Ronald Reagan

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October Surprise: America's Hostages in Iran and the Election of Ronald Reagan
A Well-Documented Must READ!!!
A mishmash of proven lies and half truths
Completely Discredited - Fast And Loose With Facts
Totally Discredited Book

October Surprise: America's Hostages in Iran and the Election of Ronald Reagan
Gary Sick
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0812919890
Release Date: 1991-11-19

Customer Reviews:

October Surprise: America's Hostages in Iran and the Election of Ronald Reagan.......2007-05-21

An intriguing look at teachery and treason by the Republican Party. I have never understood the interest that Republicans have in running for elected office; they have little or no knowledge or understanding about how a modern government should work and less interest in the subject. Their dependence upon misogyny, free ranging corporations, inflated dollars, social slavery, outright corruption and pagan material idolatry stymies me. They would regulate the poor and warehouse the rich in gated communities and are loathe to remember that both heaven and hell are gated communities. Never has there been a political party with such base intentions and such great appeal among the nouveau riche.

This story is probably true but now unindictable like the crimes of 9-11; it typifies the arrogance and modus operandi of the GOP. To have negotiated and extended the hostages' captivity in Tehran for any reason whatsoever is the height of immorality and inhumanity but standard political expedience for jumpy political losers like the GOP. They are cut from the same cloth as the kidnappers themselves and thus their nascent ability to negotiate with them. But this is the same party that two decades later suspended our civil liberties, tortured prisoners and took us to war for no credible reason. At this point (2007) if you are catching up on your political research, this book is a great sequel to anything written about Watergate or Richard NIxon's plumbers and an ominous prophecy to the political horrors that follow.

A Well-Documented Must READ!!!.......2005-11-27

If this work were fiction it would be an exceptional read, unfortunately, it is just HORRIFYING!!!

Casey is the ominous voice & Bush is the corrupt clown behind the curtain strategizing & manipulating his way to the White House.

Liberals will love it, Conversatives will repel its Republican blasphemy, and everyone else will appreciate the sliver of light exposing this political cancer.

Gary Sick writes a fabulous tale of factual American political corruption, deceipt & manipuation...painfully it carries the burden of being a history book...and for its contents, I am ashamed.

A mishmash of proven lies and half truths.......2005-10-08

I read this book years ago when it was first published. Mr. Sick allowed himself to be taken in by a collection of Iranian liars as well as some phonies claiming to have experience in intelligence. Some of the people Sick listened to were shown in the Iran-Contra hearings to be con artists who also took in Ollie North and Bill Casey. These con artists are experts at saying what the listener wants to hear. One guy claimed to have been in Special Forces and was an eyewitness to one of VP-candidate Bush's flights to meet with Iranians. It turns out that he was not in Special Forces at all and he had been dishonorably discharged from the US Army. In addition, he could not have been an eyewitness to the event he claims to have seen because he was in jail at the time. The phony intelligence specialists have also been proven to be liars with no experience in intelligence or anything resembling national security work. By the time I finished this book, I actually felt sorry for Sick because he had allowed himself to be taken in by these jokers. He clearly wanted to believe that what he was being told was true.

This book does not prove anything except that even an experienced researcher can be fooled if he really wants to believe. Subsequent investigations by a Democratically dominated Congress proved that there was no October surprise.

Completely Discredited - Fast And Loose With Facts.......2004-04-23

The irony of this book is that it changes the meaning of what "October Surprise" actually meant. The phrase was actually invented by the Republicans (Bill Casey, Stu Spencer, and VP candidate Bush) as a warning as to what Carter would try to do with the hostages. Yet now a former Carter administration member writes a book and hangs the term around the necks of his opponents.

The thesis simply doesn't work. A Congressional investigation spent over a million dollars and released a 968-page report that refutes the claims in this book. (I would add to those who see everything through partisan eyes that the Democrats controlled Congress and all the committees at that time).

The most obvious question is this: how did Ronald Reagan and his team get ahold of the equipment necessary to pull this off? Supposedly, an SR-71 Blackbird flew Bush to Madrid to negotiate for the hostages to be kept until after the election. But SR-71s don't just fly themselves, so who flew it? And what commander signed off for the plane to be missing from his fleet for a couple of days? Did Bush really have time to do that since the polls were showing a close election?

Sick has a well footnoted book, but it fails all across the line. Just because there's a footnote doesn't mean we know who actually said what. We don't know if the antagonists had been in contact with each other (the Congressional investigation showed they were - which ruins their credibility).

The book appears to be a retroactive attempt to say the reason Carter lost was because of the hostages. While there is no doubt that is one of the reasons, it is simplistic to say that such is the ONLY reason. How, after all, can you blame Reagan for the helicopters that didn't work in the bungled rescue attempt in April 1980? And let's not forget that half of the Democratic voters in the primary didn't want Carter to run again anyway.

This book is an attempt to besmirch a Presidency solely because the author disagrees with that man's ideology. It is a shame and a disgrace that this can be done. Reagan won, Carter lost. And it wasn't even close. Please get over it, Mr. Sick.

Totally Discredited Book.......2002-07-18

Gary Sicks' bizarro theory that George Bush flew to Paris in an SR-71 to meet with the Iranians to convince them to keep the hostages until after the election in 1990 is just plain crazy. Congress investigated this and found no basis for Sicks account. This is better fiction though than most spy stories but no one should take this silliness seriously.

Ronald Reagan: Fate, Freedom, and the Making of History

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Like Reagan himself: gets some lesser things wrong, but the big, important things beautifully right
A tough read
Better to call it, "The Ronald Reagan Administration"
The power of an idea
Please, Professor Diggins . . .

Ronald Reagan: Fate, Freedom, and the Making of History
John Patrick Diggins
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0393060225

Book Description

Affirming Reagan's position as one of America's greatest presidents, this is a bold and philosophical reevaluation. Following his departure from office, Ronald Reagan was marginalized thanks to liberal biases that dominate the teaching of American history, says John Patrick Diggins. Yet Reagan, like Lincoln (who was also attacked for decades after his death), deserves to be regarded as one of our three or four greatest presidents. Reagan was far more active a president and far more sophisticated than we ever knew. His negotiations with Mikhail Gorbachev and his opposition to foreign interventions demonstrate that he was not a rigid hawk. And in his pursuit of Emersonian ideals in his distrust of big government, he was the most open-minded libertarian president the country has ever had; combining a reverence for America's hallowed historical traditions with an implacable faith in the limitless opportunities of the future. This is a revealing portrait of great character, a book that reveals the fortieth president to be an exemplar of the truest conservative values. 13 photographs.

Customer Reviews:

Like Reagan himself: gets some lesser things wrong, but the big, important things beautifully right.......2007-06-11

I never thought I'd give a five-star review to a book with which I had disagreed in so many places. But this is just a fantastic book; original, provocative, magnificently insightful, and oftentimes poetic. It should revolutionize understanding of Ronald Reagan, even if not every interpretation in the book holds up.

Diggins sets out to rescue Ronald Reagan from his acolytes on the right and his detractors on the left. He argues that both fundamentally misunderstand the nature and meaning of his greatness. For Diggins, Reagan is clearly among the greatest two or three Presidents after Lincoln. He credits Reagan with finding a peaceful way to end the Cold War, and for the Soviet Empire to dissolve without war or violent revolution. Diggins states that this is one of the great political surprises in all of history, and so it is.

Diggins rejects the conventional rightist explanation that the Soviet Union collapsed only after Reagan and his conservative Administration challenged the Soviets on every front: via a military buildup with which the Soviets couldn't contend; with counter pressure against communist aggression around the world; with the strategic defense initiative, etc. In fact, Diggins depicts many of Reagan's policies, both domestic and international, as misguided. Diggins contradicts the Reagan view that many of the world's communist insurgencies were facilitated by Moscow. Diggins further asserts that the Soviet Union imploded on its own, and would have done so with or without US economic and military pressure.

But Diggins credits Reagan for seeing beyond other US strategists, and for understanding the opportunity and necessity of negotiating communism's demise without war. Diggins depicts Reagan as seizing a unique historical moment, and understanding how to do business with Gorbachev. He portrays Reagan not as a warrior but as a great diplomat and educator of the international public. The final pages of the book are very moving, when Reagan goes to Moscow State University and addresses the Russian people. Taught that the pursuit of wealth led to despair and to self-estrangement, they instead heard from Reagan that free economies were the path to fulfillment and self-reliance, something that America's "academic-media complex" (a felicitous phrase) failed to understand, perhaps because their own well-being depended less than the Russians' on such understanding.

One needn't agree with Diggins's take on Reagan and his policies in all respects, and I certainly did not. But Diggins is absolutely right in showing the Reagan that was utterly misunderstood by the American left. Far from being a warmonger, Reagan maintained a horror of nuclear war, and he fully grasped the folly of the doctrine of Mutual Assured Destruction that had held decades of American thinkers in its deluding sway. Reagan understood that an American President could not assure his people's, or the world's, security solely with the threat that he could destroy the Soviet Union while the USSR destroyed America. As Diggins noted, the survival of humanity depended utterly on innovative conceptual thinking, and this Reagan had, perhaps uniquely among American statesmen of the time. Many of Reagan's policies, from his attachment to SDI to his determination to negotiate disarmament, rightly or wrongly stemmed from the priority that he attached to avoiding a nuclear exchange, indeed a higher priority for him even than his lifelong objective of destroying communism.

