Reagan, In His Own Hand: The Writings of Ronald Reagan that Reveal His Revolutionary Vision for America

I recommended this book to a friend, went to email the link, and couldn't believe there was only one posted review.

The view of Reagan spun by the mainstream media was that of an "amiable dunce" (in the words of the late Clark Clifford) who "acted" the role of President.

This book refutes that notion once and for all. Reagan was a big thinker with big ideas who had the courage to act on them.

The only downside to reading the book is that you are left wondering why today's Republican's don't/won't take Reagan's playbook and run with it. They and, most importantly, our Nation, would be better off for it.

It doesn't matter what you think of Ronald Reagan - this book is uplifting and insightful.

I think what most people will find somewhat surprising is the intellectual depth that Reagan had. He fooled his opponents at every turn.

Especially touching in this book is how he writes about his love for Nancy. He speaks of feeling lonely everytime she left the room. It was just an amazing love the most powerful man on earth felt.

This is a great Sunday morning book when you are sitting by the fireplace on a cool autumn morning. Enjoy!

The answer is: he didn't accomplish anything. This book is a desparate attempt to make Reagan look like an "intellectual". In one essay, Reagan bemoans the constraints on DDT and other pesticides, insisting there's "no threat to animal, bird or marine life". Really? Since when did Reagan have any scientific background to evaluate scientific studies about pesticides? Of course, Reagan had no scientific basis for this statement--it was just another thing he made up. Ronald Reagan often cited a Chicago "Welfare Queen" who had ripped off $150,000 from the government, using 80 aliases, 30 addresses, a dozen social security cards, and four fictional dead husbands. The only trouble is--this Welfare Queen never actually existed. Reagan made it up. The followers of Reagan turn him into a fetish. He was actually a stupid man who said many stupid things which are not true (commonly called "lies"). Conservatives apparently think that someone who lies is a "great" man--but only if the liar is a Republican. Reagan was a Republican Liar, who lied hundreds of times. This book does very little to establish Reagan as a "thinker", rather than a senile, stupid man with hate-based ideology.

This is a compilation of transcripts of Ronald Reagan's radio talk-show from the late 1970's. Reagan always loved to use stories to communicate ideas and give advice, and this collection is replete with perfect examples of that. I believe that the four components of leadership are:

1) A clear vision of a better future; 2) The ability to communicate that vision; 3) The ability to get others to want to listen to your ideas and to believe you; 4) The ability to translate your vision into action

Whatever you might think of Reagan's vision for America or of the actions he took, this book shows us how he excelled at communicating his vision and pulling people into it. He was not called "The Great Communicator" without reason, and this book shows you that reason clearly. This is a treasure for Reagan fans, for anyone who wants to understand this intricately simple man, and for anyone who wants ideas on how to be more charismatic.

Prior to his election as our 40th President, during his administration, and in the years since, the left and its cooperative media have downplayed Ronald Reagan's intellect. This book, REAGAN IN HIS OWN HAND, completely destroys those who would categorize him as little more than an uninformed actor who simply delivered his lines. Two of the editors of this book are former White House advisors who go to great lengths to establish that Reagan himself wrote these addresses. This work includes 670 radio addresses written by Reagan from 1975 to 1979.

There is much to be learned from this work. Most notably, this is a sourcebook on modern conservative thought. The section on foreign policy covers such topics as communism, national defense and human rights. In the section on domestic policy, the reader will find Reagan's ideas on such topics as education, the environment, health care, and social security. There are also numerous writings on miscellaneous subjects.

It's been well over two decades since the Carter administration and many today have forgotten the pathetic situation America found itself in when Reagan took the helm. Communism was winning over hearts and minds worldwide while America seem to sit idly by. Interest rates were through the roof. The American military was dangerously depleted. There was a nationally unreasonable faith that government was the cure for all ills. These and other situations served to form the vision of President Reagan as he met these obstacles with tenacity and undaunted courage.

This is an awesome collection of writings. No, it will not change the minds of Reagan's detractors, but nothing ever will. The books editors label Reagan as a "one man think tank" and this book substantiates their claim as it provides a demonstration of the breadth and coherence of his thinking.

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com