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Summary: Get to know the Reagan the left refuses to admit
Review: Ronald Reagan was one of the greatest Presidents this country ever had. He was a kind, compassionate man with a surplus of patriotism and understanding that Big Government means little citizens and that was not the intention of the Founding Fathers. If you want to know about brain surgery, read a book by a brain surgeon. If you want to know about auto repair, read a book by a mechanic. Similarly, if you want to know what it is like inside the circle of the President of the US, you must read a book by his confidant of over 30 years. An excellent read and highly digestible.
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Summary: True Insights Into Reagan
Review: These are the lessons I learned from this book. The rich and famous, particularly movie actors, have a strong tendency to whine about how they are treated or at least complain about their loss of privacy. For most of Reagan's live he was famous and became one of history's most famous. Deaver shows how accepted that as the price you pay for fame. Would it not be a better society if the rich and famous instead of whining started giving back to their fans or to the nation at large more of their just desserts. It would be shameful to want to tax or conscript the rich even more, but it would be nice if they emulated Reagan's life. Even more profound, Deaver explains how Reagan had a strong tendency to take every opportunity to connect with the common man by spending time talking to them individually even though they were surrounded by others of the "rich and famous." Is it any wonder that according to Deaver he could govern by what he knew about the common man and what he knew of himself-not through public opinion polls. Many politicians complain that they don't get paid like other famous people or chief executive officers of large corporations. After reading this book, you may begin to think the nation has been on the right track for more than 200 years. Every so often a great man steps forward and works for the good of the country, it certainly must be easier to be selfless when you are rich. After reading this book, you might even begin to think that the rich are more likely to be selfless when in public office. Some people that seem to dominate the media describe Reagan as a failed actor. How can someone be hired to make more than a 100 movies and be a failure. It appears we are all fortunate that he moved on to politics. Some Presidents have been well read and love to show it off. Reagan was well read and let staff cover old ground and issues as if they were teaching him. Some Presidents like to show off their ability to work long hours day in and day out. Reagan wisely kept himself in condition and rested to be ready to make the best decision on the key issues of the age. When you read about how so much of the nation functions poorly due to lack of sleep the question has to be asked. Do you want a President that works beyond human limits or one that knows human limits. Is someone a scholar that excels at scholarly pursuits late in life or are you forever doomed by your high school and college record. One day people will decide to describe people like Reagan as intellectually powerful no matter what their political persuasion. Even Deaver describes Reagan as distant, after reading this book you realize that he was a big enough man that he could have personal friends and befriend the common man in a personal encounter but saw the wisdom of keeping his naturally advocating staff at some distance. Deaver could have written a down and dirty or at least racy high selling book, instead he tried to capture the essence of a person that played a huge role in history. To capture the touchy feely part of a person in the written or spoken word you have to have the courage to come of as too simple or a person of not great depth. In this book, Deaver took the higher calling. Hopefully, Deaver was fulfilled at the same time doing a service to history. Different than other writers on Reagan who have a need to show how they were smarter than Reagan, Deaver only rarely slips into the ego trip mode.
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Summary: Michael Deavers Reagan
Review: This book followed a sequence of events only logical in Michael Deaver's mind. In my opinion, the book told us entirely to much about Mr. Deaver and his feelings, perceptions, etc. I was looking for something more Reagan. Sorry.
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Summary: A loving tribute to a great man and a great President
Review: This book is a wonderful, tender and moving portrait of Reagan as a person and as a president. Many books have been written about this great President, not a few wondering what he was as a man and what his unique strenghts were that made him what he was. Most of these attempts failed at least partly ( see e.g. Ed Morris official biography). His close friendship and his proximity for more than thirty years allowed Deaver to paint a more comprehensive portrait than anyone else. It is not a long book because according to Deaver ( and Mrs. Reagan in her foreword)President Reagan was not a complicated man. The Reagan appearing from these pages is a man full in alignment with himself, confident in what he is doing, with full trust in his fellowman and with an iron self discipline. Add to that a good dose of humor, a sense for self depreciation and indeed you have the making of a great leader. Deaver portrays this in a tender and loving style, leaving out all academic "critical reasoning" like a good friend and admirer is supposed to do. His many anecdotes gives us insight in what Reagan was about; a private and shy man but with a wonderful feeling of what was going on in the USA in general and with individual people in particular. I like one in particular, where the President had to pitch the first ball somewhere in a pro baseball game and did very well. Only through Deaver we learned he had been practising for seven weeks ( so much for being lazy). Deavers prose is very succinct and unlike many other witness writers, he manages to underscore his own role very much in order not to draw attention away from his subject. In that sense he does himself unjustice when he states that he cannot write as eloquent as Morris; this small volume is much more telling than the 800+ pages of Dutch. In the end we cannot but share Deaver's sadness that in the twilight of his life Reagan cannot enjoy the rewards of "the warmth and love of a thankful nation" and indeed a thankful world. A sad, cruel and undeserved ending.