Diggins also reveals a Reagan that was in many ways very distinct from the American religious right. Reagan rejected the traditional religious view that humankind was inherently sinful and needed to be restrained. Rather, Reagan saw human nature as fundamentally good (a view Diggins says he acquired from his Transcendentalist mother), and he tried to eliminate government restraints upon that noble nature. The support of the religious right for Reagan was in many respects a consequence of their common objection to American liberalism, and especially its coddling of communist strong-arm tactics. Reagan understood the tendency of the American left to look the other way from the worst habits of America's enemies (a tendency that persists today), and he felt an obligation to speak out against this. But Diggins argues that while Reagan and the religious right made common cause, Reagan's fundamental view of humanity was far different from theirs.

Reading this book was, for me, an unusual if not unique experience. At first I was surprised by several of Diggins's interpretations, which were counter to my own. As I read on, I found the book so provocative, so original, that I found myself reconsidering many of my own long-held views, and loving the book despite my occasional disagreements. Around page 200 or so, however, I reached a sort of critical mass in no longer tolerating what I believed to be interpretative errors by Diggins. He wrote one too many statements that I felt were inexcusably sloppy and ahistorical, shattering my faith in some of his other judgments. But then on the strength of the book's final chapters my reading experience recovered, and by the end I felt that Diggins had put his finger on something fundamentally great about Reagan, so important, and so right, that it outweighed the other factual beefs I had compiled along the way.

Among the many examples of the sloppy statements that Diggins makes en route: He says early on that the US government now faces its highest debt in history (in reality, debt has been declining, and is fairly typical of historic norms.) He writes that Carter easily beat Ford in the 1976 election (in reality, it was one of the closest elections of the era). At one point, Diggins mocks Reagan for reminding Gorbachev of the US/USSR common cause in WWII (Diggins parenthetically wonders what Gorbachev thought of this, given that America had looked the other way as Hitler prepared to attack Russia. This is an absurd aside from Diggins, given that Stalin himself was sending resources to Hitler on the eve of his attack on the USSR. Most assuredly, Gorbachev would have been well aware that Stalin's tunnel vision had been worse than FDR's.) He also asserts that no American statesman has ever offered a rationale for why the Vietnam war was fought, an absurd statement even for a strong opponent of that war.

There are many such slips in the book, and one is a bit surprised that an editor didn't catch and remove them. But in the end, they do not undo one of the most fascinating reinterpretations of a Presidency that I have ever read. In Diggins, Reagan finds his most important biographer to date. Diggins finds in Reagan the "greatness of soul" that saved the world at a truly critical time. Reagan's legacy deserves and needs this understanding, and Diggins's book is the finest available place to discover it.

A tough read.......2007-05-30

It is good to see serious scholarship on the Reagan years emerging, the problem I had here was this book reads much more like a college political science class textbook than a "read by the pool" book. The lengthy quotes from philosophers and theorists, while important to the author's thesis, often caused my mind to wander off the subject.
That is a problem with all historical analysis. How do you write it in a way to contribute to the understanding and knowledge of the general reading public? In this case, I am afraid that many will not want to wade through much of the text to try and understand where the author is going.
Then again, maybe it is only political junkies like me (or nerds if you prefer that term!) who would be reading this book by the pool.

Better to call it, "The Ronald Reagan Administration".......2007-05-17

Most authors who try to write an insightful book about Ronald Reagan eventually say in frustration, "It's impossible to get to know the man!" Indeed, the same man that many of us felt close to despite never meeting him was apparently a tough nut to crack in person. That hasn't given historians and biographers much to work with. Most famously, Edmund Morris, a brilliant biographer, laid a huge egg with the highly anticipated "Dutch."

Diggins seems to understand that it's hard to understand the man, so he takes a slightly different approach in this book. First, he studies Reagan's years in Hollywood and as Governor of California, looking at his stance and action on issues (especially Communism) and interpreting their meaning. Once Diggins' narrative reaches the White House years, he really leans heavily on the thoughts and actions of Reagan's advisers, especially the group Diggins calls Neo-Cons (new conservatives).

All in all, Diggins does a very nice job of taking a truly objective look at Reagan's Presidency - one of the first books that has enough temporal distance from the event to do it. That is a worthy achievement and wins this book four stars, but ultimately you are left with the sense that you missed the core of what made Reagan's Presidency what it was - both good and bad - Reagan.

Diggins often uses ideas from Michael Deaver's book about his years with Reagan, "A Different Drummer" to try to give perspective on the President. Despite being a close adviser, friend and fan of Reagan, Deaver does give a fairly objective look at the man. I recommend that book first, or maybe together with this one.

The power of an idea.......2007-05-02

I thought I knew Ronald Reagan. I thought he won the Cold War by engaging the Soviets in an arms race & forcing them to capitulate when they could no longer afford to keep up. I thought he was was a hawk & not a peacemaker. I knew he was not an intellectual & also not the amiable dunce his detractors said he was. I also knew he had the courage of his convictions. But I never knew how devoted Ronald Reagan was to an idea & how the idea of freedom was so central to his thinking until I read this wonderful intellectual biography. John Patrick Diggins in his Ronald Reagan, Fate, Freedom, And The Making Of History re-introduces me to the man & President I once loved & it has, sadly, tarnished the admiration I had for him. There is a place for a reassessment of the Presidency of Ronald Reagan. Much has changed since he left office. As an intellectual biography this book demands some patience & diligence to assimilate the ideas brought forth.

Diggins shows how Reagan's philosophy of freedom is actually borrowed from an earlier tradition of political liberalism or libertarianism which itself is indebted heavily to the philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Reagan, Diggins says, was bequeathed his ideas of freedom by the Universalist religion of his mother & his education at Eureka College, a small, liberal arts & Christian school in Illinois.

Reagan had a core belief in the goodness & competency of each individual. He believed that if each individual was left alone without the interference of government each individual would create their own wealth & happiness. In this belief he falls away from the guilt-ridden Christian fundamentalist doctrine of sin & away from the constructions of the Federalists who were so influential in the writing of our Constitution. Diggins says Reagan's Christianity didn't need the concept of sin or guilt. Those concepts were impediments to the power of individual choice.

His fundamental belief in the ability of men to rise above their government allowed him to use his negotiating skills learned as a president of the Screen Actors Guild in Hollywood to barter an end to the Cold War. He believed if he could sit down face to face with a Soviet leader & both agree that a nuclear war would mean the death of civilization & thus a nuclear war could not be won. He ignored his Neo-Con advisers who believed communism & the Evil Empire of the Soviet Union would last forever & who believed their leaders would never negotiate. Reagan believed men & not governments made history. In Mikhail Gorbachev he found a kindred spirit & together they were able to rise above history & dismantle both nuclear arsenals & walk away from the insane asylum of Mutual Assured Destruction.

Reagan was anti-government first & anti-communist second. Ronald Reagan made war at the same time on government in his own country. He started a political movement which, through the means of his & subsequent Republican Administrations & Republican-controlled Congresses, have been successful in extirpating the governmental restraints the modern liberals have enacted into legislation since the administrations of F.D.R. This was the true Reagan Legacy. Modern liberalism lies moribund at its feet. The ending of the Cold War brought the U.S. almost unbounded power & riches. And Reagan empowered the individual to wield the power & spend the riches. Tax cuts & deregulation were the devices the Reagan Revolution used to dismember government & we are left the results. Should we rejoice?

Unbalanced, almost unfettered, power of the individual over government brings greed & corruption. The rich & powerful can now devour the poor & the weak without the restraint of government. The gap between the rich & poor grows. The American Dream is now part of the nostalgia of the Fifties. How peculiar because Ronald Reagan believed the fulfillment of the American Dream was every citizen's right & legacy. Get government out of the way & let the individual go to it.

His belief in the goodness of the individual & the evil of governmental restraint has brought us all the damage that the unrestrained individual can wreak upon society. There is an irony here. Reagan's nemesis was the Hollywood communist & today no one, not even a Hollywood actor, would claim to be a communist. His socialist foes have slunk off to academia & other repositories of power reaped from the Cultural Revolution of the Sixties. Now the secular humanists of liberal academia & those conservatives (so diametrically opposed) who now evoke the Reagan legacy have one thing in common: neither are accountable to religion for their actions. The individual reigns supreme.

I am a child of the Cold War & for the end of the threat of a nuclear war between the two Super-Powers I have only Ronald Reagan & God to thank. For the rest I am deeply saddened.

John Patrick Diggins has brought the ideas of Ronald Reagan to the table & he has done it in a way the non-academic reader can enjoy. I confess I know little of the philosophy of Emerson & probably won't be digging deep to acquaint myself with it. But I am pleased that the connection between the old & new was made so eloquently by Professor Diggins. I enjoy having to think my way through history. I would strongly recommend this work to anyone who admired Ronald Reagan or to anyone with an intellectual curiosity about him. I find no faults with this book.

