jimbowen0306's review against another edition
4.0
I grew up in the 1980s. My teenage years cover most of Reagan's presidency, and I was brought up in a family that was instinctively against Reagan's agenda.
This said, I actually enjoyed the book. It looks at all aspects of this life (with a good chunk focusing on his pre-Presidential life, which was quite interesting), and after I read the book, I can see why they called Reagan the "Great Communicator." In short, the book was an interesting read.
Having said I found it a good read, It didn't necessarily change my view of Reagan's policies. I found myself thinking "Ah yes but have you thought about..." a fair bit, but he was more effective at explaining his views (compared to a lot of other politicians I've read in their autobiographies), which suggests I have have underestimated the man.
One thing Reagan did get me to think about, as I read the book, was the need to invest in the military. I'm aware there's a military-industrial complex, but the way his predecessors as President funded the armed forces, and the consequent level of morale made me think I'd have been a more "war-hawk" President, had I been in his position.
My biggest complaints about the book focus on his avoidance of Iran-Contra affair, which could have been handled more fully, and his insistence on the need for a "Balanced Budget" amendment to the constitution. The former made me feel like he was unwilling to take the blame for things, while the latter is just wrong economically. A little bit of debt to fund things that help the economy grow are effective, and have been proven to be so, time and again. That he doesn't acknowledge this, makes me wonder if Reagan really grasps that issue.
This said, I actually enjoyed the book. It looks at all aspects of this life (with a good chunk focusing on his pre-Presidential life, which was quite interesting), and after I read the book, I can see why they called Reagan the "Great Communicator." In short, the book was an interesting read.
Having said I found it a good read, It didn't necessarily change my view of Reagan's policies. I found myself thinking "Ah yes but have you thought about..." a fair bit, but he was more effective at explaining his views (compared to a lot of other politicians I've read in their autobiographies), which suggests I have have underestimated the man.
One thing Reagan did get me to think about, as I read the book, was the need to invest in the military. I'm aware there's a military-industrial complex, but the way his predecessors as President funded the armed forces, and the consequent level of morale made me think I'd have been a more "war-hawk" President, had I been in his position.
My biggest complaints about the book focus on his avoidance of Iran-Contra affair, which could have been handled more fully, and his insistence on the need for a "Balanced Budget" amendment to the constitution. The former made me feel like he was unwilling to take the blame for things, while the latter is just wrong economically. A little bit of debt to fund things that help the economy grow are effective, and have been proven to be so, time and again. That he doesn't acknowledge this, makes me wonder if Reagan really grasps that issue.
nmillerche's review
4.0
Following along with the audiobook on portions of the hardcover in my case, I am always a fan of an autobiography when read by the author. While the audio version is abridged, it was very well-edited and made for an excellent curation of the hardcover's contents.
csd17's review
3.0
Caveat: didn't finish. Wasn't interested in his politics. I have Peggy Noonan for that. It sounds like Reagan... but I was disappointed, somewhat, in his positivity and the lack of depth to the earlier time in his life. Perhaps that's just his way or a result of time passing. Who knows?
myworldtoread's review against another edition
3.0
Very lengthy read- I'll admit I started skimming chapters towards the end- but I enjoyed reading some of his views on politics and national government.
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