Robert Mann's book is about Ronald Reagan's political evolution from his early days as a New Deal liberal to his famous 1964 speech on behalf of Barry Goldwater's doomed presidential campaign.  Though no acolyte of Reagan's, Mann treats his subject seriously as he charts his emergence as an orator and political activist while flagging Reagan's frequent exaggerations and fictions in his statements. The result is a clearly-written and well-argued account of the emergence of one of the key political figures of postwar American politics, one that can be read profitably by anyone seeking to understand how an earnest young actor began a career that would end in the highest office in the land.

A fantastic collection of the thoughts of arguably our greatest president in modern times. I was amazed at the difference, in every aspect, of what this man stood for and how he approached his job and what we currently have going on in Washington, D.C. It took me a while to read this because the diary entries were fairly chopped up and abbreviated in places, but it was definitely worth the read. I recommend this for anyone who appreciates what we once had in this country.

When the political season rolls around, we the American people only see the front lines: the candidates making speeches, attending events, and trying to win the votes of thousands of citizens. Meanwhile, the operations behind such a campaign, where all the work and organization is spent, remains hidden from the public. Who are the people that work tirelessly behind the scenes, in the shadows of the candidate in the limelight? What does it really take to successfully organize events, speeches, and other public appearances?

In this detailed and delightfully transparent work, Terry Baxter throws back the curtain and allows readers to get a rare backstage look into a political campaign. It’s not just any campaign, but the wild ride that took Ronald Reagan to the White House. You’ll follow the ups and downs of the political roller-coaster, and enjoy the thrills of unexpected twists and turns along the way. Showing off a different - but nonetheless, important - side of the political campaign system, you’ll discover more about American politics and its people than ever before!

I enjoyed hearing aboit his time as president along with his personal style and way of approaching life. I loved the extra CD that had many of his friends amous recipe on it.

How people regard this biography seems to reflect how they regard the subject. That's rather understandable. I think it's far too early really to evaluate Reagan (or Carter or Clinton) very objectively. Too many people are still alive that were caught up in partisan passions during his presidency. Whether at university or at the very left-leaning neighborhood I've lived in, I've overheard any number of demeaning, vicious remarks about Reagan--even on the very day of his death. I've heard him bitterly blamed for the death of millions from AIDS (you'd think the man created the disease) and hysterical denials he had anything to do with the end of the Cold War. That very reaction from people did cause me to look for a biography that wouldn't be just some hatchet job. I'd heard some not so good things about liberties taken in the biography of Reagan by famed presidential biographer Edmund Morris. On the other hand, I knew Dinesh D'Souza to be a conservative and admirer of Reagan and chose this book for that very reason. I did like it--it's very readable and it's not a complete hagiography--it is critical at some points. But D'Souza still feels too much the ideologue and the book too light-weight, which is why I'm not rating it higher and it's not likely to keep its place on my shelves. I have heard good things about Lou Cannon's works on Reagan; Cannon had worked as a White House correspondent for the Washington Post. Next time I want to read about Reagan, that might be the biographer of choice.