Please, Professor Diggins . . ........2007-03-21

In this book, a distinguished professor of history examines the education and fundamental beliefs of Ronald Reagan; the liberalism and conservatism of his time; and his goals, objectives, accomplishments, failures, and triumphs as President of the United States of America. In the process, he makes some profound observations and comes to some rather surprising conclusions.

Three such observations stand out: 1) Reagan's formal education and religious upbringing pre-dated the radical liberalism of his time in office, i.e., he wasn't an "intellectual"; 2) his brand of Conservatism was remarkably close to the Liberalism of an earlier time; and 3) Reagan won the battle with the student activists in the 1960s but may also have lost the war, since those radicals went on to become the university professors who were, and are, his most vocal political critics.

The author contends that Reagan's major flaw, as president, was that, as a result of his early encounters with communism in the 1950s, he became obsessed with communism, which he perceived as truly evil, and came to interpret every action of the Soviet Union in that light. This, the author contends, caused him to misjudge and misunderstand much of what was happening in South America and in the Middle East. For example, he failed to realize that those fighting the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan weren't "freedom fighters," but were, in fact, the zealots who would go on to become today's Islamic terrorists.

The author further contends that it wasn't until Reagan came to the profound conclusion that the greatest threat to America and to the world at large was nuclear annihilation, for at that time both the United States and the Soviet Union had the capability to destroy the world. This was a threat which had hung over the world like the sword of Damocles for almost forty years. It was then that Reagan saw the folly of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) and made the elimination of nuclear weapons his highest priority. That realization led him to become an enlightened statesman and a leader unique in world history. In the author's opinion, not only did he succeed in bringing an end to the "cold war," in eliminating the threat of nuclear annihilation, and in facilitating the break-up of the Soviet Empire, but he did something unprecedented in world history. He ended a long-standing confrontation with an avowed enemy state without resorting to war and for the first time in world history an empire collapsed without war or revolution.

I don't agree with everything Professor Diggins contends in this book and sensed an underlying theme of radical liberalism throughout much of it. But all things considered, this may well be the most important book about Ronald Reagan, and his life and times, that has been written to date. As a minimum, it is the most complete and comprehensive study of Reagan's political life that the reader is likely to find. It makes the reader think and makes him wonder, and may change his mind a time or two. But what makes the book truly remarkable is that the author, an admitted liberal (of unknown persuasion) freely admits that he misjudged Ronald Reagan during his presidency and now, after studying his subject, ranks him alongside Abraham Lincoln as one of America's greatest presidents.

(But please, Professor Diggins, Vince Lombardi wasn't the coach of Notre Dame's "Fighting Irish.")

The Education of Ronald Reagan: The General Electric Years and the Untold Story of his Conversion to Conservatism (Columbia Studies in Contemporary American History)

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Watching a President Develop
Why Ronald Reagan was the Great Communicator

The Education of Ronald Reagan: The General Electric Years and the Untold Story of his Conversion to Conservatism (Columbia Studies in Contemporary American History)
Thomas W. Evans
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0231138601

Book Description

In October 1964, Ronald Reagan gave a televised speech in support of Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater. "The Speech," as it has come to be known, helped launch Ronald Reagan as a leading force in the American conservative movement. However, less than twenty years earlier, Reagan was a prominent Hollywood liberal, the president of the Screen Actors Guild, and a fervent supporter of FDR and Harry Truman. While many agree that Reagan's anticommunism grew out of his experiences with the Hollywood communists of the late 1940s, the origins of his conservative ideology have remained obscure.

Based on a newly discovered collection of private papers as well as interviews and corporate documents, The Education of Ronald Reagan offers new insights into Reagan's ideological development and his political ascendancy. Thomas W. Evans links the eight years (1954-1962) in which Reagan worked for General Electric& mdash;acting as host of its television program, GE Theater, and traveling the country as the company's public-relations envoy-to his conversion to conservatism.

In particular, Evans reveals the profound influence of GE executive Lemuel Boulware, who would become Reagan's political and ideological mentor. Boulware, known for his tough stance against union officials and his innovative corporate strategies to win over workers, championed the core tenets of modern American conservatism-free-market fundamentalism, anticommunism, lower taxes, and limited government. Building on the ideas and influence of Boulware, Reagan would soon begin his rise as a national political figure and an icon of the American conservative movement.

Customer Reviews:

Watching a President Develop.......2007-03-15

We have a tendency in this country to assume that when a president is thinking your way he is a genius. When he is presenting a position opposed to you; first he is an idiot, and second all his thoughts are really those of his handlers. Then the presidential advisors start leaving and writing books about how brilliant they are and the president just doesn't listen.

It's only when the books come out much later that we really begin to learn what was going on. In this book, the author concentrates on the magical speech that Reagan made in 1964 in support of Barry Goldwater at the Republican National Convention. 'The Speech' was a turning point in American politics. And of course the sarcastic will say that Reagan didn't write it but his handlers ....

This book goes back many, many years and reviews speeches that Reagan gave. From them comes a line here, a line there and in the end we get 'The Speech.' It's an interesting way to look at how Reagan changed from union president heading the Democrats for Truman to fundamentally changing the country's direction. Along the way we learn, Reagan was no dummy. And I think that as history continues to develop, his reputation will continue to go up.

Why Ronald Reagan was the Great Communicator.......2007-03-10

An excellent book and well written. In addition to showing how GE gave Ronald Reagan the opportunity to become a conservative and a great communicator it also provides a fascinating perspective on the battle between business and labor from 1950-1970. This book shows the journey that Reagan takes from being a confirmed New Dealer to a Goldwater conservative.

The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism

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"The Crusader" One person can make a difference.
Irrefutable evidence
Great, but could have been better
A Masterpiece Work of History! Skeptical at First, I Was Impressed!
should be mandatory reading

The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism
Paul Kengor
Manufacturer: Regan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years

ASIN: 0061136905
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Book Description

A groundbreaking reassessment of Ronald Reagan's life and presidency, exploring his lifelong struggle—and ultimate victory—against the tyranny of Communism

In this dramatic meditation on the life of Ronald Reagan, historian Paul Kengor presents an account of the fortieth president that has never been written—one that details Reagan's campaign against the Soviet Union, which lasted for more than forty years. Tracing Reagan's anti-Communist sentiment to his days as president of the Screen Actors Guild, Kengor illuminates how this experience first emboldened the actor to speak out against the oppression of the Soviet Union and describes Reagan's multifaceted efforts to prevent Communism from taking hold in Hollywood. Ultimately his SAG tenure paved the way for his burgeoning political career, which, from its inception, had but one purpose: the end of Communism.

Utilizing reams of recently declassified documents, Kengor assembles a striking mosaic of Reagan's words and actions that toppled the Soviet Union. From Reagan's covert support of the rebels who defeated the Soviets in Afghanistan to his secret oil collusion with Saudi Arabia that devastated the Soviet economy, Kengor reveals how Reagan's eight years in office did more to bring down the Soviet Union than any single administration in the history of the Cold War. With painstaking detail, he also explains Reagan's crucial move to escalate the arms race with the Kremlin, a decision that, though politically un-popular, proved vital to the Soviets' eventual downfall.

Revisiting many of the administration's principal characters, Kengor speaks with the individuals who helped shape foreign policy under Reagan. These testi-monies give unfettered access into the hearts and minds of those closest to Reagan, revealing how this group translated Reagan's ideas into a comprehensive strategy to destroy the Soviet Union. In addition, Kengor delves into never-before-studied Soviet documents and propaganda, uncovering how the other side perceived Reagan's advances and attempted to counter his progress with its unique brand of disinformation. Also told here is an incendiary revelation of the liberal American politician who reportedly reached out to the Soviets to derail Reagan's 1984 bid for reelection.

With unparalleled research, this fascinating book tells the story of a man who believed that it was his responsibility to save the world from Soviet oppression. It's a story that demonstrates how one American's fight ended the twentieth-century's longest war. It's a story of one man who changed history. It's the story of a crusader.

