Rating: 
Summary: A worthwhile read
Review: If your subject interest is US Politics, I recommend this book. I really enjoyed it, and the author seems very sincere in his interest to portray Reagan as he was. You really do conclude that this was a man who never viewed himself greater than the office he served.
Rating: 
Summary: A Bit of Fluff
Review: In the interest of disclosure. I was a supporter of Ronald Reagan and had a great deal of respect for the man. One the other hand this book seems like a job of fluff meant to eradicate Michael Deaver's economic misfortunes. I don't blame Mr Deaver for trying but he really doesn't deliver much more than a press secretary would offer about a person he admires. We don't get a good inside look. Just undying admiration. It's simply not worth the cover price
Rating: 
Summary: A sympathetic look at a misunderstood president
Review: In this book, Michael Deaver, Ronald Reagan's friend and adviser for two decades, takes a warm, sympathetic look at a widely misunderstood president. Deaver avoids the mistake made by Edmund Morris, Reagan's official biographer, of trying to understand exactly what makes the inscrutable Reagan tick. Any such undertaking is bound to fail - as is amply demonstrated in Morris's fictionalized biography of the former president. Nevertheless, Deaver's anecdotes, many of which record the tender and noble things Reagan did when he thought no one was watching, go a long way towards helping us understand the character of this great president. Deaver's book has many things to commend it, but two features set it apart from other political biographies. First, the reader never gets the impression that the author is writing the book to secure his own legacy. Deaver is perfectly self-deprecating, and his stories nearly always put him in an unfavorable light compared to Reagan. The once-cynical Deaver is always learning from the optimistic, humane, and principled president. Second, the author manages entirely to avoid partisan squabbling. He writes admiringly of Democratic speaker of the House Tip O'Neill and shows great respect for other Democrats. Indeed, in a section comparing Reagan to that other great communicator, Bill Clinton, Deaver, though certainly no admirer of Clinton, never mentions the personal failings that led to his impeachment. Deaver's charity, which he no doubt learned from Reagan himself, lends great credibility to his portrait. It is no surprise that Mrs. Reagan has given this book her unqualified endorsement.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing much new here......
Review: Maybe I was expecting too much from behind the scenes with Mr. Reagan. It just wasn't much new in this for me. Very little said about the many interesting events in Mr. Reagan's Presidency. Very little about the encounter with Gorbechev in Reykjevik, nothing about the 50th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, the Berlin speech, nothing about the Challenger disaster. It just didn't do it for me. Somehow I think Mr. Deaver missed a great opportunity here.
Rating:
Summary: Unique
Review: Michael Deaver has written a very important book about President Reagan. You will learn more about President Reagan from one of the closest friends he ever had than you will from other memoirs, and certainly more than the official biography/historical fiction, "Dutch". This is not a trite sentimental tribute to a man who is clearly very highly esteemed by the author. It is a series of recollections about a friendship that was unique because President Reagan was a very private man, yet he considered his relationship with Mr. Deaver to be like that of a brother. And like brothers they had their good times and they had intense, and sometimes colorful exchanges and bad times. It is also a book that includes very private events in the author's life and the insights it gave him as to why Ronald Reagan the man was very different than many would presume. He was hugely popular, charismatic, and lead this country out of a malaise that it had been lead in to. Yet in private he was an enigmatic man, very private, and per Mr. Deaver quite shy. The book is worth reading for the description of a lunch that the president had with Mother Teresa. On any other day he may have been the most powerful person on the planet, but the balance of power shifted when the famous Saint of Calcutta took over. Mr. Deaver was with Ronald Reagan from his first foray in to politics, and was one of the last people outside of immediate family that met with the former President just prior to his leaving the public stage. He shares with the reader his experiences from the beginning when he first met Reagan and was quite "unimpressed", to his final meeting in 1997 when his friend of almost 4 decades did not remember him. The final meeting is related candidly and with great respect, yet the horror that Alzheimer's inflicts on its victims is clearly communicated. I have never understood why people are determined to characterize a man who is held is such high esteem, that the public ranks him as one of the top 3 presidents this country has had, as Clark Clifford infamously branded him, "an amiable dunce". Mr. Clifford cannot even claim amiable for a legacy. If his health had not failed he might have become the guest of one of this nation's, "Club Fed's". This country is now about a 2 trillion dollar a year organization that we expect the occupant of The White House