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An American Life: The Autobiography

by Ronald Reagan

4.22 of 5 stars 4.22 · rating details · 1,602 ratings · 81 reviews

Ronald Reagan ’s autobiography is a work of major historical importance. Here, in his own words, is the story of his life—public and private—told in a book both frank and compellingly readable.

Few presidents have accomplished more, or been so effective in changing the direction of government in ways that are both fundamental and lasting, than Ronald Reagan. Certainly no pr Ronald Reagan ’s autobiography is a work of major historical importance. Here, in his own words, is the story of his life—public and private—told in a book both frank and compellingly readable.

Few presidents have accomplished more, or been so effective in changing the direction of government in ways that are both fundamental and lasting, than Ronald Reagan. Certainly no president has more dramatically raised the American spirit, or done so much to restore national strength and self-confidence.

Here, then, is a truly American success story—a great and inspiring one. From modest beginnings as the son of a shoe salesman in Tampico, Illinois, Ronald Reagan achieved first a distinguished career in Hollywood and then, as governor of California and as president of the most powerful nation in the world, a career of public service unique in our history.

Ronald Reagan’s account of that rise is told here with all the uncompromising candor, modesty, and wit that made him perhaps the most able communicator ever to occupy the White House, and also with the sense of drama of a gifted natural storyteller.

He tells us, with warmth and pride, of his early years and of the elements that made him, in later life, a leader of such stubborn integrity, courage, and clear-minded optimism. Reading the account of this childhood, we understand how his parents, struggling to make ends meet despite family problems and the rigors of the Depression, shaped his belief in the virtues of American life—the need to help others, the desire to get ahead and to get things done, the deep trust in the basic goodness, values, and sense of justice of the American people—virtues that few presidents have expressed more eloquently than Ronald Reagan.

With absolute authority and a keen eye for the details and the anecdotes that humanize history, Ronald Reagan takes the reader behind the scenes of his extraordinary career, from his first political experiences as president of the Screen Actors Guild (including his first meeting with a beautiful young actress who was later to become Nancy Reagan) to such high points of his presidency as the November 1985 Geneva meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev, during which Reagan invited the Soviet leader outside for a breath of fresh air and then took him off for a walk and a man-to-man chat, without aides, that set the course for arms reduction and charted the end of the Cold War.

Here he reveals what went on behind his decision to enter politics and run for the governorship of California, the speech nominating Barry Goldwater that first made Reagan a national political figure, his race for the presidency, his relations with the members of his own cabinet, and his frustrations with Congress.

He gives us the details of the great themes and dramatic crises of his eight years in office, from Lebanon to Grenada, from the struggle to achieve arms control to tax reform, from Iran-Contra to the visits abroad that did so much to reestablish the United States in the eyes of the world as a friendly and peaceful power. His narrative is full of insights, from the unseen dangers of Gorbachev’s first visit to the United States to Reagan’s own personal correspondence with major foreign leaders, as well as his innermost feelings about life in the White House, the assassination attempt, his family—and the enduring love between himself and Mrs. Reagan.

An American Life is a warm, richly detailed, and deeply human book, a brilliant self-portrait, a significant work of history. ...more

Hardcover , 752 pages

Published January 11th 2011 by Simon & Schuster (first published 1990)

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Aug 13, 2008 Matthew rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Patriots, Conservatives, Barak Obama

Recommended to Matthew by: self search

This book almost brings a tear to my eye. In his own words, one of Americas greatest presidents describes how his love for his country and his fellow man led him to run for the California Governorship and later the Presidency.

If you are a patriot, a conservative, or just all around sensible, this book will sadden you. To see how quickly the progress made by the Reagan administration has been trampled over and discarded is painful. The America Ronald Reagan once helped shape is quickly being repl ...more

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Jan 22, 2011 Travis McClain rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had barely turned two years of age when Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as the fortieth President of the United States. He will always be my standard for what a president should look and sound like, because he was the first one I had. Still, I am a moderate-liberal and have many criticisms of Mr. Reagan's domestic policies. Here are the pros, cons and final assessment of this fascinating memoirs.

The Pros
Mr. Reagan earned his moniker, "The Great Communicator." He is a natural storyteller, and the I had barely turned two years of age when Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as the fortieth President of the United States. He will always be my standard for what a president should look and sound like, because he was the first one I had. Still, I am a moderate-liberal and have many criticisms of Mr. Reagan's domestic policies. Here are the pros, cons and final assessment of this fascinating memoirs.