Customer Reviews:

"The Crusader" One person can make a difference........2007-05-18

If there was ever a book showing that one person can make a difference, it is "The Crusader," by Paul Kengor. It is amazing how many times Ronald Reagan went against the advice of most if not all of his advisors, and in the end proved to be correct.(Most advisors did not want Reagan to tell Garbachev to "tear down this wall," during his now famous speech.)
Today, President Bush often gets criticized for unilateral inclinations. The book shows that Ronald Reagan was the unilateralsit of all unilateralists. It was even humorous to read how Reagan would go through the motions during his cabinet meetings and often in press conferences, while at the same time he had this whole separate operation going on to bring down the Soviet Union, that very few, even very few of his cabinet members, knew about. Can anyone say leader? It also shows, that even though Reagan was calling the shots, how important Bill Casey and Bill Clark were to the entire operation.
This is the best book I have read on Ronald Reagan, and the best book that I have read on the process that actually ended the Cold War.
It really does put the final nail in the coffin for those clueless "intellectuals" who say that the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and even the Berlin Wall would have fallen anyway. The book gives an amazingly detailed step by step account of the economic war against the Soviets and all of the National Security Decision Directives that Reagan virtually single-handedly initiated.
The book shows that Ronald Reagan would often go against conventional wisdom. For example, he had great disdain for the Yalta agreements, and for the policy of containment, and eventually, virtually reversed them.
The book also shows how Reagan's anti-communist passions go way back in his life, and how those sentiments are based on his respect for the human being. It tells of a time when he was in East Germany and saw a lady shopper accosted by an East German guard, and how this incident and others firmed his resolve against the evil of communism. It is pointed out how Reagan was actually motivated to act when others weren't, and how Reagan had an inborn sense of the right thing to do. And the book shows that Reagan's pattern to rescue those in distress goes back to his early days when saved 77 people over 7 summers from the swift currents of the Rock River in Dixon Illinois.
"The Crusader" goes into great detail about the relationship between President Reagan and the great Pope John Paul II, and his role in bringing down communism. And it details Reagan's great admiration for the Polish people, and how they admired him in return, and how Poland's Solidarity Movement was one of the major factors in Reagan's and the Pope's effort to bring down communism. And how the people of Poland, the rest of Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union gave great credit to Reagan for bringing them freedom.
The book also details how Reagan brought freedom to Central and South America.
Before I read "The Crusader," I thought that President Ronald Reagan was our greatest U.S. President. After reading the book, my opinion of him only improved. In fact, he and Pope John Paul II have to be two of the great men of the millenium.
It was often said that Reagan had very few, if any, close friends, except Nancy. Probably my favorite story in the book was when, in 1989, just before the previously unimaginable free elections in Poland, Reagan welcomed two members of Solidarity and the two Polish Americans who were hosting them, to his office in California. Reagan pointed to a picture of Pope John Paul II on his office wall and said: "He is my best friend. Yes, you know I am a Protestant, but he's still my best friend." If you are going to have a best friend, not a bad on to have. Thankyou.

Mark S.Robertson
Independence, Mo.

Irrefutable evidence.......2007-05-12

5 stars for the research, which includes documents declassified only in recent years, as well as confirmation from Soviet sources and press articles reaffirming what the Soviets feared, and what Reagan knew .. that the USSR could be brought down with economic pressure.
Despite doubters from even within his own administration (and Nancy), Reagan conspired to wage economic war on the Soviet Union, and succeeded. It was very normal during these times to consider the USSR invincible - understandably bringing about the detente of previous administrations both Republican and Democrat. But Reagan had a goal of actually WINNING the Cold War. Who knew it was even possible? Reagan did, that's who.
From conspiring against the USSR's natural gas lines into Western Europe (a major source of the USSR's revenues that even the West did not cooperate with him on), to actually sabotaging one of the lines, to SDI, and Reagan's military backing of the Afghans - all these factors and more contributed to straining the USSR's economy, and forcing the country to use increased funds into these endeavors - an unexpected expense for a government so thin on resources.
My biggest revlation from the book:
In addition, Reagan's friendliness with the Saudis was hugely beneficial to American interests of the day. Both sides' willingness to help one another led to the Saudis going against OPEC and lowering oil prices worldwide - something the Saudis faced huge criticism from Middle Eastern neighbors for.
Think about it: High oil prices in the 70s helped the Soviet (an oil-producing nation, remember) economy and naturally hurt the USA's - which led to increased military spending by the USSR and helped tighten its grip on the Eastern bloc. High oil also helped contribute to Americans' inferiority complex to the Soviets.
Then, low prices in the 80s hurt the Soviet economy drastically, helped the American consumer, which helped bring increased revenues to pay for Reagan's military spending.
Scholars may argue that each president during the Cold War contributed to the USSR's fall, and the USSR economy might have been on the tipping point anyway, but this book gives absolute, irrefutable evidence that Reagan accelerated the USSR's fall before a generation that never thought it would be possible.

Great, but could have been better.......2007-05-02

This book was a great read, and I finished it in no time, but the fact that each section was broken into chapters and yet more sections made the reading rather choppy. Had the book not been broken up so much, it would have read like a captivating narrative. Instead, it was more like a time-line. If that's what you like reading, you'll love this book. Otherwise, you may have some trouble with it. As for actual content, though, the book would get 5 stars from me.

A Masterpiece Work of History! Skeptical at First, I Was Impressed! .......2007-04-28

This is a great book on Ronald Reagan's lifelong crusade against Communism. I recommend it as an enjoyable read and a fascinating history of Reagan's role in the Cold War. Despite an obvious enthusiasm for Reagan, Kengor's research is extremely well-researched and authoritative. "The Crusader" is a "must read" book for anyone interested in the period.

However, the story presented here is one-dimensional and slightly different than the story Reagan tells in his autobiography "An American Life" and "The Reagan Diaries." Also, recent Reagan biographies by John Patrick Diggins and Richard Reeves tell a somewhat different story than "The Crusader." I recommend reading those books, along with the Crusader, to understand the complete story. None-the-less, this is a compelling work of research.

In the early 1940s, Reagan the visible actor spoke out against the threats of Nazism. After America won World War II, Reagan warned that there was another totalitarian threat called Communism. Yet Reagan's anti-Communist views were not well received in Hollywood where many naive liberals back then were intrigued with the delusions of Marxism. Communists were trying to infiltrate the film industry, and Reagan stood up to them and rooted them out. Reagan was threatened with having acid thrown in his face for his efforts. After James Roosevelt, FDR's son, and Reagan considered making a strong anti-Communist statement, they were attacked with insults. That's when Reagan, a staunch FDR supporter, began his journey to become a staunch conservative Republican and crusader against Communism. This book is so well researched and shows repeatedly that again and again, year after year, Reagan sincerely and forcefully spoke out against the threat of Communism - and he was right!

According to "The Crusader," once Reagan became president, he put in place a program of relentless pressure against USSR. He used speeches, economic warfare, a huge military build-up, and support of anti-Communist forces around the world. Reagan rejected containment and Detente, which maintained the status quo. His masterful speeches undermined the legitimacy of Communism. Reagan personally wrote to the Soviet leaders in longhand and insisted that they honor their promises in writing at Yalta, which they broke, to allow free elections in Poland and Eastern Europe.

The agreement at Yalta states: "The establishment of order in Europe and the rebuilding of national economic life must be achieved by processes which will enable the liberated peoples to destroy the last vestiges of Nazism and fascism and to create democratic institutions of their own choice. This is a principle of the Atlantic Charter - the right of all people to choose the form of government under which they will live - the restoration of sovereign rights and self-government to those peoples who have been forcibly deprived to them by the aggressor nations."

On August 17, 1984, Reagan said "We reject any INTERPRETATION of the Yalta agreement that suggests American consent for the division of Europe into spheres of influence. ON THE CONTRARY, we see that agreement as a pledge by the three great powers to restore full independence and to allow free and democratic elections in all countries liberated from the Nazis after World War II..." Reagan set out to make it happen. Reagan kept pushing and pushing to achieve his foreign policy political goals. It worked.

The chapter "The Coroner Comes to the Kremlin" is great. Read it. Under pressure to revive the ailing Soviet economy, Mikhail Gorbachev adopted bold reforms called Perestroika and Glasnost, but the results were not what he expected. Once the people tasted the freedoms he allowed, once the train was moving at high speed, it could not be turned back. Mikhail Gorbachev's Perestroika and Glasnost reforms opened Pandora's Box of freedom.

Ronald Reagan was the right man at the right time. Mikhail Gorbachev won the Nobel Peace Prize, the first Ronald Reagan Freedom award, and was named Time Magazine's Man of the Decade for his role. Yet Gorbachev never intended to destroy the Communist Party. He hoped, instead, to save it through reforms. He inadvertently presided over its demise. Without Reagan shifting the winds of freedom and applying pressure the way he did, the Soviet Empire would not have unraveled when it did.

Reagan ranks as one of the greatest diplomats of the 20th Century for his role in the demise of the Soviet Empire and making the world safer from the threat of nuclear war, along with FDR and his Great Arsenal of Democracy, Four Freedoms, Atlantic Charter, winning World War II, and making America a superpower engaged in world affairs. Just compare those impressive records to the rigid neo-con blunders in Iraq. Reagan was not a rigid neo-con, and he was not an amiable dunce as his critics have falsely claimed.

I do have a few quibbles with this book. Ronald Reagan, in his autobiography "An American Life" and "The Reagan's Diaries," emphasizes his friendship with "Gorby" and his peaceful diplomacy. Recent Reagan biographies by John Patrick Diggins and Richard Reeves also credit Reagan's diplomacy and friendship with "Gorbachev." Reagan was so sincere and good-natured, with that twinkle in his eye, that he was irresistible. Once Reagan got his "high beams" on you, you were finished, Michael Reagan once said. Reagan was a crusader but, more importantly, he was a persuader.

