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Reagan: His Life and Legend
Son of the Midwest, movie star, and mesmerizing politician—America’s fortieth president comes to three-dimensional life in this gripping and profoundly revisionist biography.
From best-selling biographer Max Boot comes this revelatory portrait, a decade in the making, of Ronald Reagan, the actor-turned-politician whose telegenic leadership ushered in a transformative conservative era in American politics. Despite his fame as a Hollywood star and television host, Reagan remained an enigma—a man of profound contradictions—even to those closest to him. Believing that this inscrutability contributed to Reagan’s appeal, Max Boot sought to reveal the real man behind the mythology. Drawing on more than a hundred new interviews and thousands of newly available documents, Reagan tells the epic story of the Depression-era poor boy who transfixed the nation. Yet Boot, a one-time Republican policy advisor, offers no apologia, depicting a man with a Manichean, good-versus-evil worldview derived from his moralistic upbringing. Providing revelatory insights into “trickle-down economics,� the Cold War’s end, the Iran-Contra affair, and so much more, this definitive biography is as compelling a presidential biography as any in recent decades.
From best-selling biographer Max Boot comes this revelatory portrait, a decade in the making, of Ronald Reagan, the actor-turned-politician whose telegenic leadership ushered in a transformative conservative era in American politics. Despite his fame as a Hollywood star and television host, Reagan remained an enigma—a man of profound contradictions—even to those closest to him. Believing that this inscrutability contributed to Reagan’s appeal, Max Boot sought to reveal the real man behind the mythology. Drawing on more than a hundred new interviews and thousands of newly available documents, Reagan tells the epic story of the Depression-era poor boy who transfixed the nation. Yet Boot, a one-time Republican policy advisor, offers no apologia, depicting a man with a Manichean, good-versus-evil worldview derived from his moralistic upbringing. Providing revelatory insights into “trickle-down economics,� the Cold War’s end, the Iran-Contra affair, and so much more, this definitive biography is as compelling a presidential biography as any in recent decades.
880 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2024
912 people are currently reading
7,857 people want to read
About the author
Max Boot
11Ìýbooks216ÌýfollowersMax Boot is a historian and biographer, best-selling author, and foreign-policy analyst. He is the Jeane J. Kirkpatrick senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and a weekly columnist for The Washington Post.
Max Boot’s biography of Ronald Reagan, Reagan: His Life and Legend, is his third New York Times bestseller. It was named one of the Ten Best Books of 2024 by the New York Times, and also made best-of-the-year lists from The New Yorker, The Washington Post and The Economist. It has been acclaimed as a "landmark work" (The New York Times), the "definitive biography" (The New Yorker), “magisterial" (The Washington Post), and “enormously readable and scrupulously honest� (The Sunday Times). Max Boot’s previous biography, The Road Not Taken: Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam, was also a New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in biography.
Max Boot’s biography of Ronald Reagan, Reagan: His Life and Legend, is his third New York Times bestseller. It was named one of the Ten Best Books of 2024 by the New York Times, and also made best-of-the-year lists from The New Yorker, The Washington Post and The Economist. It has been acclaimed as a "landmark work" (The New York Times), the "definitive biography" (The New Yorker), “magisterial" (The Washington Post), and “enormously readable and scrupulously honest� (The Sunday Times). Max Boot’s previous biography, The Road Not Taken: Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam, was also a New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in biography.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
November 20, 2024
I really hate writing about politics. People have very strong feelings, and I'm just a history nerd trying to make it in this crazy world. I knew Reagan by Max Boot would test my abilities to write a comprehensive review without getting dragged into endless online discourse. In order to make my life easier, I am going to first tackle Reagan purely as a book and then I'll discuss Boot's approach to Ronald Reagan's politics and legacy. I don't think I need to provide much of an introduction to the Gipper, so let's get to it!
As far as a book, Reagan is really good! Boot's prose flows easily and the book never drags. It is a hefty tome (over 700 pages of actual narrative), but I never felt the need to skip sections because it didn't add to Reagan's overall story. From a construction perspective, I would say Boot's introduction is a bit too detailed about what he intends to highlight about the former president. It means there is a bit too much of a repetition in themes that Boot references directly and with the same language. These are very small sections and, as I said, don't bog down the narrative. However, you do notice when you see the same phrase. If you don't have a dog in the fight of, "How good of a president was Reagan?" then I highly recommend it.
Now the part I hate. How does Boot handle his subject from a political perspective? Simply, if you have strong feelings about Reagan either way, then I think you will be upset. Boot does not call Reagan a terrible human being and world leader. He also doesn't deify Reagan. If pressed, I would say that Boot criticizes Reagan more than he compliments him. After long passages, Boot will use phrases like, "To be fair to him" or "To give him credit". These phrases usually indicate you just finished a criticism of someone and are now trying to add context. I felt in a couple of specific instances that Boot did extrapolate a bit too much in his criticisms, but this is far from a hit piece of the subject.
Boot does highlight Reagan's positive attributes while leveling some harsh words on his legacy. The final chapter would delight Reagan fans, though. Boot spends most of this section putting a finer point on Reagan's accomplishments and the positive attributes which made so many people love him.
Other reviewers mentioned this, so I should probably as well. Yes, Donald Trump does come up a few times. It's not often or for very long. Yes, you can tell how Boot feels about him. It doesn't ruin anything else about the book, but it does feel badly placed. You could cut these sections out (again, they are very short references) and the book would not suffer at all.
In the end, a biography is supposed to help you understand the subject better. I definitely feel more intelligent about the entire life of Reagan even if I disagreed with Boot's conclusions here and there. This is worth a read if you are willing to disagree with the author and still respect the work they put in.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the publisher.)
As far as a book, Reagan is really good! Boot's prose flows easily and the book never drags. It is a hefty tome (over 700 pages of actual narrative), but I never felt the need to skip sections because it didn't add to Reagan's overall story. From a construction perspective, I would say Boot's introduction is a bit too detailed about what he intends to highlight about the former president. It means there is a bit too much of a repetition in themes that Boot references directly and with the same language. These are very small sections and, as I said, don't bog down the narrative. However, you do notice when you see the same phrase. If you don't have a dog in the fight of, "How good of a president was Reagan?" then I highly recommend it.
Now the part I hate. How does Boot handle his subject from a political perspective? Simply, if you have strong feelings about Reagan either way, then I think you will be upset. Boot does not call Reagan a terrible human being and world leader. He also doesn't deify Reagan. If pressed, I would say that Boot criticizes Reagan more than he compliments him. After long passages, Boot will use phrases like, "To be fair to him" or "To give him credit". These phrases usually indicate you just finished a criticism of someone and are now trying to add context. I felt in a couple of specific instances that Boot did extrapolate a bit too much in his criticisms, but this is far from a hit piece of the subject.