to manage in every detail, or at least we want the right to pillory him for anything that happens. The Federal Government is about 50 times the size of the world's largest company General Electric. G.E. certainly has a CEO and Jack Welch was one of the best, but even he had an army of people that helped run the company based on his core business beliefs. A successful presidency cannot be run any other way, the job is simply too big. Mr. Deaver explains what Reagan's detractors cannot seem to grasp. A president must have a core set of beliefs that he brings to Washington, a set of goals and personal conduct he has held for most of his life. Then like any great CEO he must surround himself with people that know what the program is and can act with reasonable autonomy to implement it. Compare his first term staff with the second and you will see the difference the players make. A few weeks ago Mrs. Reagan accepted the Medal of Freedom that was given to her and her husband. It was a Republican President that handed out the award, but it was Democratic President William Clinton who signed the legislation for it. It was only the second time in this nation's history that it was awarded to a, "First Couple". The event was yet another tribute paid to one of the finest presidents this country has had. Unfortunately for the former president, on that day he was locked away from enjoying the legacy he left this country with. He is in the hellacious void that is Alzheimer's.
Rating: 
Summary: Working with the Gipper
Review: Michael Deaver served as the White House Chief of Staff during most of the Reagan White House years. During that time, and during the previous decade, he came to know and love the man who served first as California governor and later as U.S. President during the 1980's, Mr. Ronald Reagan. In this book, he talks about his relationship with the former president, including how they first met, how they formed a friendship, and how their bond remained strong through Reagan's presidency and beyond. Deaver first met Ronald Reagan in 1966 when he was about to run for the governorship of California. It was here that Deaver first got to know Reagan from a political standpoint. Before long, however, the friendship grew beyond politics and Deaver and Reagan became friends for life. They didn't always agree on everything, but they were still able to separate the disputes from the fact that they were still friends. Deaver points out that the Reagan he got to know personally was very different from the image that the public was used to. Reagan was popular with the people and was known for his good looks and sense of humor. He was also perceived as very outgoing, but Deaver indicates that this was not really the case at all. Ronald Reagan was actually rather shy and would prefer to talk with only one or two people at a party rather than work the crowd, like a more gregarious type of personality would do. These facts might surprise some readers who always assumed that Ronald Reagan was the life of the party in any social situation. One thing about this book that makes it a little different from other political books is the fact that it keeps a positive attitude from beginning to end. Unlike other politically influenced books that devote a large number of pages to negative criticism and outright bashing of opponents, "A Different Drummer" remains optimistic. There is really nothing negative in this book, so don't read it if you are expecting to hear Deaver lash out at Reagan's many enemies or talk openly about Iran Contra or other scandals. It isn't that type of book at all. Deaver focuses on Ronald Reagan as a person, and he remains upbeat and optimistic throughout. Deaver speaks very affectionately about Ronald Reagan, and this fact will turn some people off right away, particularly those who are liberal in their thinking and cannot handle hearing anything positive about Reagan or any other Republican. I admit that Deaver's words can go a little overboard, and they often overflow with excessive admiration. But before a potential reader writes this book off for political reasons, he or she should reconsider. It's true that the book is written about an important political figure, but it isn't really a political book, in the purest sense. It is really a personal book about one man's relationship with a man he admired to the extreme. I didn't necessarily learn a lot more about Ronald Reagan when I read this book. What I learned instead was the power of friendship. Micheal Deaver has known Reagan for more than 30 years. He has been with the president during his highest achievements (like winning the governor's race and the two election victories for the White House) and during his lowest and most difficult personal crises (like his battle with Alzheimer's disease- a very touching part of the book). And through it all, Deaver has remained a friend. "A Different Drummer" is a nice tribute from Deaver to Reagan, showing how two men can remain loyal and steadfast to the very end. It's not the best book about Ronald Reagan as a whole, since it doesn't cover very much about the president's early life or achievements. But it's a good book about the relationship that formed between these two political allies and how the friendship blossomed and grew over the 30- year period that they worked together. It's full of charm and sincerity, and it makes for a good read regardless of your political affiliation.