At Gorbachev's friendly invitation, Reagan gave a speech on free markets at Moscow State University and received a standing ovation. Reagan sold the Russians on free markets and freedom. He WAS the Great Communicator. When a reporter asked Reagan if USSR was still "the evil empire," Reagan replied, "No. I was talking about another time, another era." Kengor does not mention this, and he describes the visit to Moscow as yet another time when Reagan pressured Gorbachev. In fact, it was Reagan's love of peace and diplomacy that won the Cold War. Reagan and "Gorby" became good friends. In his autobiography, Reagan shared his fear that Gorbachev might be toppled by Communist hardliners: "I was concerned for his safety... I've still worried about him: How hard and fast can he push reforms without risking his life?"

Kengor presents an incomplete and perhaps misleading story of the Reykjavik summit and the friendship between the two leaders. Kengor reveals that Reagan desired to abolish nukes, but Kengor does not mention that Reagan and Gorbachev tentatively agreed to abolish ALL nuclear weapons at the Reykjavik summit and that Reagan proposed sharing SDI, which Reagan believed would make nukes obsolete.

Also, the achievements of President George Bush Sr. are not mentioned. Sweeping progress occurred when Bush was president, such as the summit at Malta between Bush and Gorbachev, the withdrawal of Soviet troop from Eastern Europe by Gorbachev's order, and Gorbachev allowing numerous free elections to take place. Bush was president for nearly three years when Gorbachev finally fell from power.

By the way, it was actually the 1975 Helsinki Accords by Gerald Ford - not Yalta - that officially recognized Soviet Control of Eastern Europe. In return, the Soviets promised to honor "human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief." Specifically, the Soviets recognized the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which Eleanor Roosevelt helped achieved. This allowed the dissident movement in USSR to take root. According to Soviet Foreign Minister Anatoly Dobrynin, the publicity gained from finally receiving recognition of Soviet control in Eastern Europe was supposed to bolster the Communist Party. Instead, "it gradually became a manifesto of the dissident and liberal movement'... Brezhnev could hardly repudiate what he had agreed to... human rights..." (The Cold War a New History: John Lewis Gaddis) Kengor also does not mention anything about the Potsdam Conference when Harry Truman was president. That was the last summit of WWII - not Yalta.

This book does not mention the contributions of the dissident movement, including Nobel Peace Prize-winning Andrei Sakharov. He was named as one of the Time 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century. "By courageously speaking truth to power, he became the conscience of the cold war and inspired the movement that toppled Soviet communism...," Time wrote. "By the time of his death in 1989, this humble physicist had influenced the spread of democratic ideals throughout the communist world. His moral challenge to tyranny, his faith in the individual and the power of reason, his courage in the face of denunciation and, finally, house arrest -- made him a hero to ordinary citizens everywhere."

None-the-less, this is the best book on Reagan's lifelong crusade against Communism and a compelling work of research concerning Reagan's role. Kengor has done a fabulous job. Without Reagan, the Soviet Union would not have unraveled when it did. Reagan was the right man at the right time.

I am in a unique position to recommend this book. I studied the Cold War in college (although I eventually majored in business) when Gorbachev was in power. I traveled abroad and witnessed first-hand the rebellion in Lithuania against Soviet rule. I talked to several Lithuanians, who were participating in the rebellion, and I briefly met Vytautas Landsbergis, a professor of music and leader of the rebellion who became president after Lithuania gained independence. Tanks rolled through the streets of Vilnius while I was there (although Gorbachev refused to brutally suppress the rebellion). As a memento, I have a leaflet that Soviet helicopters dropped into the streets of Kaunas demanding an end to a huge demonstration. I had a friend who went to Poland and witnessed the Solidarity movement. Reagan encouraged those rebellions. I saw the world turn, and I know that Reagan had much to do with it. Reagan's life story is quite charming.

I highly recommend this book along with Reagan's excellent autobiography "An American Life" and "The Reagan Diaries." Both are essential to understanding the real Ronald Reagan. Also read "Ronald Reagan: Fate, Freedom, and the Making of History" by John Patrick Diggins, the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Lenin's Tomb" by David Remnick, "The Cold War: A New History" by John Lewis Gaddis, "From the Cold War to a New Era" by Don Oberdorfer, "President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination" by Richard Reeves, Paul Lettow's "Ronald Reagan and His Quest to Abolish Nuclear Weapons," and "Reagan and Gorbachev" by Jack Matlock, Reagan's top advisor and ambassador to USSR.

should be mandatory reading.......2007-04-04

It is nice to finally read some of the history of the 1980s without the need to insult or suck up to those in power. Paul Kengor has added this book to the list of great biographies of Ronald Reagan (another was "Reagan's War" which is also excellent). Regardless of what you felt about the man, it is fairly important to understand Reagan's place in changing the world.

An odd thing about telling the story of Reagan is that most biographies don't mention what he did for Poland and other Soviet Block countries. In fact, the book, "Dutch" barely mentions Lech Wallesa and the solidarity movement. In many of those countries, Reagan is viewed as a liberator and hero. Again, regardless of your view of the man here in the U.S., he did change the world and was the linchpin for the fall of the U.S.S.R. This book is an excellent way to understand how and why he did it. What he did was put his vision on the block and stood by it, regardless of what some of his closest advisors told him. In the end, history has shown him to be the man with the vision of how to end the cold war.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough for ANYONE who wants to understand the fall of the Soviet Union or why Reagan is viewed as a God by many Republicans. At the same time, this book is not insulting, nor does it degrade those with different viewpoints. It is an exciting and fascinating book with information that I had never heard, and I've read 10-15 books about the man. Great work and as a fan of history... keep these types of books coming.

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Fidel Castro's nightmare.
Deeper & Better Than The Media Gave Him Credit For.
Capturing the Moment and the Feelings of an Important Era
Great Courage In The Face Of Danger
Extraordinary insight into Reagan's Presidential life

The Reagan Diaries
Ronald Reagan
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 006087600X
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Book Description

During his two terms as the fortieth president of the United States, Ronald Reagan kept a daily diary in which he recorded, by hand, his innermost thoughts and observations on the extraordinary, the historic, and the routine day-to-day occurrences of his presidency. Now, nearly two decades after he left office, this remarkable record—the only daily presidential diary in American history—is available for the first time.

Brought together in one volume and edited by historian Douglas Brinkley, The Reagan Diaries provides a striking insight into one of this nation's most important presidencies and sheds new light on the character of a true American leader. Whether he was in his White House residence study or aboard Air Force One, each night Reagan wrote about the events of his day, which often included his relationships with other world leaders Mikhail Gorbachev, Pope John Paul II, Mohammar al-Qaddafi, and Margaret Thatcher, among others, and the unforgettable moments that defined the era—from his first inauguration to the end of the Cold War, the Iran hostage crisis to John Hinckley Jr.'s assassination attempt.

The Reagan Diaries reveals more than just Reagan's political experiences: many entries are concerned with the president's private thoughts and feelings—his love and devotion for Nancy Reagan and their family, his belief in God and the power of prayer. Seldom before has the American public been given access to the unfiltered experiences and opinions of a president in his own words, from Reagan's description of near-drowning at the home of Hollywood friend Claudette Colbert to his determination to fight Fidel Castro at every turn and keep the Caribbean Sea from becoming a "Red Lake."

To read these diaries—filled with Reagan's trademark wit, sharp intelligence, and humor—is to gain a unique understanding of one of the most beloved occupants of the Oval Office in our nation's history.

Customer Reviews:

Fidel Castro's nightmare........2007-06-25

This book makes clear how Reagan kept Castro hidding in his lair. Though he did'n see Cuba free, he was the president that dealt with the cuban problematic better than any one so far. His determination of changing the way the world see the USA, makes the american people proud of their president. Reading his daily duties in the White House produce respect and admiration for this great man. One of the best president of the United Estates. Highly recomended.Days of the Embassy

Deeper & Better Than The Media Gave Him Credit For........2007-06-22

At some 700 pages this was a surprisingly fast & informative read. During his 2 terms as our 40th president he kept a diary that has proven very revealing not only for conservatives, but for anyone who wishes to learn about the depth of a very interesting man. For me, & many of our gen Xer's he was the most important President since FDR. Most everything is touched on, his thoughts on a myriad of subjects. From his dislike of Monday mornings,{sounds familiar} Communism, terrorism, Capitalism, the everyday American, defending his policies like his crusade to liberate eastern Europe from the yoke of communism & his distrust of the "lynch mob mentality of the media." His meetings with Gorbachev, Desmond Tutu, Pope John Paul the 2nd, & Margaret Thatcher. He clearly held the latter two in high esteeem, while finding Tutu very naive. He reveals his love of the USA & wife Nancy in poignant & touching terms. These two topics are where he shows the most emotions. Here is a man far more intelligent & contemplative than the left-leaning media ever gave him credit for. Mr. Brinkley deserves praise for his fine editing, he has done the broad public a fine service.

Capturing the Moment and the Feelings of an Important Era.......2007-06-19

This is a must for those interested in Ronald Reagan - the man, the husband, the father, and the President. In "The Reagan Diaries," Reagan, in his own words, gives us much more than any of his biographies has provided thus far.