Boot does highlight Reagan's positive attributes while leveling some harsh words on his legacy. The final chapter would delight Reagan fans, though. Boot spends most of this section putting a finer point on Reagan's accomplishments and the positive attributes which made so many people love him.
Other reviewers mentioned this, so I should probably as well. Yes, Donald Trump does come up a few times. It's not often or for very long. Yes, you can tell how Boot feels about him. It doesn't ruin anything else about the book, but it does feel badly placed. You could cut these sections out (again, they are very short references) and the book would not suffer at all.
In the end, a biography is supposed to help you understand the subject better. I definitely feel more intelligent about the entire life of Reagan even if I disagreed with Boot's conclusions here and there. This is worth a read if you are willing to disagree with the author and still respect the work they put in.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the publisher.)
December 25, 2024
The first 3/4 of the book is so good. It does falter toward the end. Mainly because Boot refuses to contextualize any of Reagan's policies on American culture. He glosses over racism and AIDS in favor of tons of text on Ruso-American relations. Even that he doesn't fully make clear what it all means instead he just recites information. Reagan was apparently hard to get to know, but after spending 32 hours with his book I don't feel like I have a better sense of the man. It is a good biography because it is an interesting way to look at the history of American but the ending is so abrupt and let me wanting
October 23, 2024
No issues with the authors writing style. It was fluid and easy to read.
My main issues with this were that it eventually felt like Boot had an axe to grind with Reagan and would stop at nothing to point out every hypocrisy in Reagans life. Whether it was a major incident or a private conversation from Reagans childhood, if it conflicted with any other part of his life Boot was sure to bring it up. I eventually began to wonder what parts of Reagans life were being left out as they may paint him in a better light.
I also took issue with the authors mentioning of President Trump at least 10x throughout the book. This convinced me that Boot was writing this with a very particular audience in mind and not for history.
Some examples of issues I found with things Boot mentioned (alot that added nothing of value to the text). Eventually Boot just came off as mean spirited (repeatedly calling Reagan a washed up actor). While I fully acknowledge Reagan was not perfect and may be over “worshipped� by conservatives he is nowhere near the aloof racist that Boot portrays him as.
Author implies Reagan is racist for calling MLK immoral, disregarding the disdain Reagan held for adulterers.
Says Reagan is anti civil rights because he didn’t support bussing even though only 32% of African Americans supported it at the time.
Seemed like Boot could spend pages discussing something just to drop in a couple unrelated sentences at the end to paint Reagan as racist - like Reagan golfing at Augusta when they didn’t have black members.
No section of this book is devoid of accusations of Reagan being a racist (It eventually became tiring).
Reagan used the sentence “Restrain the DARKER impulses of human nature� - again supposedly racist.
Author makes the assertion w/ both Goldwater and Reagan, they hold political opinions that some racists also hold so therefore they must also be racist.
To discredit one of Reagans speeches, Boot uses the incredible source of “a graduate student� that studied the speech. That student found many false, exaggerated or unconfirmed statements.
While discussing Gerald Ford, Boot writes that Ford was a college football star while Reagan could barely make the Eureka Varsity squad. This had already been noted and seems like it was added again as a feeble attempt to belittle Reagan. Apparently making varsity is not good enough for Max Boot.
Apparently using the term “strapping young buck� is racist.
Boot asserts that Reagan was foolishly worried about war w/ the Soviets. They weren’t that big of a threat because after a first strike the US could strike back and destroy every major Soviet city. I guess Boot assumes that the first strike that hits us would be insignificant and when the Soviets saw our massive responsive they wouldn’t launch more missiles.
Boot blames Reagan that in 1980 59% of Americans belonged to the middle class while in 2020 that percentage dropped to 50. Boot does not mention any other changes in society during that time like the tech boom, shrinking of manufacturing and auto industry and the growing reliance on the welfare state.
Reagan had advocated publicly for the Berlin Wall to come down but then in a private conversation in 1988 Reagan said he would be satisfied if the two parts of Berlin could just work together. Boot somehow makes this out to be hypocrisy on Reagans part, he would have rather had Reagan aim small from the get go rather than set a lofty goal (which eventually came to fruition).
My main issues with this were that it eventually felt like Boot had an axe to grind with Reagan and would stop at nothing to point out every hypocrisy in Reagans life. Whether it was a major incident or a private conversation from Reagans childhood, if it conflicted with any other part of his life Boot was sure to bring it up. I eventually began to wonder what parts of Reagans life were being left out as they may paint him in a better light.
I also took issue with the authors mentioning of President Trump at least 10x throughout the book. This convinced me that Boot was writing this with a very particular audience in mind and not for history.
Some examples of issues I found with things Boot mentioned (alot that added nothing of value to the text). Eventually Boot just came off as mean spirited (repeatedly calling Reagan a washed up actor). While I fully acknowledge Reagan was not perfect and may be over “worshipped� by conservatives he is nowhere near the aloof racist that Boot portrays him as.
Author implies Reagan is racist for calling MLK immoral, disregarding the disdain Reagan held for adulterers.
Says Reagan is anti civil rights because he didn’t support bussing even though only 32% of African Americans supported it at the time.
Seemed like Boot could spend pages discussing something just to drop in a couple unrelated sentences at the end to paint Reagan as racist - like Reagan golfing at Augusta when they didn’t have black members.
No section of this book is devoid of accusations of Reagan being a racist (It eventually became tiring).
Reagan used the sentence “Restrain the DARKER impulses of human nature� - again supposedly racist.
Author makes the assertion w/ both Goldwater and Reagan, they hold political opinions that some racists also hold so therefore they must also be racist.
To discredit one of Reagans speeches, Boot uses the incredible source of “a graduate student� that studied the speech. That student found many false, exaggerated or unconfirmed statements.
While discussing Gerald Ford, Boot writes that Ford was a college football star while Reagan could barely make the Eureka Varsity squad. This had already been noted and seems like it was added again as a feeble attempt to belittle Reagan. Apparently making varsity is not good enough for Max Boot.
Apparently using the term “strapping young buck� is racist.
Boot asserts that Reagan was foolishly worried about war w/ the Soviets. They weren’t that big of a threat because after a first strike the US could strike back and destroy every major Soviet city. I guess Boot assumes that the first strike that hits us would be insignificant and when the Soviets saw our massive responsive they wouldn’t launch more missiles.
Boot blames Reagan that in 1980 59% of Americans belonged to the middle class while in 2020 that percentage dropped to 50. Boot does not mention any other changes in society during that time like the tech boom, shrinking of manufacturing and auto industry and the growing reliance on the welfare state.
Reagan had advocated publicly for the Berlin Wall to come down but then in a private conversation in 1988 Reagan said he would be satisfied if the two parts of Berlin could just work together. Boot somehow makes this out to be hypocrisy on Reagans part, he would have rather had Reagan aim small from the get go rather than set a lofty goal (which eventually came to fruition).