The Pros
Mr. Reagan earned his moniker, "The Great Communicator." He is a natural storyteller, and there were many passages I read where I could practically hear him reading to me. The pace is quick and, unlike Bill Clinton's My Life , Reagan wisely refrains from name-checking everyone whose hand he ever shook on the campaign trail. An American Life is organized thematically rather than chronologically, meaning it's fairly simple to follow any one subject through from its origins to either its conclusion or, at least, its state as of the writing of this book. Given the sporadic nature of diplomatic progress, a purely chronological account would have been a nightmare to read. Reagan's language is very simple and accessible, and he frequently cites his own expansive journal entries, as well as letters written to and from Mikhail Gorbachev (among others). The most successful part of the book is that Reagan, in his own words, makes a legitimate argument for his perspective on things. As a child of the 80s, I saw the world very differently than did my president. It was nice to read for myself why he felt the way he did about certain issues, and what his intentions were.

The Cons
The book feels comprehensive--unless you pay enough attention, or happen to have knowledge of events outside the scope of the book. The first 200-plus pages are dedicated to Mr. Reagan's life prior to becoming president. They often touch on his family, but it appears that by the time he was convinced to run for governor of California, his family all but disappears from the narration. It very subtly suggests an image of a man who became increasingly insulated from the rest of the world; everyone except the First Lady and his Secretary of State. I would have liked to read him at least acknowledge some of the unintended negative consequences of his policies (such as the reduction of funding to help mentally and emotionally disturbed poor stay in treatment centers), and this is absent entirely. In fact, Reagan does not seem interested in, or perhaps even capable of, admitting to anything negative--how else could the man who was president at the time of the first identified case of HIV/AIDS go an entire 726 pages and not mention it at all?

As a Democrat, I was also disappointed to read Mr. Reagan's characterization of my side of the political spectrum. For a man whose legacy is built on his ability to relate to opponents as people, and to work on building support through emphasizing humanity, it is remarkable to read the absolute disdain he held for his political opposition in Washington. He mentions Democrats several times, but never does he discuss any kind of effort at cooperating with them. He doesn't even try to suggest that they rebuffed his overtures--they're simply working entirely to defeat his every, well-intentioned act as president, and he takes his case to the people to put enough pressure on them to get his way. How could the same man that dedicated himself to establishing historic arms reduction agreements with the U.S.S.R. not do more to get along with his own government?

The Bottom Line
I have come away from An American Life feeling that I better understand Mr. Reagan's motives as president. I no longer regard him as uncaring, hiding anti-poor/racist/rich, old white man-ism behind the rhetoric of conservatism and states's rights. I believe now that he did not intend any of the at-times cruel consequences of his presidency. For those who were already fans of Mr. Reagan, this book is a given. For those like me, who were not, I still recommend taking the opportunity to read his side of things. I haven't abandoned my ideals, but I have asked new questions of them--and that is the essence of An American Life . ...more

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May 13, 2013 Alex MacMillan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Mr. Reagan, then, is a somewhat different political leader from the bumbling idiot of liberal myth — in private a kind and gentle man, in politics a charming Machiavellian, economical in his use of power, manipulative in his use of people, and modest when it comes to sharing out the credit. In short, a master politician.

The problem of this book is that memoirs are a form of taking the credit and Mr. Reagan simply can't do it. A lifetime of not fully showing his hand has bred in him a style of a ...more

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May 08, 2012 Jerome rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Great Communicator has done it again! "An American Life" takes the reader from his birth in Tampico, Illinois to the return to California with mission accomplished. Ronald Reagan earned the moniker "The Great Communicator" for his ability to reach an audience. "An American Life" proves that he could do it in ink too. His writing is direct, easy to follow and engaging. The theme of the book is the optimistic world view of the Reagan we knew. There is little introspection. Reagan knew what he The Great Communicator has done it again! "An American Life" takes the reader from his birth in Tampico, Illinois to the return to California with mission accomplished. Ronald Reagan earned the moniker "The Great Communicator" for his ability to reach an audience. "An American Life" proves that he could do it in ink too. His writing is direct, easy to follow and engaging. The theme of the book is the optimistic world view of the Reagan we knew. There is little introspection. Reagan knew what he believed and told it with gusto! Many of the stories are ones with which we are familiar. This book is the Gipper's exposition of his belief in family values and the individual. The readers are drawn into the issues which defined the Reagan Administration.