Reagan, as it turns out, kept a daily diary for his entire presidency. And editor Douglas Brinkley has distilled the original five large leatherbound books into this highly readable, 767 page book. Nancy Reagan said they initiated the diaries as memory books "to capture the moment and feelings before they were whisked on to the next day." And sure enough, the two of them spent many moments after they left Washington to read and reminisce while together in their California home.

The "Diaries" covers plenty of political (brokering policy within his administration, his party or congress) and historical (the balancing of relations between Israel and the Arab states) events. The book also provides a good account of family and friends. Nancy was never far away nor were his Hollywood friends; and, as the press reported at the time, relations with Ron Jr. and Patty were difficult.

"The Reagan Diaries" is a treat.

Great Courage In The Face Of Danger.......2007-06-18

I couldn't pull myself away from President Reagan's firsthand account of his heroic plight in face of Nazi adversity. These diaries vividly detail his razor-thin escapes and years of surviving in the attic of the White House on only ketchup and surplus government cheese. Truly an inspiration for us all!

Extraordinary insight into Reagan's Presidential life.......2007-06-18

Considering that Douglas Brinkley authored a hagiography about John Kerry in 2004, I was afraid that he would carry his partisanship into his editing of President Reagan's diaries. I am pleasantly surprised that he did not. While we have no idea of the extent of what Brinkley started with and what he edited out, what's between the covers provides an extraordinary insight into Reagan as man and President.

Ronald and Nancy Reagan had never kept diaries, but as they entered the White House agreed to. The daily entries are fascinating. One of the most impressive things that jumps out at you is the deep affection he had for Nancy. He is unhappy when they are apart, a feeling that every couple in love knows.

Reagan recorded brief notes about both his official and unofficial activities. The well-worn myths that he did nothing are once again demolished. Reagan was definitely in control. Though it shouldn't be, it's still surprising to see how little has changed in the American political scene since Reagan's Presidency.

Democrats, such as Teddy Kennedy, are still obstructing progress of any kind in order to seek temporary political gain. Anyone who doesn't support the left-wing program is a "racist", as Justice Thurgood Marshall called Reagan. Reagan's transparency is shown in an entry for September 9, 1987 when runaway Independent Counsel Walsh wanted to interview the President, Reagan simply said yes. No running to the Supreme Court like Bill Clinton did; just a simple yes.

The Middle East was intractable then as it is now. Terrorism was a subject of frequent discussion.

The variety of activities crammed into the President's day is astounding, particularly considering Reagan's age at the time.

The man's boundless optimism shines through over and over and over again. What an attitude.

Overall, the impression is one of an intelligent, competent, caring man, someone who was indeed in control of his Presidency. But perhaps most poignant is the comfort he derived from his wife, the love of his life.

One days entry ends with "Upstairs to Nancy - end of a good day".

Ronald Reagan was indeed a remarkable President and, above all, a remarkable man.

Jerry

When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan

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One of top five greatest presidents in history.
Just What I Expected: A Myth about a president who's bad ideas continue to hurt America
Excellent book about best President America has produced
Poorly written with some interesting information on Reagan
I liked this book

When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan
Peggy Noonan
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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In the Words of Ronald Reagan: The Wit, Wisdom, and Eternal Optimism of America's 40th President

ASIN: 0670882356
Release Date: 2001-11-12

Book Description

"You read her to thrall in her striking ability to behold great vistas through a pinhole . . . in a language that is always concrete and vital." (The New York Times)

"Noonan possesses an astonishingly deft touch for making the political process come alive." (USA Today)

It is twenty years—a full generation—since Ronald Reagan first walked into the White House and ignited a revolution. From the beginning, he enjoyed the American people's affection but now, as he approaches the end of his life, he has received what he deserved even more: their deep respect.

What was the wellspring of his greatness? Peggy Noonan, bestselling author of the classic Reagan-era memoir What I Saw at the Revolution, former speechwriter, and now a columnist and contributing editor for The Wall Street Journal, argues that the secret of Reagan's success was no secret at all. It was his character—his courage, his kindness, his persistence, his honesty, and his almost heroic patience in the face of setbacks—that was the most important element of his success.

The one thing a man must bring into the White House with him if he is to succeed, Noonan contends, is a character that people come to recognize as high, sturdy, and reliable.

Noonan, renowned for her special insight into Ronald Reagan's history and personality, brings her own reflections on Reagan to bear in When Character Was King and discloses never-before-told stories from the former president's family, friends, and White House colleagues to reveal the true nature of a man even his opponents now view as a maker of big history.

Marked by incisive wit and elegant prose, When Character Was King will enlighten and move readers.

Customer Reviews:

One of top five greatest presidents in history........2007-04-16

Washington, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan - best presidents in American history. Peggy Noonan is an extraordinary writer with such a gifted ability to uplift.

What an incredible honor for her to have served with Reagan.

Just What I Expected: A Myth about a president who's bad ideas continue to hurt America.......2007-01-14

This book was well written. But for the most part it is like any other book written about Regan, propaganda. Ronald Regan was probably a great guy to know personally but he was not in my opinion a very good president. He continually gave huge tax cuts to the rich while pushing Americas less fortunate futher and further into poverty. He belived, if you read his writings and listen to his speeches, that it was the fault of the poor and middle class for being poor and middle class. I suggest that any one who reads this book also read Man Of the House by Tip O'Neil to get the other side of the story. To me after reading this biography I was more disappointed in Regan than anything. To go from living in a struggling family that was just able to make ends meet to becoming a rich movie star and later on govenor and president he quiclky forgot what it was like to be a working person in America to day. People often say that he the only person to push the fall of the U.S.S.R. this too is untrue. Communist systems just do not work the U.S.S.R. was going to fall anyways. Plus there were many people working in Europe for the U.S.S.R.'s fall i.e. John Paul II and Margret Thatcher. So in the end was Regan a respectable man. YES! Was he the best person to be leader of the free wrold. Probably not.

Excellent book about best President America has produced.......2006-12-09

When I use to read the reviews on books like this one by those who are leftist I really could not understand the rage and blindness that they contain. If you look at the negative ratings and the rants about this book it is apparent that these individuals really can't help it. It is almost like the story of Moses and the Pharoah, where God says that He "hardened Pharoah's heart." It's not a matter that the left won't be decent and civilized, it's that they can't. If you read the negative one star ratings about this book you will understand what I mean.

This book is nothing less then excellent. Peggy Noonan is a fine writer and I just finished her book on John Paul II. Reagan was quite frankly the best President that this country has produced. Noonan really helps us to understand the man. How he grew up, what his relationship was with his father and how he wound up in politics. This is an important book because there are so many wannabe writers out there that take every chance to smear a good man like Reagan because of their love for either a buck or to satisfy some psychological deformity. Unfortunately it is very in vogue these days by liberals to say the most outrageous things they can muster. The more they rant the more they believe people will listen to their insanity. The sad thing is that it is usually true. The liberals have alot of hate and alot of energy and they don't let up for a second. Especially when it comes to decency. Reagan was good and decent and so is this book, so the left has got their work cut out for them. They have to convince alot of people that good people are bad and evil people are good.

Aside from my soapbox, buy the book. It is good and Peggy Noonan is a great writer. The book is objective and decent. The book gave me a deeper understanding of the fact that people who had tough younger lives can and do turn out to be great leaders and good people like Ronald Reagan did.

Poorly written with some interesting information on Reagan.......2006-12-05

Although Ms. Noonan has some wonderful facts about Ronald Reagan, his life, and his presidency, this book is poorly written and frustrating to read. The first chapter is almost entirely dialogue and tidbits of dialogue that took place during the christening of a ship. Reagan was not even present at this christening, but at home suffering from Alzheimer's, so I'm at a loss as to why it was included. It is tedious to read and the writing only gets marginally better with the second chapter. Throughout the book, she jumps back and forth from the past to the present in an irritating manner that makes the book a pain to read. I purchased this book to read the details of Reagan's life in an easily read manner, complete and fact-based. Instead, this book is the ramblings of a senior who if ever was able to write well, has lost the ability. Every paragraph is littered with sentences beginning with prepositional phrases and "and". Overuse of prepositional phrases is the trademark of a very poor writer. Don't waste your money. You can find more interesting stories and facts on Reagan on the internet without the ramblings and chapters wasted on events that didn't include Reagan.

I liked this book.......2006-09-21

There is a series of speeches entitled "Character Above All" some of which are very good and some not so good (depending on the speaker.) This speech was a springboard for the book (if I am not mistaken.) So, in my opinion, if you get the "Character Above All" tape by Noonan on Reagan and if you like that then you will most definately like the book. I loved the book and the tape.

In the Words of Ronald Reagan: The Wit, Wisdom, and Eternal Optimism of America's 40th President

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W A R Y......A D M I R A T I O N.....O F.....A....M O D E R A T E
Great little book
My shop's best seller
Simple but worthwhile...
Great words from a great leader.