October 5, 2024
Well written balanced commentary on Ronald Reagan.
December 11, 2024
This feels like it's been written at great length and then edited down to bitesize chunks. There's nothing wrong with that per se. Writing a one-volume history of an American president - especially one like Reagan who had careers in both politics and Hollywood - is extremely tricky given all the detail you have to include. Boot does a good enough job providing the essentials. And he's not afraid to correct the record and criticise. You get a good understanding of Reagan's personality, which
wasn't as egregious as Goldwater's or Trump's. But his rhetoric - especially on civil rights, tax cuts for the rich and 'big government' - was the usual rightwing claptrap. The original MAGA-man, he even had his own culture wars when he was governor of California in the '60s (Berkeley Riots, Black Panthers, college shootings), and was happy to raise campaign funds by 'frightening the faithful about purported Democratic plots to destroy America' and by appealing to white bigotry. Plus ca change. 'Are you better off than you were four years ago?' helped win him the presidency in 1980 (like it did Trump in 2024), but by undercutting union bargaining power he helped bring in long-term income stagnation for blue collar workers and a widening of income inequality. A legacy still being felt - and exploited by his old party - today.
wasn't as egregious as Goldwater's or Trump's. But his rhetoric - especially on civil rights, tax cuts for the rich and 'big government' - was the usual rightwing claptrap. The original MAGA-man, he even had his own culture wars when he was governor of California in the '60s (Berkeley Riots, Black Panthers, college shootings), and was happy to raise campaign funds by 'frightening the faithful about purported Democratic plots to destroy America' and by appealing to white bigotry. Plus ca change. 'Are you better off than you were four years ago?' helped win him the presidency in 1980 (like it did Trump in 2024), but by undercutting union bargaining power he helped bring in long-term income stagnation for blue collar workers and a widening of income inequality. A legacy still being felt - and exploited by his old party - today.
August 5, 2024
I debated if I wanted to read this book or not, but decided to request it, and I am so glad I did.
The author, Max Boot, said he was an Independent, and as I read the book, he was. He told the Reagan story, through facts, about Ronald Reagan, the man, the history, and it just flowed, making reading such a delightful experience. If we could only have history books like this in school. There was a lot of history being made at that time.
I received an ARC from Liveright through NetGalley.
The author, Max Boot, said he was an Independent, and as I read the book, he was. He told the Reagan story, through facts, about Ronald Reagan, the man, the history, and it just flowed, making reading such a delightful experience. If we could only have history books like this in school. There was a lot of history being made at that time.
I received an ARC from Liveright through NetGalley.
September 22, 2024
For a modern president who loomed so large in his time, relatively few compelling, comprehensive biographies of Ronald Reagan have been written. Boot, a Russian-born naturalized American and self-identified conservative, has long been fascinated by Reagan and his presidency.
In 2013 he began a quest to assess Reagan's life and legacy, tapping nearly every possible source of information including previous biographers' personal notes, interviewing nearly 100 people from Reagan's orbit and reviewing recently declassified documents. What resulted is a thoughtful, reflective and surprisingly critical tome.
Organized chronologically, "Reagan: His Life and Legend" successfully covers every important aspect of Reagan's personal and professional lives. The author's writing style is consistently easy to follow, but it does tend to oscillate between an elegant, lucid prose and the critical, no-nonsense syntax one might expect from a skilled lawyer.
Rather than fully de-coding the enigmatic Reagan - a challenge that has eluded even the best of his biographers - Boots settles on two seemingly unremarkable tenets: that on a personal level Reagan was inscrutable due to the circumstances of his upbringing and, in the political arena, his actions could be explained by his strong tendency towards pragmatism.
But if this "revelation" underwhelms most readers, the book does contain numerous redeeming elements. The Prologue andÌýIntroduction are each quite engaging, Boot does a very nice job reviewing the American Midwest during Reagan's childhood, and a chapter devoted to Reagan's summit with Gorbachev in Geneva will intrigue and entertain almost any reader.
In addition, Boot's willingness to directly confront the countless contradictions posed by Reagan is both refreshing and valuable. Finally, the narrative is unusually dexterous in analyzing and explaining many of the foreign policy issues that confronted the Reagan administration.
But for all its merit this biography possesses its share of shortcomings. The publisher promises nothing less than a "definitive biography" which is "as compelling a presidential biography as any in recent decades." Against such a towering standard this biography certainly falls short.
Boots identifies early signs of "Trumpism" during the build-up of Reagan's political career; his first mention of this appears just a few pages into the biography. Unfortunately, the strange peculiarities of the Trump phenomenon infiltrates the narrative in a way that evolves from somewhat intriguing...to oddly intrusive. This is, after all, a biography of the 40th president, not the 45th.
And while Boot's objectivity is invaluable, he sometimes spends more time fact-checking Reagan than he devotes to creating the context and color of his subject's time and place. A president's supporting cast of advisors and surrogates provides the biographer with a rich opportunity to weave layers of interpersonal texture into a narrative. Boot fails to take full advantage of the possibility.
Finally, although an eloquent summary is provided in the books opening pages, this biography lacks the methodical, meticulous conclusory review of Reagan's legacy which a definitive biography so richly deserves and which Boot, after more than a decade of consideration, is uniquely able to offer.
Overall, Max Boot's "Reagan: His Life and Legend" is a welcome addition to the body of work devoted to the life and legacy of Ronald Reagan. This biography adds a unique voice to Reagan's biographical library and offers much to the curious reader. But someone seeking a uniquely-compelling presidential biography, or even just the definitive biography of Reagan, will find it doesn't quite live up to its promise.
Overall Rating: 4 stars
December 19, 2024
I don’t know if it’s a good idea to write a review on a divisive political figure!? 😂😂
I saw some reviews that felt the author was too biased and I didn’t necessarily feel that way. Especially because I felt the author was very upfront from the beginning about his own experience growing up loving Reagan and eventually having more complicated feelings. The book does mention Donald Trump in the context of Reagan’s legacy but it didn’t bother me but might offend people who really love Trump. I think it’s a fair thing to consider.
I didn’t have a lot of super passionate feelings about Reagan which as probably the best way to go into this book I grew up with parents who really loved him (they’re more ambivalent now) and that’s really the bulk of what I knew. I definitely lean more liberal and would consider myself a centrist democrat but I try to be fair and reasonable. I am not afraid to admire and praise someone from the other party if I feel they are deserving and I’m also not afraid to criticize my party.
All that to say I personally enjoyed this book. It took me on a roller coaster ride haha! One second I was all for Reagan and the next I was super frustrated and angry. To me that says the author was doing their job.
Reagan is very interesting and complicated. On one hand he was a big part of the red scare in Hollywood and went behind colleagues backs to turn them in. At the same time he was incredibly conflict adverse and was so scared of hurting feelings that he didn’t even say anything mean about his would be assassin in his autobiography.