As a frequent traveler in Reagan's native region in Northern Illinois, I found the narratives of his youth in Galesburg and Dixon and his years at Eureka College to be particularly interesting. The reader follows Reagan to Iowa and on to California. The sections on Reagan's years in Hollywood give the reader an insight into the movie world. The chapters on Reagan's involvement with the Screen Actors' Guild focus on his opposition to Communist domination of the industry.

Reagan's years in California politics are related with may of the stories we have heard, such as the student protesters who entered his office to tell him that his generation could not understand them because he did not grow up with the modern conveniences, to which he replied that his generation had invented them.

Reagan tells of his conversion, which began with the General Electric tour in the 1950s, from a liberal Democrat to a conservative Republican and from a reluctant candidate to an enthusiastic agent of destiny. From a reluctant governor, Reagan matured to a candidate who sought the presidency, not to be somebody, but to do something.

In the sections on his presidential years, Reagan goes through the issues, such as tax reductions, the military buildup, Supreme Court appointments, Middle Eastern diplomacy and Soviet relations. The exhilaration of the return of hostages contrasts with the pain of the return of bodies and disasters, such as the Challenger. Reagan's dealings with the Soviets pulled his car up and down the roller coaster of emotions.

Other than that, this was a slow and tediuos read. ...more

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May 19, 2015 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: presidential-bios

Reagan is a great storyteller so this book is easy to read. I was a little annoyed in the first part of the book by how he just dismissed various Democratic leaders as "just another tax and spend liberal." I find these kinds of labels (from both parties) to be unhelpful and would have appreciated his unique insight into people's personalities. The discussion of foreign leaders, particularly the different Soviet leaders, and the thinking and strategy as it related to the growing terrorist threat ...more

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Mar 31, 2012 Jose rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just finished reading this book. I found the first three parts of the book really engaging. President Reagan has a way of keeping you engaged through his narrative. The last part of the book became hard to read and dry as he published a lot of personal letters and speeches instead of his interpretation of the events. I wish he would have mentioned more (or anything) about his decision to grant amnesty to the undocumented immigrants- it is a subject I was intrigued about his reasonings as it is s ...more

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Feb 05, 2015 Chase Bertoldo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ronald Reagan's An American life inspired me with its in depth details of all the challenges President Reagan had to over come. This book will take you through the whole life of this incredible man. You will go through the struggles he had in his teen life. Along with the struggles he had in his presidency. All the while making you feel like all the decisions he had too make, whether being teen or president, one of the most important decisions of his life. I see this as one of the best books I h Ronald Reagan's An American life inspired me with its in depth details of all the challenges President Reagan had to over come. This book will take you through the whole life of this incredible man. You will go through the struggles he had in his teen life. Along with the struggles he had in his presidency. All the while making you feel like all the decisions he had too make, whether being teen or president, one of the most important decisions of his life. I see this as one of the best books I have read, because of how well President Reagan was able to embody the incredibly strenuous job of being President.

The overall theme I would take from this book is that no matter where you start you can become something great if you work as hard as you can. I say this because off with him in a low income family and struggling with money. Often times their dinner would not be considered a dinner by normal standards, along with that his father had an alcohol addiction. You can really see all this happening because his writing style is so detail and realistic. Everything he says is generally very serious. When he finds his dad passed out in front of his house because he was drunk you can see him struggle to help his dad inside and make sure that he is alright. He is also able to make every character so connected to you. When he talks about his high school lover you feel as if you know who she was, and when she left him you felt just as bad as him. Even when you only meet a character for short time you become attached. When he brought his cousin to California to become his assistant you felt like you could see him. When he died I was actually quite sad because President Reagan was helping him out with his addictions and President Reagan was able to make me feel like I was there along with the ride helping him too. He also managed to do the same with settings. When he got his ranch I could see this little ranch at the top of the hill. When he was working for the military in WW2 I could imagine him at his station doing voice overs for films to teach bomber pilots. All of this does not come close to the plot of the story. This is by far the strong point of the story. This is the first book that I had no questions about and kept me compelled to read more. If you want to know about his childhood then you will enjoy this book. You will learn about his first jobs that payed almost nothing. If you want to know about his college years you will also enjoy it. He walks you through the struggles of trying to make the first string of the football team and stay there. If you want to know about his acting career. Again you will love it. You are shown the inner politics of the actors guild and how everything works along with having to fight communism in Hollywood and nearly getting killed by acid. You get to see him have to work through all his B-movies to finally get into the big budget films that he always dreams about being in. If you wanted to know about his difficult presidency then you will be in love with this book. You get to know about all of the domestic and international struggles he had to go through. You get to see him try to struggle with the democrats about trying pass a tax reform. Also you go through the struggles he had with negotiating a peace deal to stop nuclear warheads from being produced in the U.S.A and Russia.