In the Words of Ronald Reagan: The Wit, Wisdom, and Eternal Optimism of America's 40th President

Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Reagan, In His Own Hand: The Writings of Ronald Reagan That Reveal His Revolutionary Vision for America
An American Life
When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan: How an Ordinary Man Became an Extraordinary Leader
Quotable Reagan: Words of Wit, Wisdom, Statesmanship By and About Ronald Reagan, America's Great Communicator (Potent Quotables)

ASIN: 078527023X

Book Description

As one of the greatest presidents of the twentieth century, Ronald Wilson Reagan succeeded in renewing pride in America, strengthening the principles of family, faith, and freedom on which this nation was founded, and restoring our hope for the future. President Reagan endeared himself even to his political opponents with his self-effacing wit and irrepressible optimism. Inspiring, thoughtful, and at times downright funny, he had an amazing gift for stirring emotion, sparking debate, and calling a nation to action.

In In The Words of Ronald Reagan, his oldest son Michael Reagan has gathered a wonderful collection of his father's public and private words, providing a close-up portrait of our fortieth president. From hilarious one-liners to eloquent letters to intimate family moments, these selections depict Ronald Reagan in all his many roles-as world leader, conservative icon, orator, actor, and father. Complemented by Michael Reagan's personal and insightful commentary on his father's life, In The Words of Ronald Reagan will delight you, inspire you, and motivate you to finish the job Ronald Reagan began-the job of rebuilding the American dream.

Customer Reviews:

W A R Y......A D M I R A T I O N.....O F.....A....M O D E R A T E.......2007-06-07

Broadly speaking, many Democrats seem to think that most Republicans don't care about people who aren't rich, and haven't financially succeeded. And, also broadly speaking, many Republicans seem to think that most Democrats are spendthrifts, who like to use public tax money on programs which destroy families, and take away individual choice and initiative. While I am sure there ARE people in both philsophies that hold these extreme views, it is my own contention that most people, of whatever political stipe and ideals, mainly just want to live as happy long, and productive a life as possible, and make sure that their loved ones are able to do so as well.

I suppose the main thing, as a moderate, that I personally have against Republicans, is that, though I throroughy DO agree with the philosophy of being able, proudly and individually, (and WITHOUT any meddling of government telling one what to do), to "pull oneself up by one's bootstraps", it seems that many Republicans tend to forget that there are MANY people who CAN'T pull themselves up by their theoretical bootstraps....simply because they have no shoes! Democrats take a different tack on this -- one I also enormously dislike. Yes -- they will give "shoes to the shoeless".....but they will NOT allow the people they are "helping" to CHOOSE their own shoes. If you are "helped" by a social-service agency, it seems, THEY tell you what to study, and/or what type of job you "should" be doing.

So -- I guess, though I can see good things in both the Democratic and Republican philosophies, I also can see definite negatives in each. Being neither a complete Democrat, nor a complete Republican, I feel I am free to admire the best people of each party.... I admire Jimmy Carter, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Regan.........just to name a few.

This small volume, IN THE WORDS OF RONAOLD REAGAN, by his son (with first wife Jane Wyman), is a fascinating little book! You can tell it was put together with love and devotion....and the reader, perusing its riches, can only wish it were longer.

The picture of Ronald Reagan on the front cover, and the smaller one of Micahel Reagan, on the back inside bookjacket flap, are in "shiny" print....in a very good facimilie of an actual photograph. Within this book, interspersed between Ronald Reagan's words of wisdom and wit, are 28 additional photographs, portraying everything from a photo of the Regan family in 1915, (Ronald with his parents and brother Neil), to Mr. Reagan, as President of the US, inspecting sailors at the recomissioning of the USS New Jersey in 1982. Pictures are also present of the 1982 Inauguation, Mr. Regan's acting and football-playing days, meetings with world leaders, Mr. Regan on horseback and two very different pictures, taken seconds apart, on the day of the assassination attempt on Mr. Reagan.

After a heart-felt and proud introduction by the compiler, Michael Regan, 62 categories of Ronald Reagan's words are given.....from "Acting", "Age",
"Alzheimer's" and "America".....to "Education", "Faith, "Family" and "Football",.....through "Marriage", "Memorials", "Morality" and "Nancy",....to "Truth", "Values", "Veterans", and "Welfare State", to name just a few. Each category has at least one, and often
more, memorable quotes.

Mr. Regan's pithy, folksy, common-sense words cannot help but make one think....and even, however grudgingly, admire him. I doubt that any American, of any political stripe, can argue with these quotes....although one does tend to add one's own interpretion to them:

.........." In America, our origins matter less than our destination,
.......... and that is what democracy is all about." (America)

.........." History teaches that wars begin when governments believe
.......... the price of agression is cheap." (Defensse)

.........." They say the world has become too complex for simple answers.
.......... They are wrong. There are no easy answers, but there are
.......... simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know
.......... is morally right." (Morality) (( Of course, everyone has
a different idea of what "morality" really is, from, say, pro-choice people, to anti-abortion people, to people who, like myself, feel it's up to each individual to choose their own way, and respect other's rights to do things with their own lives, their own way. And therein, of course, lies the conflict. But at least knowing that one should have SOME moral compass is a good idea, I think. -- comment of this reviewer. ))

But here is a statement sure to elicit sympathy from ANYONE of any politcal stripe.

.........." It's so...frustrating! I'll make a statement, and an hour
.......... later, the press or the legislators will say, 'Sure, that's
.......... what he says, but what does he mean?' I don't get it. If
.......... they could only accept that I say what I mean, it would save
.......... so much time!" (The Press)

.......... " Nothing lasts longer than a temporary government program."
.......... (Government)

.......... " You know, Senator Kennedy was at a dinner just recently,
.......... for the ninetiethy birthday party for former governor and
.......... ambassador Averell Harriman. Teddy Kennedy said that
.......... Averell's age was only half as old as Ronald Regan's ideas.
.......... And you know, he was absolutely right. The Constitution is
.......... almost two hundred years old, and that's where I get my
.......... ideas." ( The Constitution ) (( Mr. Reagan would have
.......... been a powerful lawyer, with his turn of the phrase!......
.......... ....comment by this reviewer ))

.......... Two Soviets....talking to each other. And one of them says,
.......... "What's the difference between the Soviet Constitution and
.......... the American Constitution?" And the other one said, "That's
.......... easy. The Soviet Constitution guarantees freedom of speech
.......... and freedom of gathering. The American Constitution guaran-
.......... tees freedom after speech, and freedom after gathering."
.......... (( A good thing to remember, in these days of Vladimir
.......... (( Putin's regime.....comment by this reviewer ))

.......... " Secretary William Bennett makes, I think, an interesting
.......... analogy. He says that if you serve a child a rotten
.......... hamburgerin Americal, federal, state and local agencies
.......... will investigate you, summon you, close you down, or what-
.......... ever. But if you provide a child with a rotten education,
.......... nothing happens, except that you are liable to be given
.......... more money to do it with. Well, we've discovered that
.......... money alone isn't the answer. ( Education. )
.......... (( Of course, many people have differing opin......ions on what constitutes a "good" education...........comment by this reviewer. ))

Witty, thoughtful, thought-provoking.......all of the many quotes in this
small book merit reading and thought. Some are as short as a few lines. Others go on for a page and more. All are interesting....most are brilliant. One quote -- believe it or not -- seems to me it could
easily be given at some future commencement, say, from a "StarFleet" Academy graduation! (Yes....a quote from Ronald Regan, of all people!)

It is:

.........." For two hundred years, we've lived in the future, believing
.......... that tomorrow would be be better than today, and today
.......... would be better than yesterday. I still believe that."
( The Future )

As with any person, any group or ideal, sweeping generalities make for
stereotypes and narrow-minded ideas. Ronald Reagan was far more broad-minded and future-oriented than many give him credit for. His mind was
optimistic, realistic, and full of wit. Personally, I have great admiration for the man....wishing only that he had realized that ALL people want dignity and success.....but that, again, some people cannot pull themselves up by their bootstraps because, they have no shoes. Yet,
one must admit that government programs CAN cost over-much....because greedy politicians and lobbyists -- of whatever party -- get their hands in the till....and like the extra money they take out! I'm sure Mr. Reagan realized this.

Reading this book, it's obvious Mr. Reagan wanted the best for
Americans, and the best for every citizen of the world. His optimism and wit are timeless.....as demonstrated by every word of his in this book!

Great little book.......2006-09-13

This is a great book to have if you appreciate all that President Reagan represented and accomplished, or if you were not around to understand the massive impact he had on our nation, then this is a greeat introduction to our 40th president.

It is all the more valuable because it his insight from his son Michael, insight that can only be offered by a family member. For all the great publlic stuff I already knew about President Reagan, the advice he offers Michael for his marriage helped further my belief in what a great man he was.

This is a quick read, but it is also one you will refer back to for quotes and enjoyment!

My shop's best seller.......2006-08-04

Visitors to the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home buy more copies of this book than any other that we sell. Filled with positive little tidbits from a family perspective! It's great!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Simple but worthwhile..........2006-07-25

I was born just two years before Ronald Reagan was elected president, so I have virtually no memories of his work as a politician. However, my limited study of recent history left me with the impression that Reagan's life warranted further investigation.