Reagan was passionate about individuals and would go above and beyond for people who wrote him about difficult life situations. On the other hand when he was confronted with groups of people who were struggling he could often be callous. The author says he had lots of sympathy but struggled with empathy.
He advocated for the family unit but his own nuclear family was incredibly dysfunctional. To the point that at his own funeral he had children who were not allowed to ride with the family to the cemetery.
He could be incredibly pragmatic about guns, abortion, and immigration. But he also could be very uninvolved in his administration to the point of letting aides fight it out over his positions.
So I guess the point is that he was a human. There’s good and bad. He has a complicated legacy. But I know I will too (though I don’t think anybody is going to be writing 880 page books about me hahaha!) I do think political leaders should be held to a different level of scrutiny and my general consensus is that some people love him and idolize him too much and others probably don’t give him enough credit.
I saw some reviews that felt the author was too biased and I didn’t necessarily feel that way. Especially because I felt the author was very upfront from the beginning about his own experience growing up loving Reagan and eventually having more complicated feelings. The book does mention Donald Trump in the context of Reagan’s legacy but it didn’t bother me but might offend people who really love Trump. I think it’s a fair thing to consider.
I didn’t have a lot of super passionate feelings about Reagan which as probably the best way to go into this book I grew up with parents who really loved him (they’re more ambivalent now) and that’s really the bulk of what I knew. I definitely lean more liberal and would consider myself a centrist democrat but I try to be fair and reasonable. I am not afraid to admire and praise someone from the other party if I feel they are deserving and I’m also not afraid to criticize my party.
All that to say I personally enjoyed this book. It took me on a roller coaster ride haha! One second I was all for Reagan and the next I was super frustrated and angry. To me that says the author was doing their job.
Reagan is very interesting and complicated. On one hand he was a big part of the red scare in Hollywood and went behind colleagues backs to turn them in. At the same time he was incredibly conflict adverse and was so scared of hurting feelings that he didn’t even say anything mean about his would be assassin in his autobiography.
Reagan was passionate about individuals and would go above and beyond for people who wrote him about difficult life situations. On the other hand when he was confronted with groups of people who were struggling he could often be callous. The author says he had lots of sympathy but struggled with empathy.
He advocated for the family unit but his own nuclear family was incredibly dysfunctional. To the point that at his own funeral he had children who were not allowed to ride with the family to the cemetery.
He could be incredibly pragmatic about guns, abortion, and immigration. But he also could be very uninvolved in his administration to the point of letting aides fight it out over his positions.
So I guess the point is that he was a human. There’s good and bad. He has a complicated legacy. But I know I will too (though I don’t think anybody is going to be writing 880 page books about me hahaha!) I do think political leaders should be held to a different level of scrutiny and my general consensus is that some people love him and idolize him too much and others probably don’t give him enough credit.
February 4, 2025
This book is not for the faint of heart. Not just because it’s almost 900 pages but times it’s very policy heavy. I think the author did a fantastic job telling a really important story of American history while not making it read like a textbook.
I learned so much about Ronald Reagan. Not just about where he came from but about who he really was, the entirety of the man, and how that affected his presidency � and in turn, the World.
He truly is a polarizing figure in American politics but as a man, he was beloved my most, and that says a lot 40 years after the end of his presidency. Born at the beginning of his presidency, I’ve always known OF Reagan and I thought I knew about him but what I knew was just the tip of the iceberg. As everyone is, he was an incredibly complex human being with deep rooted belief systems from his upbringing that drove his presidency and morality, which conflicted at times. He was much more of a pragmatist than most make him out to be.
I’m impressed with how well a job Max Boot did summing up this historic figure in World History. I can’t imagine the work it took to not only bring all this information together but to articulate it so thoroughly. Incredibly impressive.
Everyone’s gonna have opinions about who he was and what he did. That’s impossible to avoid but I think Boot remains a neutral figure in relaying the nuances of a life lived mostly in the (VERY BRIGHT) spot light.
I learned so much about Ronald Reagan. Not just about where he came from but about who he really was, the entirety of the man, and how that affected his presidency � and in turn, the World.
He truly is a polarizing figure in American politics but as a man, he was beloved my most, and that says a lot 40 years after the end of his presidency. Born at the beginning of his presidency, I’ve always known OF Reagan and I thought I knew about him but what I knew was just the tip of the iceberg. As everyone is, he was an incredibly complex human being with deep rooted belief systems from his upbringing that drove his presidency and morality, which conflicted at times. He was much more of a pragmatist than most make him out to be.
I’m impressed with how well a job Max Boot did summing up this historic figure in World History. I can’t imagine the work it took to not only bring all this information together but to articulate it so thoroughly. Incredibly impressive.
Everyone’s gonna have opinions about who he was and what he did. That’s impossible to avoid but I think Boot remains a neutral figure in relaying the nuances of a life lived mostly in the (VERY BRIGHT) spot light.
October 1, 2024
Max Boot started off great in Reagan. At first this felt like an object look at the life and legacy of the former President . However, the book took a definite turn toward, “Raegan was a liar, he lied about everything,� with a lot of “he made that up, he exaggerated, that’s not really what happened.�
I believe in honest critiques, I believe in perspectives that shed light on who a person really is, but this eventually felt like an 880-page vendetta.
I believe in honest critiques, I believe in perspectives that shed light on who a person really is, but this eventually felt like an 880-page vendetta.
September 24, 2024
Max Boot has apparently put together the first "definitive" biography of President Reagan. In his introduction, he frames Reagan's legacy as being wrapped up in Donald Trump, and asks to what extent is Trump the product of Reagan. He also cautions that neither Reagan's adoring fans nor his detractors will likely be satisfied with the book, as it takes a myth-dispelling approach to the former President. Nonetheless, the biography seems to have made a more corrective effort than typical hagiographies, emphasizing the realistic (and realistically bad) over the lionized version of Reagan's life. Boot's book does this in an extremely compelling manner, telling well-sourced and interesting stories about Reagan's life that amount to more than a history book and more than a character study. He weaves the threads of Reagan's career together in a very fulfilling way, showing a simple, generally decent man who seemed "unchanged" by the 8 years he spent in the White House.
I came away from this book with a negative impression of Ronald Reagan. His whole life and career seem to have been characterized by his three most defining traits: Geniality, Haplessness, and Callousness. In the concluding chapter, when describing Reagan's farewell address, Boot runs through a list of Reagan's accomplishments and failures. The positive comments are focused on vibes, such as his stoic and charming recovery from being shot and for his support for democratic transitions in semi-authoritarian US Allies like the Philippines. The negatives run much longer, including a ballooning deficit, a catastrophic response to the AIDS crisis, the Iran-Contra Affair, and a "hollowing out of the middle class." These negatives seem to far outweigh the positives.