Overall I would give this book a 4.5/5. I would give it this high of a rating because it does everything you want from an autobiography. I was left asking no questions about what happened in his life. Although very few there were shorts bursts of the book that were boring and turned me off. Overall this has been one of my favorite books I have read and would recommend it to anybody who is interested in learning about the life of Ronald Reagan. ...more

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Jun 24, 2014 Brian rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

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 th ...more

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Jan 13, 2015 Ru rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The amazing life and autobiography of Ronald Reagan, detailing eight prosperous years as President of the United States, but also his life from childhood and careers embarked upon long before politics were a glimmer in his eye. The tenure of President Reagan represents some of the most remarkable times of any generation, and as lengthy as this book is, I found myself captivated by this first-person account.

As President Reagan was the oldest president to take office, there tends to be a memory pe The amazing life and autobiography of Ronald Reagan, detailing eight prosperous years as President of the United States, but also his life from childhood and careers embarked upon long before politics were a glimmer in his eye. The tenure of President Reagan represents some of the most remarkable times of any generation, and as lengthy as this book is, I found myself captivated by this first-person account.

As President Reagan was the oldest president to take office, there tends to be a memory perpetuated of him as this charismatic grandfatherly figure, of weathered appearance, and later afflicted by Alzheimer's disease long after his second term had ended. While these are representations of him, his youth as an athlete in small-town humble beginnings gives you more of the measure of the man to come. He is often remembered as an unlikely actor who was thought to be an even unlikelier candidate for the highest office in the land, but before he was either of those things, he was a sportscaster simply working hard to make a living. You get a strong sense of his work ethic and it was genuinely exciting to follow the rise of this young man.

Once politics enters into this book, it is as relentless as the passion exhibited by Ronald Reagan to become Governor of California. Reagan actually started out his career as a Democrat, which may surprise people, and it wasn't until his examination of Democratic policies and the influence of his older brother did he change his allegiances. As reluctant as Reagan was to embrace politics, officially, at first, he takes the bull by the horns to enact changes he believes in that are for the betterment of his constituency.

Family plays a strong role in Reagan's life, and his devotion to Nancy is beautiful and admirable. Strangely, his first marriage to Jane Wyman is barely mentioned by him - no more than a sentence, I believe, despite producing two children. I believe President Reagan remains the only man to hold that office as a divorcee, if I'm not mistaken. Regardless, it is comforting to hear him discuss his family and the bond they all share as his incredible career unfolds.

Two areas of this autobiography gripped me like something out of a spy thriller. The first being the 1981 attempted assassination by the deranged John Hinckley Jr. I recall fairly vividly the news accounts of this occurring, but to actually read in his own words what it was like was positively chilling. Reagan's relationship with the Soviet Union is also fascinating, particularly as it pertains to nuclear disarmament, and programs such as the Strategic Defense Initiative, a.k.a. the "Star Wars" program. The Cold War was in full swing during the Reagan Presidency and there are so many great letters exchanged between Reagan, and Andropov and Gorbachev. There is a palpable sense of frustration on the part of all leaders.

President Reagan, essentially, defeated Communism. "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" will never, ever be forgotten. Reagan in his own words in this book represents a form of outstanding leadership the likes of which has never been seen since he left office, and is particularly relevant today, in lieu of the utter lack of leadership and questionable motives of the current administration. Furthermore, this book is a terrific lesson in leadership in general. President Reagan has a tenacity and admirable fervor that allowed him to get things done. While this is largely a treatise on the life and politics of the 40th President of the United States, it is so much more than that overall, and is more of the measure of a great man. Highly recommended.
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Jun 27, 2012 Kein rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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.

