this history; certainly Vladimir Putin does.

One word concerning our relationship with Israel during Ronald Reagan’s administration is given in this quote from his book: “I’ve believed many things in my life, but no conviction I’ve ever held has been stronger than my belief that the United States must ensure the survival of Israel.” And concerning the Palestinian situation Reagan had a right understanding that, “any long-term solution must require, first of all, that the Arab world acknowledge Israel’s right to exist, and must provide adequate guarantees of Israel’s security and the integrity of its borders.” Do you think that President Reagan would enter into a nuclear deal with the Iranians who vow “death to America” and “death to Israel”? Do you think that Benjamin Netanyahu would be pleased to have President Reagan as a trusted ally?

It would take much writing to give a complete accounting of the life of Ronald Reagan in a review such as this. He appears to have been an honest man with the best interests of others in mind at every stage of his life. As a young man in college, as an actor and president of the actor’s union, as Governor of California and as President of the United States he has made good decisions affecting the lives of those entrusted to him. Of course, I read about the man from his own perspective in his autobiography. There were indeed troubles including the Iran-Contra Affair in which he denied any wrongdoing. I know there was also much on the dark side of his life in which I have been told is chronicled in Bill O’Reilly’s book, “Killing Reagan”. I intend to read Bill’s book soon. But Ronald Reagan’s accomplishments are numerous and very much significant. He made things happen and will be remembered for great achievements. To name a few, he was instrumental in ending the cold war, in his “peace through strength” policy he kept the US safe, he gave momentum to the tearing down of the Berlin wall, he lead in bringing about one of the most effective economic recoveries America has ever experienced and on and on…It would be good for present day leaders to emulate him.

I admire a leader as was Ronald Reagan who acknowledges God, was bold to say he prays to God and loves Jesus Christ. That is refreshing and would be welcomed by many today in spite of the political correctness so pervasive in Washington today. And finally Reagan’s national security advisor, Colin Powell in his last national security briefing commended the outgoing president when he said, “Mr. President, the world is quiet today.”

The autobiography and presidential memoir of Ronald Reagan. It covers his early life, Hollywood career, time as governor of California, and of course his two terms as president of the United States. Par the course for the "Great Communicator," the book is highly readable, until the end when an overreliance on diary entries and letters between Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev starts to bog down the narrative. He is candid about his successes and failures. The thing about conservatives though is they always come off a lot cooler in the writings of their liberal enemies than in their own.

An interesting look at Reagan's presidency from his own perspective. Not a history book, but interesting to learn the president's own interpretation of events. Also a good history of the 1980s regarding the Cold War and various international relations challenges.

We visited his library in LA and enjoyed it quite a bit. I downloaded this book because he narrated it. It was to the point and focused, which is nice. Some biographies go way too deep into the weeds. What an amazing 8 years he presided over and his humanity shines though. I liked the part on supply-side economics… he was more “common sense economics” and faced a 94% marginal tax rate… he understood the desire to work and risk one’s self for others.

The President I grew up with, who resemble my grandfather in looks, will always be the greatest President. I am not a very political person and identify as an independent now, but hearing him read about what he did for 8 years was so inspiring and enlightening. A class act, true patriot, devoted family man…..#40’s dreams for the USA are still alive today!

Excellent book. I listened to an audiobook version of this one. It was read by President Reagan and it was fantastic. I literally listened to the whole thing in one sitting and truly wished for more when it was over. The story telling in this book is top notch.

The greatest book about the greatest man to ever hold the office of President of the United States of America.