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Summary: The Best Reagan Book!
Review: This is absolutely the best Ronald Reagan book I've read and very well-written. I could not put it down! Michael Deaver is the most qualified person to write about Ronald Reagan. Deaver was there for almost thirty years!! Deaver's admiration for his boss shines throughout. Filled with very interesting personal stories, it's a story of Deaver's loyalty and respect for Ronald Reagan, not just an ordinary biography. The portrait of Ronald Reagan that emerges is truly inspirational. Also, it's about Michael Deaver, a man of integrity and character, who always put Ronald Reagan first. Nice comments about Nancy Reagan are throughtout the book. Also, it's nice to see someone so close to Reagan speak out against some of the critical comments/biographers that have been printed over the years. I wish this book was even longer, I'd love to still be reading it. I highly recommend "A Different Drummer".
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Summary: The Best
Review: This is by far the best book ever written on Reagan. I am a fan of Reagan, and have read many books on him. Most take a distant, uninterested, or sterile look at him. This book is different. It is written by Mike Deaver, who served as Reagan's "right hand man" for 30 years. It will make you laugh, and bring you to tears. A must for any Reagan Library collection.
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Summary: Best Book on Reagan
Review: This is simply the best book that has been written about how Reagan operated and how he was successful in getting things done. Deaver communicates a deeper personal sense of Reagan than any other book I have read. For any student history interested in how this remarkable man could carry the conservative movement to the White House, defeat the Soviet Empire, restart the American economy and rebuild faith in the American civic culture, this book is must reading. Deaver was with Reagan for thirty years and has thought deeply about his leadership since then. This book captures that analysis in remarkably few pages. Let me just give you a few of the many insights Deaver outlines: "If we Californians had a modicum of smarts, it was that we understood the secret to Reagan's success. He won when people saw him and heard his message. Personal persuasion, not political manipulation, was the secret of Reagan's magic. To Sears, Ronald Reagan was just another political commodity. To us, he was something special, someone we knew the American people would embrace if they got to know him," p.198-99. "It was during his tenure as GE spokesman that he learned it was best always to dine with his listeners. Later in life Richard Nixon would advise Reagan that he should eat his dinner in solitude in his hotel room where he could rehearse one last time and relish the quiet time before facing the gritty masses. This would not only provide the opportunity for singular uninterrupted dining, Nixon advised, but would also afford a triumphant entrance into the ballroom. Reagan respectfully discarded the loner Nixon's counsel, preferring to always take his seat at the head table and dine at the same time as everybody else. He did this not out of any populist impulses but out of a need to be in the same room as his audience so he could make a personal connection before he spoke. " . . . He was always listening and learning." p.54. This is a must read for students of leadership, government, politics and history.
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Summary: Good point of view from a top advisor of President Reagan
Review: This was a great read. It gave me insight to Ronald Reagan's life and presidency. It also portrayed him the way he was in private and gave a behind the scenes look at what President Reagan's was thinking in various situations that this country encountered during his Presidency. It gave me a warm view of Reagan's demeanor. It was given by Michael Deavers, Reagan's personal secretary. This is an excellent book if you are a Reagan fan. If your not then you will still like the book. You can buy it here or what I suggest is that you check it out at your local library. -RB
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Summary: Very Moving Book
Review: This was an incredibly moving book about the relationship between Reagan and Deaver. Reagan was often criticized for his reliance on delegation, but this book shows how Reagan showed masterful judgement in picking the people around him. Deaver was not a "yes man" and Reagan could not have succeeded without his wise counsel. At the same time, Deaver was keenly aware of his role in supporting and contributing to one of the best presidencies in history. Deaver's own story is also moving and instructive. Even men of great integrity can have lapses in judgement. It takes true courage and dignity to address his own issues the way Deaver does in this book. God Bless Michael Deaver and Ronald & Nancy Reagan.
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Summary: An Affectionate Memoir
Review: Those seeking fuel to undermine the Reagan record or support an irrational hatred of Ronald or Nancy Reagan should look elsewhere. Equally, those who seek an inside view of Reagan-era policy making or the techniques of Reagan's media management techniques will be disappointed. This is an entertaining and affectionate portrait by a loyal aide and friend of the Reagan family of the unique opportunity he was given to share much of the 40th President's public and private lives. Revealing anecdotes are admiring, not scandalous, and revelations are largely limited to Deaver's own private life. For those who, as I, admire Reagan, this is an entertaining account which provides much personal detail to the public sketch, but does not detract (or seek to do so) from the Reagan legacy.
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