Genial: The greatest thing about Reagan is encapsulated in his nickname "The Great Communicator." He has a talent for charming those who meet him and for putting a soft touch on his messages. He was well known for his quips, many of which can be attributed directly to him, rather than his speech writers. Whether debating Jimmy Carter, strategizing with Margaret Thatcher, negotiating with Mikheil Gorbachev, or answering constituent calls and letters in Sacramento, Reagan had an affability that disarmed his opponents and enthralled his supporters. He was manifestly kind and considerate to those around him, though he was aloof and self-serving in most cases. The book repeatedly described how he would fail to get to know his aides and even his children. At the same time, most people came away with a sense of charm and enchantment thanks to Reagan's masterful skills as a communicator, actor, and politician.
Hapless: I can't help but feel that Reagan failed upward his whole life. He was a mediocre student and football player who became a mediocre actor and then a governor who exceeded low expectations and a President who muddled his way through. He seems to have lacked a strong vision for what he wanted for the country--avoiding conflict would lead him to making pragmatist compromises with opposition leaders in Sacramento, Washington, and Moscow. He took little interest in policy details, a feature that likely saved him from serious consequences in the Iran-Contra Affair due to his extremely plausible deniability. His disinterest led him to walk away from the governorship, having become bored with it. It is hard to understand his motivations beyond wanting to be liked and win life's popularity contest.
Callous: Like many politicians, especially those on the right, Reagan demonstrated a lack of macroempathy throughout his life. This creates a contradiction with his personal empathy that he held for individuals. Boot describes a pair of impoverished sisters who wrote him while he was governor and whom he would assist throughout his life, without seeking plaudits for his charity and consideration. At the same time, he was decrying "welfare queens" in Chicago and failing to understand why people couldn't just pursue his dreams, as he had, as if all you needed to become a Hollywood star was a strong work ethic. In the White House, his lack of imagination allowed the AIDS pandemic to spiral nearly out of control. He spared no thoughts for HIV's early victims, really waking up to the severity when one of his wealthy, white, straight Hollywood colleagues contracted the virus and passed it along to her infants through breastfeeding. Reagan couldn't (or wouldn't) easily see the humanity of those unlike him, but could feign interest until an issue struck home with someone he resonated with.
I'm ignoring many of the more salacious elements of Reagan's career, such as his flirtation with white supremacists and his recorded remarks disdaining African nations' accession to the UN, because they distract from the main image of the President as someone who is highly regarded almost wholly because of his good vibes term in office. He gave America its groove back, but at the cost of empowering some of the most divisive elements of American society today. The wealth gap, the overturning of Roe v Wade, the re-rise of muscular Christianity, the polarization of media, all these and more are Reagan's legacy.
Oh, and he helped Americans feel good about themselves throughout the 1980s. I guess that's something.
I came away from this book with a negative impression of Ronald Reagan. His whole life and career seem to have been characterized by his three most defining traits: Geniality, Haplessness, and Callousness. In the concluding chapter, when describing Reagan's farewell address, Boot runs through a list of Reagan's accomplishments and failures. The positive comments are focused on vibes, such as his stoic and charming recovery from being shot and for his support for democratic transitions in semi-authoritarian US Allies like the Philippines. The negatives run much longer, including a ballooning deficit, a catastrophic response to the AIDS crisis, the Iran-Contra Affair, and a "hollowing out of the middle class." These negatives seem to far outweigh the positives.
Genial: The greatest thing about Reagan is encapsulated in his nickname "The Great Communicator." He has a talent for charming those who meet him and for putting a soft touch on his messages. He was well known for his quips, many of which can be attributed directly to him, rather than his speech writers. Whether debating Jimmy Carter, strategizing with Margaret Thatcher, negotiating with Mikheil Gorbachev, or answering constituent calls and letters in Sacramento, Reagan had an affability that disarmed his opponents and enthralled his supporters. He was manifestly kind and considerate to those around him, though he was aloof and self-serving in most cases. The book repeatedly described how he would fail to get to know his aides and even his children. At the same time, most people came away with a sense of charm and enchantment thanks to Reagan's masterful skills as a communicator, actor, and politician.
Hapless: I can't help but feel that Reagan failed upward his whole life. He was a mediocre student and football player who became a mediocre actor and then a governor who exceeded low expectations and a President who muddled his way through. He seems to have lacked a strong vision for what he wanted for the country--avoiding conflict would lead him to making pragmatist compromises with opposition leaders in Sacramento, Washington, and Moscow. He took little interest in policy details, a feature that likely saved him from serious consequences in the Iran-Contra Affair due to his extremely plausible deniability. His disinterest led him to walk away from the governorship, having become bored with it. It is hard to understand his motivations beyond wanting to be liked and win life's popularity contest.
Callous: Like many politicians, especially those on the right, Reagan demonstrated a lack of macroempathy throughout his life. This creates a contradiction with his personal empathy that he held for individuals. Boot describes a pair of impoverished sisters who wrote him while he was governor and whom he would assist throughout his life, without seeking plaudits for his charity and consideration. At the same time, he was decrying "welfare queens" in Chicago and failing to understand why people couldn't just pursue his dreams, as he had, as if all you needed to become a Hollywood star was a strong work ethic. In the White House, his lack of imagination allowed the AIDS pandemic to spiral nearly out of control. He spared no thoughts for HIV's early victims, really waking up to the severity when one of his wealthy, white, straight Hollywood colleagues contracted the virus and passed it along to her infants through breastfeeding. Reagan couldn't (or wouldn't) easily see the humanity of those unlike him, but could feign interest until an issue struck home with someone he resonated with.
I'm ignoring many of the more salacious elements of Reagan's career, such as his flirtation with white supremacists and his recorded remarks disdaining African nations' accession to the UN, because they distract from the main image of the President as someone who is highly regarded almost wholly because of his good vibes term in office. He gave America its groove back, but at the cost of empowering some of the most divisive elements of American society today. The wealth gap, the overturning of Roe v Wade, the re-rise of muscular Christianity, the polarization of media, all these and more are Reagan's legacy.
Oh, and he helped Americans feel good about themselves throughout the 1980s. I guess that's something.
November 3, 2024
I bought this book after seeing the movie Reagan as the movie is supposedly based on this book The author begins in the prologue by stating that he wrote a “nonpartisan� history of Reagan’s life and presidency. I cannot stress how untrue that is . Mr Boot is a respected author and historian- I would suspect one that has a major issue with Reagan and his legacy.
Other reviewers have summed this alll up nicely - the way the author portrays Reagan as a rascist, homophobic, not very bright guy whose success was really just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Boot gives him ZERO credit for any accomplishment during his life and presidency - other than being a genuinely nice man who looks on the positive side of every situation
The best way I can tell you how this book comes
Across is to tell you to enjoy a nonpartisan biography of Donald Trump if it was written by Rachel Maddow or Joy Behar . In my opinion this book should be recategorized as fiction. I absolutely hated it and felt myself growing more and more frustrated - listened for 30 hours hoping for a shred of truly non biased “reporting�. Boot does mention that historians rank Reagan as the 9th most effective President in history - above him are the likes of Truman, Jefferson, Lincoln, Eisenhower and Kennedy. Mr Boot clearly disagrees as he spent 800 pages exercising his right of free speech. Just don’t call it historically accurate.