So, I turned to this simple little book of the quotable Reagan, with commentary interjected periodically by his son, Michael. The contents of the book are far from earthshattering, and it wouldn't be too hard to find much more substantive information about Reagan elsewhere. Nonetheless, this book fulfills its promise as a compilation of some of Reagan's many soundbites that provide a window into his character and heart.

The quotes are organized into categories like "Alzheimer's," "Gorbachev," "Values," etc. Within each category are a few pages of short quotes that Reagan provided in very public settings (inauguration speeches, Republican convention acceptance speeches) and more private ones (like personal notes or anecdotes that he told to his family, to which Michael would have unique access).

Ultimately, the book provides only snippets, and after seeing the frequency with which some speeches appeared (like "The Speech" in 1964 on behalf of Goldwater), I was left pining for the entire transcripts of those famous addresses. The other primary fault of the book is that it paints a rather idealistic image of Reagan's life. I understand Michael's interest in promoting the greatness of his father, but the presentation was so overly flattering as to appear a bit artificial.

Nonetheless, there are a number of quotes worth reading in this collection. I laughed out loud a number of times, and I was moved at other times. For a quick snapshot of the wit and wisdom of Ronald Reagon, this book is a good place to start.

Great words from a great leader........2006-07-09

Ronald Reagan will be long remembered as someone who could give a great speech. Critics, however, wrongly labeled him a dim-witted actor, propped up by good speechwriters. Their hatred for all things `Reagan' make it impossible for them to attribute even the slightest bit of intelligence to the 40th President. As their goal to alter the Reagan legacy, they completely omit the hundreds of radio addresses he personally wrote during the years prior to becoming President, which aptly chronicle the true brilliance that truly was Ronald Reagan. IN THE WORDS OF RONALD REAGAN, by his son Michael Reagan, continues in that arena by sharing with us, many of the personal letters this prolific letter writer penned.

This compact, 200-page treatise, lends the reader yet a deeper look into the essence of thought that was Ronald Reagan. Here you will find a small portion of Reagan's discourse on subjects ranging from acting to welfare.

If you admired Ronald Reagan, then you will admire this book. If you are too young to remember Ronald Reagan, this book will lend critical insight into his character and ideas. If you hate all things Reagan, then there is nothing for you to see here. Just shut up and move on.

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com

Average customer rating:

Ronaldus Magnus in his own words.
Ronald Reagan's Autobiography
a history lesson on the 80's
The Great Communicator Writes Too!
Interesting reading

An American Life: The Autobiography
Ronald Reagan
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Biographies | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

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Similar Items:

When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan
Reagan, In His Own Hand: The Writings of Ronald Reagan That Reveal His Revolutionary Vision for America
In the Words of Ronald Reagan: The Wit, Wisdom, and Eternal Optimism of America's 40th President
Ronald Reagan: How an Ordinary Man Became an Extraordinary Leader
I Love You, Ronnie: The Letters of Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan

ASIN: 0671691988

Book Description

Ronald Reagan is an American success story. From modest beginnings in a small midwestern town to a distinguished career in films and television, he lived the American dream; as governor of California and as the century's most popular president, he embodied and revitalized the American spirit.

Now in this dramatic and revealing memoir, Ronald Reagan recounts both his life and his beliefs with uncompromising candor and his familiar wit. He discusses his decision to run for president, historic meetings with Mikhail Gorbachev and other heads of state, his frustrations in dealing with an often hostile congress, his unshakable faith in the American people and the enduring love for Nancy, who will always be his First Lady. In a moving passage, President Reagan also speaks frankly about the assassination attempt on his life and its effects on him and his family.

An American Life is a richly detailed, definitive account of a great and historic presidency and of a unique American Life -- from the man who restored America's confidence and strength and shaped the future of the world.

Customer Reviews:

Ronaldus Magnus in his own words........2007-02-17

My first vote in a presidential election was for Ronald Wilson Reagan. I was a freshman in college and quickly coming to grips with my political philosophy and world view, when this idealistic, bright ray of sunshine declared it was "morning in America." Having remembered all to well the horrors of Watergate, the tepid Ford presidency, and the...well...you fill in your own perjorative for Jimmy Carter's presidency, Mr. Reagan, for me at least, was a breath of fresh air.

If you are looking for pure history of the Reagan years, the works of Lou Cannon and Richard Reeves will provide more objective views; i.e. the type of stuff political junkies like myself love to chew on. However, if you are looking for a first person account of a uniquely American story, this memoir will both uplift and inspire.

This book is quintessential Reagan. Missing is the self-adulatory, self-promoting tripe you read in autobiographies. Also, although he was bitterly opposed by "The Establishment," the literati, Hollywood, socialists, communists and the like, there is not an ounce of rancor to be found.

An American Life, despite the fact that it is 700+ pages, is a quick and fairly easy read. In order to obtain a full view of his presidency, I not only recommend this work, and the aforementioned volumes, but also the book that is the compilation of his letters. Far from being the "amiable dunce," you'll discover that "Dutch" was a unique and complex man and we are a better country for having him a part of the body politic for as long as we did.

Ronald Reagan's Autobiography.......2007-01-10

A very good book. Contains much history which either wasn't or couldn't be reported at the time it was happening. Although it is over 700 pages, it was a good and enjoyable book.

a history lesson on the 80's.......2006-11-27

Apart from the first few chapters about his own path to success, the book's an introductory history lesson on the u.s. and international political scene of the 80's. Easy to understand. Reagan explained very clearly on his ratinales behind the things he did. It was like listening to a wise old man telling his story. His international policies, as indicated in the book, made far reaching impacts on the development of world events then and afterwards. A great read. The book lets me understand this great man more and made me remember him more.

The Great Communicator Writes Too!.......2006-02-17

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.

On these pages we are made privy to turning points, such as his refusal to run for vice-president in 1976, Ford's refusal to run for veep in 1980, and the considerations involved in decisions dealing with SDI. His relationship with Margaret Thatcher is seen as one of the crucial partnerships of the Twentieth Century.

"An American Life" lacks the analysis of Dinesh D'Souza's "Reagan: How an Ordinary Man Became An Extraordinary Leader" (see my amazon review), but in it the Gipper tells his story. D'Souza says that an ordinary man became an extraordinary leader. In "An American Life" an ordinary man has written an extraordinary book.

Interesting reading.......2005-12-13

This autobiography is interesting reading indeed, in that Ronald Reagan was a very fascinating person and his life certainly amazign in every aspect. I hesitate to give it a raving review and more than 3 stars, as it doesnt seem to fully live up to the subject matter. It lacks analysis and sophistication, but is still worth a read.

Average customer rating:

Why Are So Many Black Men In Prison? A Comprehensive Account Of How And Why The Prison Industry Has Become A Predatory Entity In
A Must Read
why are so many black men NOT in prison
Why are so many Black Men in Prison?
Why are so many blacks in prison?

Why Are So Many Black Men in Prison?
Demico Boothe
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Penology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Kill Them Before They Grow: The Misdiagnosis of African American Boys in America's Classrooms
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ASIN: 1425713971

Customer Reviews:

Why Are So Many Black Men In Prison? A Comprehensive Account Of How And Why The Prison Industry Has Become A Predatory Entity In.......2007-06-09

The book was very interesting. I learned soooo much about the government and the prison industry. I did some searching independantly to check on the things reported in the book and they are very true. Great Read!! Buy the book.

A Must Read.......2007-05-25

Mr. Demico's book is a must-read for anyone concerned about young African American men. Although I did not agree with every conclusion he reached, Demico's main premises are convincing. As a white woman who teaches mainly students of color, I am always impressed, and often in awe, of those young men who reach college with so much going against them. Demico's books lays bare not only the horrible inequalities of our society, but also the racist attitudes of our political system - - Democrats, Republicans, and most everyone in between.

why are so many black men NOT in prison.......2007-05-17

THAT really is the question; think about it.

Why are so many Black Men in Prison?.......2007-05-13

I is a well put together book. He really goes into a lot of detail of how our society is really set up.

Why are so many blacks in prison?.......2007-05-12

I found this book very interesting. As a white devil myself, I had no idea that I was responsible for forcing blacks into committing crimes and then subsequently clogging up the whole "Prison Industrial Complex"(tm). I will try to stop causing this, as I am sure it is creating a LOT of trouble for everyone! Sorry!

It is probably also my fault that young black men dressed in XXXXL clothes overtly threaten me and my family members routinely. Can anyone tell me what I should do to make this not happen?

I imagine it's also my fault that black on white violent crime is WAY higher than white on black violent crime, eventhough blacks constitute about 12.5% of the population, and whites are about 70%. But since it is impossible for a black to commit a hate crime according to our criminal justice system (since blacks are not under any circumstances racist), statistically, there are more white on black hate crimes. Boothe notes a statistic regarding hate crimes, but he skips the one about interracial violence in general.

In sum, Boothe notes that just about everything blacks do is actually MY fault, because my skin is white. Boothe, I've got a word for you.

Introspecti