Reagan: A Life In Letters - Softcover

Skinner, Kiron K.; Anderson, Annelise; Anderson, Martin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0743219678 ISBN 13: 9780743219679

Publisher: Free Press, 2004

Synopsis

The New York Times bestselling collection of Ronald Reagan’s letters—a definitive look at a man, an era, and a presidency.

Ronald Reagan may have been the most prolific correspondent of any American president since Theodore Roosevelt, having likely written more than 10,000 letters in his lifetime to a wide array of friends and family, politicians, private citizens, and children. Honest, open, and heartfelt, Reagan’s letters reveal a man who felt most comfortable and natural with pen in hand, and a man who reached out to friend and foe alike throughout his life. Reagan: A Life in Letters is as important as it is astonishing and moving.

About this title

Review:

Many books have been written about Ronald Reagan, but this collection of his letters must certainly be among the most varied and revealing about every aspect of the man. Organized by themes such as "Old Friends," "Running for Office," "Core Beliefs," "The Critics," and "Foreign Leaders," the book contains over 1,000 letters stretching from 1922 to 1994. Whether discussing economic policy with a political foe, dispensing marital advice, or sharing a joke with a pen pal, Reagan comes across as gracious, caring, and inquisitive. Even when responding to blistering criticism, he remained fair and thoughtful. As one would expect, many of the letters are addressed to world leaders, well-known American politicians, pundits, and journalists, and these are certainly interesting for their historical relevance and insights into Reagan's diplomatic style. Among the more fascinating notes, however, are those sent to private citizens, some of which are quite long and detailed. That Reagan would spend the time, as both governor of California and President, to respond to the concerns and inquiries of constituents reveals that he never forgot how he got to his positions of leadership in the first place. He even went so far on occasions to help make business connections for people he had never met in person. He also sent many letters to children. In one, he encouraged a young student to turn off the TV and grab a book instead: "Reading is a magic carpet and you can never be lonely if you learn to enjoy a good book." Taken as a whole, these revealing, well-written, and entertaining letters trace the story of Reagan's life and times as well as any standard biography. They also offer further proof of why he was dubbed "The Great Communicator." --Shawn Carkonen

About the Author:

Kiron Skinner is an assistant professor of history and political science at Carnegie Mellon University. Her articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Annelise Anderson was an advisor to Ronald Reagan's 1980 presidential campaign and associate director of the Budget Office, 1981-1983. Martin Anderson served as a special assistant under Richard Nixon and as chief domestic and economic policy adviser to Ronald Reagan.

About this edition

• Publisher: Free Press
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0743219678
• ISBN 13: 9780743219679
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 960