Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #441691 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 784 pages

Review
'Amusing and enlightening!I quite simply couldn't put them down.' Sunday Times 'What emerges from these pages is the remarkable character of Ronald Reagan himself. He was what he seemed to be, so fundamentally decent and sunny that it is hard to figure how the American political system could have produced such a genial leader.' Sunday Telegraph 'Reagan's handwritten summary of almost every day of his 1981-89 presidency shows more clearly than ever before the way his mind worked!On the whole, it worked pretty well -- especially in his cold-war policy.' The Economist 'Read his diaries!Reagan was no Pepys, or even Alan Clark!but his daily entries provide a fascinating insight into a presidency that saw the end of the Cold War and a resurgent belief in the power of the individual.' The Spectator 'His gift for simple, direct, unerringly right decision-making remained intact until the end of his presidency in 1989. Because of that genius gift, this journal remains a crucial document.' Daily Telegraph

Newsweek
"a more complicated and more interesting man than either caricature would
suggest. The journals, which Reagan kept throughout his White House years,
are more record than reflection...A performer, a public man--he was a
lifeguard, a sportscaster, an actor and a politician--he seems to have
always had an eye on his audience, and these journals are no exception.
Taken all in all, however, they paint a portrait of a president who was
engaged by his job and had a healthy perspective on power."

Sunday Times
'Amusing and enlightening...I quite simply couldn't put them
down.'

Customer Reviews

The Real Ronald Reagan
Taken from the Presidents personal diary, this book contains a compilation of our late president's daily thoughts while he served his two terms in office. It shows you the man behind the office. We can see his traditional values, his strength of character, his thought process and his core beliefs. He wrote about everything from the normally every day thoughts we all have to how he would make the planet a safer place. We can see how Ronald Reagan did not switch from being a Democrat to a Republican, but his party left him. He was still an FDR Democrat in his thoughts and values. What was important was right and wrong, not left or right. You can tell he truly loved his country and would do what he could make it safe. This book is a must read for everyone, especially now when the USA seems to be tearing itself apart. Everyone running for office loves to invoke the man's name, but so far no one in any party lives up to his values.

From the horse's mouth
These diaries represent a fascinating insight into one of the more important presidencies. Reagan's character and integrity shine through in these frank and open accounts of events both mundane and momentous.

Like most Brits, I imagine, I had little time for Reagan when he was president, and having read these diaries I feel I did him a disservice.

Modern history at it's best
A fascinating book which has been well edited - I couldn't put it down. It is an interesting insight into the power and influence of the American Presidency. It ends all too abruptly when he leaves the White House and you're left wondering 'what happened next'. I guess I'll have to buy another book to cover that period!