Synopses & Reviews
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 keepthe 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.
Review
"[A] thick but not unwieldy volume covering all eight years of what we now regard as the Reagan Era....What is missing is the deeper form of reflection that might have elevated The Reagan Diaries to the first tier of presidential writing." Boston Globe
Synopsis
#1 New York Times Bestseller
"Reading these diaries, Americans will find it easier to understand how Reagan did what he did for so long . . . They paint a portrait of a president who was engaged by his job and had a healthy perspective on power."
--Jon Meacham, Newsweek
During his two terms as the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan kept a daily diary in which he recorded his innermost thoughts and observations on the extraordinary, the historic, and the routine occurrences of his presidency. To read these diaries--now compiled into one volume by noted historian Douglas Brinkley and filled with Reagan's trademark wit, sharp intelligence, and humor--is to gain a unique understanding of one of our nation's most fascinating leaders.
Synopsis
< p=""> During his eight years as the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan kept a daily diary, in which he recorded his innermost thoughts and observations. The handwritten diaries have been seen by only a few people to date, and they share Reagan's personal insights into the extraordinary, the historic, and the routine day& ndash; to& ndash; day events of his Presidency. When we left Sacramento, we felt the time passed so quickly, we could hardly remember the eight years, said Nancy Reagan. When Ronnie became president, he wanted to write it all down so we could remember these special times.<> < p=""> From his first inauguration to weekends at Camp David to the end of the Cold War, these Presidential diaries are the most detailed in American history, filled with Reagan's trademark wit, sharp intelligence, and humor. They offer the deep warmth of his voice, while shedding a new light on the character of a true American leader. To read these diaries is to gain a unique understanding of the Oval Office and one of the greatest presidents in our nation's history.<>
About the Author
Douglas Brinkley is the director of the Eisenhower Center for American Studies at the University of New Orleans, where he is a distinguished professor and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the author and editor of numerous books of U. S. history, including a Penguin Lives biography of Rosa Parks. He lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.