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Sep 27, 2014 Eric Jakubik rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A strong 3 stars with points off due to the length of the book and some repetition. Overall a good primer on historic events which I was too young to follow as they were happening. The direct excerpts from letters and notes does help extend the credibility. Reagan Smash!

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May 11, 2014 Dana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: re-reads

Very lengthy read- I'll admit I started skimming chapters towards the end- but I enjoyed reading some of his views on politics and national government.

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Jun 16, 2015 Alison Whiteman rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Meh. Not my kind of politician.

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Sep 24, 2015 Mmiller400m rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: presidents

Reagan. There are many who use his name with almost religious zeal on the Republican side. In my quest to read backwards through the presidents I was really looking forward to learning more about Dutch. I was born during his presidency and certainly don't remember any of it so it's supremely interesting to me to revisit some of this history. The two most interesting sections of the book to me were the Iran Contra affair and the Russian negotiations over nuclear arms reduction.

Iran Contra struck Reagan. There are many who use his name with almost religious zeal on the Republican side. In my quest to read backwards through the presidents I was really looking forward to learning more about Dutch. I was born during his presidency and certainly don't remember any of it so it's supremely interesting to me to revisit some of this history. The two most interesting sections of the book to me were the Iran Contra affair and the Russian negotiations over nuclear arms reduction.

Iran Contra struck me as being quite fishy. Reagan often mentions how they didn't trade arms for hostages but basically says the exact opposite in the book. At least that's how I take it. Israel gave items to Iran and the US then gave those exact items back to Israel stocking them up again. In return they were having Iran work to try and get their hostages released. I don't want to go into the gory details but it doesn't look good at all and the fact that pardons then came from the Vice President at the time George Bush Sr. makes it even worse.

The second part that I take issue with is the negotiations with Russia for arms reduction. Reagan would repeatedly say that the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was not negotiable and couldn't understand how defensive weapons wouldn't be good and why Russia wouldn't trust the US to share their technology. It's simple. If we got that tech and were able to use it, we would then have no fear at all of the Russian nukes. We would be completely one sided and could then bomb them with no fear of repercussions. We would hopefully have thought the same thing if they had that technology. He also talked about how Russia was breaking treaties while we were acting quite cavalierly ourselves in that regard.

I think I would have liked Reagan. I also think he's nothing like people make him out to be today. Honestly, I don't even think he would be considered a Republican today with some of his ideas.

...more

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May 25, 2015 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: american-political-biography

I grew up in the 1980s. My teenage years cover most of Reagan's presidency, and I was brought up in a family that was instinctively against Reagan's agenda.

This said, I actually enjoyed the book. It looks at all aspects of this life (with a good chunk focusing on his pre-Presidential life, which was quite interesting), and after I read the book, I can see why they called Reagan the "Great Communicator." In short, the book was an interesting read.

Having said I found it a good read, It didn't nece ...more

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Mar 30, 2009 Tim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Big 752 page book- Reagan's autobiography written after two terms as California Governor, and two as US President (plus sports caster and actor). I never understood people writing autobiographies in mid life... One reason I read this is that I've always felt bad about dissing Ron and Nancy in an essay I wrote while living in Africa - some insipid little comment about Nancy consulting a horoscope... So part of my reason was to approach this President's book as a mea culpa exercise. I'm glad I did Big 752 page book- Reagan's autobiography written after two terms as California Governor, and two as US President (plus sports caster and actor). I never understood people writing autobiographies in mid life... One reason I read this is that I've always felt bad about dissing Ron and Nancy in an essay I wrote while living in Africa - some insipid little comment about Nancy consulting a horoscope... So part of my reason was to approach this President's book as a mea culpa exercise. I'm glad I did - I find that I typically regret making what appeared to be "sharp, witty" ascerbic comments about leaders at a given time, only to regret them later, while any time I've been able to express mercy, understanding, tolerance, and openness, I've not regretted those stances even if disappointed later.

Right off the bat, I found Reagan's style of speaking coming through again in his writing. No doubt, he had much help writing or editing, but I can clearly hear his voice from TV and radio back in the 80's contained within his writing: warm, inviting, with conviction, yet conversational.