Rating:
Summary: Profile of a Patriot
Review: Michael Deaver worked for Ronald Reagan for more than thirty years and got to know him perhaps as well as anyone outside the president's immediate family. According to his own account, he once asked Reagan if the president considered Deaver like a son. To which Reagan replied, "not as a son, maybe more like a brother." This, then, is not an unbiased portrait of President Reagan; nevertheless, it is one which rings true. Written in a comfortable almost conversational and informal style, Deaver tells the story of a man he considers to be a true American patriot. Deaver's thesis may be best understood by quoting briefly from the book concerning Reagan's impact on America. "Americans rightly were beginning to doubt themselves, but a man came along who knew the true score. He knew that better times were ahead because 'after all we're Americans.' The nation cried out, and a guy named Ron answered the call. He resuscitated not only the diminished office of the president, but the national pride that had laid dormant since the early 1960's. Clearly, Reagan was the right man at the right time, and history will bear his name triumphantly." (p. 123) Reagan certainly did dance to the beat of a different drummer in many significant ways. Even if you are one who does not admire his policies, I think you will put the book down having gained a new admiration for the man. For those to whom Reagan is a hero, this is a must read book.
Rating:
Summary: Both comfortable and comforting
Review: No review of this book would be complete without addressing the first point to be made by the author -- a description of what this book is not. It is not an exhaustive biography, an apology for Reagan's policies, or a criticism of his opponents. It is simply an accounting of Mike Deaver's time with Ronald Wilson Reagan. This is a comfortable book, because it is written with an ease and familiarity born of friendship. It is comforting, because it shows that behind the scenes and out of the spotlight, Ronald Reagan was as genuine as he appeared to be. His integrity and conviction was not an act. Deaver could easily have used this book for self-promotion, but he wrote it in the same way he served Reagan -- with wholehearted committment to his friend and boss. Reagan's person and policy has been, and will continue to be studied, criticized, and defended. Biographies and collections of works will tell much of the story. But none of them will offer such a simple glimpse into the public and private nature of the 40th President as does this recounting of memories shared by a loyal friend and advisor.
Rating:
Summary: Making it look easy.
Review: Reagan made it all look so easy -- a simple clarity which unnerved many, but enabled a revolution. Fate smiled when it put Michael Deaver at Reagan's side; they clearly worked as a matched set. And that fit shows here in the story. Deaver has managed to match his old boss again. This time by making the telling of this American Classic look easy! The difference from others' earlier attempts is that unlike those who've tried to talk about being there, he ignores the academic and chattering-class' over-analysis. Like The Gipper, Deaver wisely insists on just sharing a great set of stories. Reading "A Differnt Drummer" is a lot like listening to The Great Communicator himself. Even for a political agnostic, I was swept up by the clarity of Deaver's perspective. He carries you through three decades with insight and soul. If you are a Reagan fan, this is a Must Read. But more important, if you don't much like politics, Reagan, or the '80's, it is a delightful and valuable surprise. It flows. It fills in the gaps. And finally peeking inside the reality -- is fun. EMG
Rating:
Summary: Great Insight
Review: Really enjoyed this thoughtful insight to one or our greatest Presidents. The behind the scenes info. was interesting and the personal side inspiring. Great read (or listen in my case).
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