Other reviewers have summed this alll up nicely - the way the author portrays Reagan as a rascist, homophobic, not very bright guy whose success was really just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Boot gives him ZERO credit for any accomplishment during his life and presidency - other than being a genuinely nice man who looks on the positive side of every situation
The best way I can tell you how this book comes
Across is to tell you to enjoy a nonpartisan biography of Donald Trump if it was written by Rachel Maddow or Joy Behar . In my opinion this book should be recategorized as fiction. I absolutely hated it and felt myself growing more and more frustrated - listened for 30 hours hoping for a shred of truly non biased “reporting�. Boot does mention that historians rank Reagan as the 9th most effective President in history - above him are the likes of Truman, Jefferson, Lincoln, Eisenhower and Kennedy. Mr Boot clearly disagrees as he spent 800 pages exercising his right of free speech. Just don’t call it historically accurate.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2025
I picked this up to learn more about Reagan and the similarities to the current administration. The book was clearly really well researched with a lot of detail while still being easily digestible for the average person, my biggest complaint is the length.
I mostly wanted to learn about his presidencies and roles in government, but i felt like by the time i reached it I was fatigued. The portion about him being in government felt short in comparison. I was hoping to learn more about the policies of trickle down economics and its affect on America today. Instead it focused more on like interpersonal relationships in the government, which was still somewhat interesting but just not what i was hoping for.
I learned a lot about his early and personal life which was interesting in shaping him as a president. I feel like the first half of the book could’ve been a fraction of the size while still getting the intended points across. Basically where I felt he really expanded, i would’ve preferred it more condensed, and where he condensed i wish he expanded. There are a lot of similarities but even more differences than i would expect. You can see where Trump took inspiration but Trump is by far more unhinged.
I mostly wanted to learn about his presidencies and roles in government, but i felt like by the time i reached it I was fatigued. The portion about him being in government felt short in comparison. I was hoping to learn more about the policies of trickle down economics and its affect on America today. Instead it focused more on like interpersonal relationships in the government, which was still somewhat interesting but just not what i was hoping for.
I learned a lot about his early and personal life which was interesting in shaping him as a president. I feel like the first half of the book could’ve been a fraction of the size while still getting the intended points across. Basically where I felt he really expanded, i would’ve preferred it more condensed, and where he condensed i wish he expanded. There are a lot of similarities but even more differences than i would expect. You can see where Trump took inspiration but Trump is by far more unhinged.
October 12, 2024
Although this author has written a number of books. This is my very first time reading anything by this author and I am very impressed by what he has written. He did a great job with the research of the subject of the book.
September 17, 2024
I'm left feeling conflicted after reading Max Boot's Reagan: His Life and Legend. It was long, and in some ways thorough. I thought repeatedly about how authors of history are compelled to inject their personal biases despite trying not to. Several times when Boot couldn't find people or documents to support a point he was making, he supplied Reagan's private thoughts (by jumping to a conclusion). Boot regularly mentioned that Reagan didn't or couldn't remember people's names. It sounded to me like prosopagnosia. I wondered if Boot considered that possibility. Surely when he was criticizing the Reagan's spending on the White House, he remembered the Kennedys doing the same thing. Both the Kennedys and the Reagans raised the money for their White House improvements through private donations. I enjoyed learning about Reagan's early years; I was unfamiliar with his childhood and journey to Hollywood. Reagan seemed like an affable fellow, and his polite demeanor served him well in Hollywood and in politics.
August 25, 2024
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Thanks to Liveright and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
If you want to know why American society is the way it is today, it begins with the Reagan Revolution. The first in-depth biography of the 40th President of the United States since 2015, this book does a good job of showing how Reagan began his finely-honed B.S. machine, starting when he was under contract to Warner Brothers. Anyone that is anyone that has followed the history of Hollywood and the studio system knows how they created fictions for their more popular performers, glossing over indiscretions in a star’s life. Reagan really leaned into this and started to believe his own press and the stories he fabricated.
When Reagan began his political career, he used a series of stump speeches, where he told the same old tall tales that mentioned statistics or “facts� that would be shown to be down-right falsehoods. As his son, Ron, would mention in a 2020 CNN documentary, he would be hit with incontrovertible facts and would push back, saying, “All I know is…� and refused to listen to people once his mind was made up. The press at the time just thought he was such a likeable guy that they let all this stuff slide, just as they would for countless politicians, from FDR to JFK.
Flash forward past Reagan’s 8 years as governor of California and his run for the presidency. After coming so close to taking the nomination away from Gerald Ford in 1976, he ran again in 1980. By now, post-Watergate world, the press didn’t play along as well as they used to. Reagan would spew “facts� and tales that when fact-checked, showed he was full of falsehoods. Some brave reporters called him out on it, but in general, the population didn’t care, because Reagan seemed like such a “nice guy.� His slogan was “Make America Great Again.�
Reagan’s policies and performances from his two terms in office are still being felt by U.S. citizens today. “Reaganomics� turned out to be an utter failure and was the beginning of the long, slow attack on the middle class, making the wealthy even wealthier, and putting the tax burden on the average voter. The deregulations of TV and radio stations opened up the door for Rupert Murdoch in the United States and the creation of the Fox network and led to the rise of a slew of conservative talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh, who also played fast and loose with facts. That led to Newt Gingrich, the Tea Party, and on and on.
This book does a great job of exploring Reagan’s life in great detail, and it shows exactly how the “Moral Majority� ended up taking over the Republican Party by following Reagan’s lead, who talked a great deal about having great faith, but rarely went to church, and in his quest for smaller government, hurt instead of helped people, in a very un-Christian way. Modern Republican politicians invoke the legacy of Reagan and now embrace a man who doesn’t live like a Christian in any way. At the end of the book, as one would suspect, the author compares and contrasts the similarities and differences between Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump. There are some differences, but the similarities are stunning.
Thanks to Liveright and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
If you want to know why American society is the way it is today, it begins with the Reagan Revolution. The first in-depth biography of the 40th President of the United States since 2015, this book does a good job of showing how Reagan began his finely-honed B.S. machine, starting when he was under contract to Warner Brothers. Anyone that is anyone that has followed the history of Hollywood and the studio system knows how they created fictions for their more popular performers, glossing over indiscretions in a star’s life. Reagan really leaned into this and started to believe his own press and the stories he fabricated.