Second, I was struck how humbly he wrote of his many, many, many experiences, and contented or philosophically content perhaps as he looked back. He wrote from this contented standpoint in that he tried as hard as he could to act consistently with his principles. And even when he failed, he could write honestly of disappointment and with apologies. In either case, success or failure or more often he repeatedly talked about shades of success and failure mixed in various proportions, it was always in such a way that the reader could tell Reagan did not believe that the whole world rose or fell according to his actions - more realistically that he was a player on a much larger journey that continues as actors come and go.

Surprises: He came across with much more Christian views of faith than I remember publicly, and that in his most forceful criticism of the book, he was still angry with the actions of Israel led by Begin, and General Ariel Sharon back in the early 80s when he believed there was opportunity for middle east peace. Indeed, his recurring encounters with middle east conflicts and turmoil left him with a broad sorrow that more could not be accomplished - Anwar Sadat of Egypt was one he greatly admired. Reagan gave an honest, or at least coherent accounting of the Iran Contra affair - helpful for me to get the details more clear at any rate. And of course, Reagan provided his thoughts on many controversial aspects of his administration - especially those involving Central America conflicts and US support or resistance...

Reagan spent several chapters on the rearming of America, and its subsequent economic pressure put on the Soviet Union, his negotiations with at least three, if not 4 Soviet leaders - they kept dying on him, - ending with Gorbachev, and arms reductions. This really seemed like Reagan's most important contribution in his mind, was the path he helped create to reduce nuclear arms significantly, and the complexity and sensitive negotiation dynamics we probably under-appreciate 20 years later. SDI, star wars defenses, cruise missile deployment in Europe, etc - all were in Reagan's mind part of a chess match to move away from an even great idiocy - Mutual Assured Destruction - as a strategic foundation.

I'm the first to realize Reagan was and is a controversial President and public figure, in that he was both effective and very clear on his perspective of government vs private enterprise, of good and evil, and personal responsibility vs social oppression, all of which were affronts to sizable segments of America and the world. But that is the point, I suspect, of why he looms large still - a leader whether one agreed with him or not!

The book is another of those, "I thought I knew him/the issue, but I found that I didn't know or remember nearly as much as I thought."

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Feb 20, 2013 Kerry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a great book. As one might imagine, it was A LOT of politics. I've read at least one biography before on Reagan, but have wanted to read his autobiography for a long time and glad I finally did. It's 85 chapters and 726 pages and most of it is politics, so not necessarily a "pool side" read. But I found it fascinating. The focus of the book is much more regarding politics than his personal life and I would have liked him to recount a little more on his personal life. Nevertheless, it wa This was a great book. As one might imagine, it was A LOT of politics. I've read at least one biography before on Reagan, but have wanted to read his autobiography for a long time and glad I finally did. It's 85 chapters and 726 pages and most of it is politics, so not necessarily a "pool side" read. But I found it fascinating. The focus of the book is much more regarding politics than his personal life and I would have liked him to recount a little more on his personal life. Nevertheless, it was so insightful to read so much of his communication with Gorbachev during the Cold War and such. Here are a few excerpts that I loved:

"There probably isn't any undertaking on earth short of assuring the national security that can't be handled more efficiently by the forces of private enterprise than by the federal government."

In regards to Nancy... "If ever God gave me evidence that He had a plan for me, it was the night He brought Nanacy into my life. I have spent many hours of my life giving speeches and expressing my opinions. But it is almost impossible for me to express fully how deeply I love Nancy and how much she has filled my life....Coming home to her is like coming out of the cold into a warm, firelit room. I miss her if she just steps out of the room."

In regards to socialized medicine.... (and he said this when he was still a registered Democrat) "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 and our children's children what it once was like when men were free."

"Spending for government "entitlement" programs accounts for 48% of federal spending. To many members of Congress, this money is off-limits forever: Once a program gets started, it's virtually impossible to reduce or stop it. Every one of these programs develops a powerful constituency in Congress, and a bureaucracy that is dedicated to preserving it. The tendency of government and its programs to grow are about the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth."

And finally.... he outlines 3 things he feels most strongly about for our government to be successful. 1) "We need more discipline on spending in Congress. 2) We need a constitutional amendment REQUIRING Congress to balance the budget. And 3) we need to give our presidents a line-item veto in order to cut unnecessary spending. He also said that Congressional redistricting (which is done to basically secure the re-election of a particular Congressman/woman) "has becomes a national disgrace and needs to be cleaned up."

Anyway, I learned a ton and would highly recommend this book. Wish we had a President like him today....

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Nov 22, 2014 Keith Bell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For some reason, his life fascinates me. I wouldn't consider myself a staunch Republican so it' isn't that. I believe it is just that he was a simple man that happened to find his place in history. His Character (per Peggy Noonan) was king.

As I study for my American citizenship, I realize that much of his political philosophy is driven directly by what the founders of this country felt were valuable. Love him or hate him, it's still a great read.

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Aug 23, 2011 Tbloxham rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I may disagree with much of what he did, but when looked at in a modern light other than his policies on many social issues Reagan is a solid pragmatist and bears more similarities to modern democrats than to modern republicans. His attitude of the 9-5 rivalry is absolutely excellent to read about, and it is interesting to hear why he did many of the things that he did. It was particularly amusing to read his own words about the debt ceiling during a time when the US was struggling with the same ...more

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Jan 10, 2012 Shelley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After doing lots of family history, it felt a little weird to read about someone not related to me. The section where he's just starting to get politically active is fascinating.

I would recommend the first half of this book to any American, especially those who weren't adults during the 80's. There were some fascinating facts about the state of our government and economy. It also made me appreciate how hard it would be to be President of the United States. I don't see how anyone could be prepar ...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Dj Wells rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An awesome autobiography about one of the greatest Presidents the United States has had the honor of having. A country boy at heart on his ranch in California and an outstanding orator. The book leads the reader from life in Dixon, IL to Hollywood, the Governorship of CA, and finally the Presidency of the United States. We see the efforts put forth during the Cold War with Gorbechav and the attempts to create arms treaties to reduce the nuclear threat. His frustration with the partisan congress ...more

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Feb 28, 2014 Burt Schoeppe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: political-memoirs

Very unique. Reagan definitely lives up to the great communicator title. He had quite the life before politics. The book was probably the least political of the presidential bios I have read, mostly for the better but definitely leaves me interested in reading a thrird party bio.

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Apr 09, 2014 Janey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography-read , politics-read

Very interesting! Loved best the chapters from his childhood through his acting career to his govern-ship of California. I admire Reagan the most for his integrity. Now I better understand some politics from the 70's and 80's. Holy cow the chapters about the middle east and Russia; what a complicated mess for every president. I was also surprised that I walked away with a bit more empathy for whoever holds the office of the presidency--their challenges with staff members, foreign policy, militar ...more

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Jun 13, 2014 A rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Amazing autobiography. Incredibly inspiring and even better when listed to on audiotape.

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May 31, 2013 Chad rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: politics , biography

I enjoyed this book very much. It was written in a way that made me feel like I was sitting beside a fire talking to him. He certainly knew how to relate to common, everyday people.

The only part of this large account of his life that got tedious to read was all of the correspondence between him and the Soviet leaders. The content and ramifications of those letters was fascinating, just far less enjoyable than the accounts of his life.

I highly suggest this book for anyone, whether they appreciat ...more

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Jul 03, 2014 Peter rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

(pre-Goodreads)

Enjoyed it.

Estimated date.

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May 24, 2014 Greg Mourgenos rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A great book from a great leader!

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Colby Qualls rated it 4 of 5 stars
Oct 02, 2014

Jan 01, 2014 Beverly Maher rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An interesting look at a man who came from humble beginning, to his acting career, to his governorship, and all the way to the white house. He was a man born with common sense and a sharp intuition. There is a warm, deeply patriotic memoir.

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Oct 02, 2008 Carolyn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have always respected President Reagan. I wanted to know more about him. I was in High School when he was shot. I was touring with a musical theater group in college when I heard the Berlin Wall was coming down. That evening, the hymn "God Bless America" was even more poignant! With that, I truly enjoyed this book!!!!

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About Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). Born in Illinois, Reagan moved to Los Angeles in the 1930s, where he became an actor, president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and a spokesman for General Electric. Reagan became involved in politics during his work for G.E. and switched from the Democratic Party to the ...more

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“governments don't produce economic growth people do.” — 5 likes

“I don't think we'll solve the problem of the deficit until three things happen: We need more discipline on spending in Congress. We need a constitutional amendment requiring Congress to balance the budget. And we need to give our presidents a line-item veto.” — 4 likes

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