When Reagan began his political career, he used a series of stump speeches, where he told the same old tall tales that mentioned statistics or “facts� that would be shown to be down-right falsehoods. As his son, Ron, would mention in a 2020 CNN documentary, he would be hit with incontrovertible facts and would push back, saying, “All I know is…� and refused to listen to people once his mind was made up. The press at the time just thought he was such a likeable guy that they let all this stuff slide, just as they would for countless politicians, from FDR to JFK.
Flash forward past Reagan’s 8 years as governor of California and his run for the presidency. After coming so close to taking the nomination away from Gerald Ford in 1976, he ran again in 1980. By now, post-Watergate world, the press didn’t play along as well as they used to. Reagan would spew “facts� and tales that when fact-checked, showed he was full of falsehoods. Some brave reporters called him out on it, but in general, the population didn’t care, because Reagan seemed like such a “nice guy.� His slogan was “Make America Great Again.�
Reagan’s policies and performances from his two terms in office are still being felt by U.S. citizens today. “Reaganomics� turned out to be an utter failure and was the beginning of the long, slow attack on the middle class, making the wealthy even wealthier, and putting the tax burden on the average voter. The deregulations of TV and radio stations opened up the door for Rupert Murdoch in the United States and the creation of the Fox network and led to the rise of a slew of conservative talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh, who also played fast and loose with facts. That led to Newt Gingrich, the Tea Party, and on and on.
This book does a great job of exploring Reagan’s life in great detail, and it shows exactly how the “Moral Majority� ended up taking over the Republican Party by following Reagan’s lead, who talked a great deal about having great faith, but rarely went to church, and in his quest for smaller government, hurt instead of helped people, in a very un-Christian way. Modern Republican politicians invoke the legacy of Reagan and now embrace a man who doesn’t live like a Christian in any way. At the end of the book, as one would suspect, the author compares and contrasts the similarities and differences between Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump. There are some differences, but the similarities are stunning.
January 18, 2025
Reagan was a puzzle. He was a fabulous public speaker using prepared text, but a disengaged President. He had little depth of knowledge on issues and avoided making hard decisions at all costs because he hated confrontation and never wanted to hurt anyone’s feelings. As a result, he was an enigma to the American public. He could motivate and enthrall listeners with his rhetoric, while being oblivious to the plight of the poor, minorities, infirm, and unethical subordinates in his administration. He’s looked on as a success more for being in the right place at the right time (strong economic recovery and the ending of the Cold War under Mikhail Gorbachev) than for any great deeds beyond his ability to move people with scripted talks. Boot does an exceptional job of capturing all the strengths and foibles of Reagan and is not afraid to call out some of his most glaring shortfalls.
January 5, 2025
A bit too long, but insightful. This book did not hold back on Nancy Reagan.
March 12, 2025
I remember when Ronald Reagan died in 2004. It was shortly before my eighth-grade graduation, and I remember my principal (a member of the John Birch Society) eulogizing Ronald Reagan, and that made my graduation longer than my brother's high school graduation. Even at that young age, I was interested in history, but I did not know much about Ronald Reagan. The only thing I knew at the time was he liked jellybeans.
I have read a few books about Reagan and the rise of conservatism in the US. I have to say Max Boot's biography about the fortieth president was excellent. There were a few moments in the book that I did not care about, but this was overall a great biography. Boot argues that Reagan was more pragmatic than a conservative. For example, Boot quotes a Republican politician from California who disliked Reagan's time as governor because he felt Reagan had expanded government, not decrease it. Reagan did go against his conservative values at times because he felt that was the best solution for California or the US.
At the end of the book, Boot compares and contrasts Reagan and Trump. I have heard and read many times these past years the question if he would have supported the current president. I will not get into every single detail, but one difference Boot points out is that Reagan had a favorable view to immigration whereas Trump does not.
Boot's writing style was captivating. His use of sources was excellent, and I liked he spoke to people who knew Reagan well. Definitely a book worth reading.
I have read a few books about Reagan and the rise of conservatism in the US. I have to say Max Boot's biography about the fortieth president was excellent. There were a few moments in the book that I did not care about, but this was overall a great biography. Boot argues that Reagan was more pragmatic than a conservative. For example, Boot quotes a Republican politician from California who disliked Reagan's time as governor because he felt Reagan had expanded government, not decrease it. Reagan did go against his conservative values at times because he felt that was the best solution for California or the US.
At the end of the book, Boot compares and contrasts Reagan and Trump. I have heard and read many times these past years the question if he would have supported the current president. I will not get into every single detail, but one difference Boot points out is that Reagan had a favorable view to immigration whereas Trump does not.
Boot's writing style was captivating. His use of sources was excellent, and I liked he spoke to people who knew Reagan well. Definitely a book worth reading.
Want to read
September 7, 2024I've put this book, scheduled for release on September 10, 2024, on my "to read" list, though I probably won't have time to read it in the near future. Max Boot, the author, spent ten years researching and writing it, and the result, according to the Amazon description (quoting Robert Mann), is “the best biography of Ronald Reagan to date.� Boot evidently describes the good, bad, and ugly about Reagan. He does not take the hagiographic approach that one might expect from his erstwhile neoconservative background. Boot has also just published an excellent September 6, 2024 article titled "Reagan Didn’t Win the Cold War: How a Myth About the Collapse of the Soviet Union Leads Republicans Astray on China," which can be located at . (This Foreign Affairs article can be freely accessed, notwithstanding a subscription paywall, by agreeing to receive weekly/occasional emails from Foreign Affairs regarding their current articles.)
Alan E. Johnson
September 7, 2024
Alan E. Johnson
September 7, 2024
February 22, 2025
In this throughly researched biography of Ronald Reagan Max Boot points out frequently that while Reagan was a conservative he was first and foremost always a pragmatist.
Boot's portrayal of Reagan is of a man who chose to always look on the sunny side, always looked to the future and was incredibly self-confident. Boot carefully traces Reagan's rise from his childhood and time as a lifeguard, a role in which he was truly heroic, to his radio and acting careers which ultimately led to his interest in politics.
Boot tackles the thorny question of Reagan's family life well, a life which was often not that of a picture-perfect or happy one.
Boot is great at covering Reagan's political career be it Union boss (as president of the Screen Actors Guild), Governor of California or as President of the United States. Boot hits on Reagan's many successes and well as the failures of his career.
What really makes this book great is the crisp writing and Boot's willingness to confront many of the myths that have risen up around Reagan, including several Reagan himself began. To some this may seem overly critical but yet it comes across as more analytical in the end.
A great read and strongly recommended!!
Boot's portrayal of Reagan is of a man who chose to always look on the sunny side, always looked to the future and was incredibly self-confident. Boot carefully traces Reagan's rise from his childhood and time as a lifeguard, a role in which he was truly heroic, to his radio and acting careers which ultimately led to his interest in politics.
Boot tackles the thorny question of Reagan's family life well, a life which was often not that of a picture-perfect or happy one.
Boot is great at covering Reagan's political career be it Union boss (as president of the Screen Actors Guild), Governor of California or as President of the United States. Boot hits on Reagan's many successes and well as the failures of his career.
What really makes this book great is the crisp writing and Boot's willingness to confront many of the myths that have risen up around Reagan, including several Reagan himself began. To some this may seem overly critical but yet it comes across as more analytical in the end.
A great read and strongly recommended!!
April 23, 2025
I’ve always admired Ronald Reagan, and this is the most comprehensive of the biographies I have read on him.
Learning about his early life � particularly the struggles of his father to stay sober and provide for the family� clearly gives perspective on how his personality and governing approach evolved. As the president during my teens and college years, I vividly remember most of the events that the book covers about his presidency. I knew less about the years where he transitioned from being an actor head of the screen actors union to be a GE spokesman and evolving politician for his time as the governor of California � I learned a lot about this hugely important part of his life.
Clearly thoroughly researched, I did find at times that Boots tended toward a stereotypical depiction of Reagan as something of a “good natured simpleton�. That said, he did give credit where credit was due for RR’s ability to marshall by- partisanship, excel at public speaking (albeit when reading prepared remarks), and see in Gorbachev a new style of Soviet leader, who was prepared to make major changes.
Well worth a read - love him or not, Reagan was a titan of the 20th century.
Learning about his early life � particularly the struggles of his father to stay sober and provide for the family� clearly gives perspective on how his personality and governing approach evolved. As the president during my teens and college years, I vividly remember most of the events that the book covers about his presidency. I knew less about the years where he transitioned from being an actor head of the screen actors union to be a GE spokesman and evolving politician for his time as the governor of California � I learned a lot about this hugely important part of his life.
Clearly thoroughly researched, I did find at times that Boots tended toward a stereotypical depiction of Reagan as something of a “good natured simpleton�. That said, he did give credit where credit was due for RR’s ability to marshall by- partisanship, excel at public speaking (albeit when reading prepared remarks), and see in Gorbachev a new style of Soviet leader, who was prepared to make major changes.
Well worth a read - love him or not, Reagan was a titan of the 20th century.
Want to read
August 28, 2024"By labeling Democrats as closet Communists � even as they were raising defense spending and opposing Communist designs from Cuba to Indochina � Reagan was repeating a common canard of the John Birch Society, a group of right-wingers so extreme that they accused even Dwight D. Eisenhower of being a KGB agent. Reagan often warned that Medicare and Medicaid (which he called “socialized medicine�) were going to lead to the total loss of freedom in America."
IN:
March 19, 2025
This is the best biography I’ve ever read. The reason I say this is for some reason the author had a style and technique that made Ronald Reagan come to life. Not only that, but the book was so interesting, I had a hard time putting it down. The author treated Ronald Reagan very fairly. He went over his successes and failures with the same amount of detail and commentary. The best part of the book for me, was the last chapter of the book where author reviewed Ronald Reagan‘s farewell address to the nation by pointing out what Reagan said in the address And what actually happened and was omitted from the address. Finally, after I read the book, I felt like I knew Ronald Reagan. But as the author stated in the book, many times, no one knew Ronald Reagan except Nancy Reagan. A+.
March 30, 2025
Edmund Morris’s biography left such a sour taste that I wasn’t interested in another Reagan book.
I’m so glad I changed my mind. If you are a Reagan fan, you will probably learn some disappointing information. If you think he was a bad guy, you might rethink your opinion. In short, it is a well researched, well written book with no ax to grind; it is a nuanced look.
Morris confessed he didn’t understand Reagan, but I think Boot really captures the man, with all his attributes and flaws.
If you love presidential biographies, it is one of the very best I’ve ever read.
I’m so glad I changed my mind. If you are a Reagan fan, you will probably learn some disappointing information. If you think he was a bad guy, you might rethink your opinion. In short, it is a well researched, well written book with no ax to grind; it is a nuanced look.
Morris confessed he didn’t understand Reagan, but I think Boot really captures the man, with all his attributes and flaws.
If you love presidential biographies, it is one of the very best I’ve ever read.
April 19, 2025
It has been fascinating to read in depth about the first President I remember. Having grown up around enthusiastic admirers of Reagan, it was hard to read the uncomfortable facts of his limitations and mistakes. It’s no fun to find out hero’s flaws. However, I’ve gained understanding and a valuable perspective on our country’s history, and how we got to where we are now. I can’t imagine a more definitive biography on Reagan.
There are innumerable quotes to choose from, but I’ll include these two:
“He was neither a demigod nor a dunce. He was man of slightly above-average intelligence and limited knowledge of public policy who had a wonderful personality and a streak of pragmatism that took him far.�
“Indeed, while many Alzheimer’s patients turn cantankerous or unpleasant in the mind-altering grip of dementia, Reagan, no matter how senescent, never lost his essential sweetness and amiability.�
There are innumerable quotes to choose from, but I’ll include these two:
“He was neither a demigod nor a dunce. He was man of slightly above-average intelligence and limited knowledge of public policy who had a wonderful personality and a streak of pragmatism that took him far.�
“Indeed, while many Alzheimer’s patients turn cantankerous or unpleasant in the mind-altering grip of dementia, Reagan, no matter how senescent, never lost his essential sweetness and amiability.�
December 7, 2024
I was surprised to find this at the library - I expected to have to use an Audible credit to read it. It was very good. I was a young adult when Reagan was president so I remember bits and pieces and this book stayed true to what I remembered and then went into so much more depth. It is a long book but so well-written and -read I had no trouble finishing it. I enjoyed it very much and learned a lot.
February 24, 2025
Amazing. Easy to read despite the large amount of subject matter and length. Also, those looking for a fair perspective of a controversial yet widely beloved leader will find a great book here. This is not a scathing critique of Reagan nor a book that makes him out to be better than Abraham Lincoln. It is a fair and balanced portrait of one of the most legendary presidents in American history. MUST READ!!!
March 21, 2025
Since Reagan lived from 1911-2004, this book was a great way to learn about American history from the perspective of a Midwest man who had a democratic upbringing, who was an athlete, radio announcer, Hollywood elite, and morphed into a conservative republican as governor of California and president of the United States and all the in-betweens: screen actors guild, the Cold War, segregation, Iran conta controversy, Grenada, AIDS, Gorbachev and one of Reagan’s most famous lines, “tear down this wall�. I listened to this biography at warp speed as it was more than 33 hours.
December 15, 2024
A very thorough (1026 pages of content!) telling of the life on Ronald Reagan which strikes a balance of defending him from some of his harshest critics while also taking away some of the fawning undue credit some admirers otherwise bestow upon him for the monumental historical events that followed in the wake of his presidency. The proper balance is struck by former conservative Max Boot and is the type of biography that Reagan was due, rather than the very odd “Dutch� bio that Edmund Morris released in the late 90s. While it took me quite a while to finish, I greatly enjoyed this book, and it is one of my favorite biographies of the year.
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