Rating: 
Summary: Solid and unbiased
Review: The first thing to say is that this book is not a biography. Almost nothing of Reagan's life prior to 1980 is discussed, and the assassination attempt and the cancer surgery are barely mentioned. This is, instead, an account of the Reagan presidency: how the decisions were made and how policy was executed. Reagan is a difficult man to write a balanced book about, but Cannon has succeeded. He examines Reagan's style, his strengths and weaknesses, his successes and failures, without assuming that Reagan was either a hero or a scoundrel. Cannon's explanations are invariably thoughtful, intelligent, and well researched. My only criticism is that the book seems to focus excessively heavily on just a couple of cases: namely the bombing of the Marines in Lebanon and the Iran-contra affair. Many equally important events get much less attention. Despite that, the book is probably the best account of the Reagan presidency which we have, and I would have given it 4 1/2 stars if Amazon allowed that.
Rating:
Summary: Inside Ronald Reagan and his White House
Review: The quest to understand the presidency of Ronald Reagan is one best undertaken by someone without a stake in the outcome. This is true of most political figures and it is true of Reagan as well. In general, I dislike books written by sycophants and I can't stand attack books written by partisan political opponents. It is for this reason that Lou Cannon's dense history of the Reagan White House is such a pleasure. Originally written in 1990, the book was revised in 2000. This is good because the ensuing decade lends some historical perspective to Reagan's years in Washington. In 1990, Gorbachev was still running the Soviet Union, nobody knew who Bill Clinton was and the economic expansion of the 90's was well in the future. Cannon, a veteran journalist spent years covering Reagan and is clearly fascinated by him. The book is not a biography of Reagan. His years prior to 1980 are only briefly touched on. It is a history of Reagan's presidency. As such Canon provides detailed portraits, not just of Reagan but of most of the important players such as James Baker, Mike Deaver, Edwin Meese, Donald Regan, William Casey, Casper Weinberger, George Schultz and others. Reagan is shown to have been neither the detached idiot savant that his detractors like to portray nor the shrewd movement conservative that his loving fans on the political right recall. Reagan was above all a simple man with a good deal of common sense who believed in a few core principals. One of those principals and the key to his presidency was his relentless optimism. At a time when the United States seemed to be running out of gas, when the communism appeared to be here to stay, when Americans were losing hope in their future, Reagan never wavered in his belief that the future was bright and that the Soviet Union was doomed. This "vision" was Reagan's greatest attribute and the reason why he was adored by so much of America in spite of all his other flaws. Cannon of course documents Reagan's shortcomings, which were considerable. Reagan was unable to even comprehend many of the intricacies of public policy and was thus dependent to a huge extent on his advisors and subordinates. Yet he was curiously unable to effectively manage his cabinet and White House staff. When policy advisors disagreed, Reagan often proved unable to reconcile the differences. And yet raw intelligence or book smarts are not the key to a successful presidency as Jimmy Carter learned. Reagan's dream of a better future, his instinctive fear and hatred of nuclear weapons, his relentless belief in the economic strength of American industry helped drive an administration that tried to put his vision into action as policy. The scandals are covered as well, in particular the Iran-Contra affair and, as Cannon demonstrates, these scandals were an inevitable outcome of Reagan's remarkably detached management style as subordinates were allowed to run amok. In the final chapter, Cannon concludes that Reagan "may not have been a great president but he was a great American." I agree with this assessment. The ability to manage staff is a key and vital part of being president. Reagan was not the only one to have trouble in this regard. But a key component to greatness is the imagination and vision to see a different and better future. This a trait shared by such diverse figures as Lincoln, both Roosevelts and Churchill. It is sorely lacking in most of our so-called leaders today of both parties. For anyone interested in understanding Ronald Reagan and his eight years in Washington, this book is the standard.
Rating: 
Summary: Memories of Reagan
Review: THE REAGAN THEORY Why do I think Ronald Reagan was the greatest President of the 20th Century, on par with George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt? Aside from his good character, his economic triumphs and patriotism, it comes down to a theory that I came up with after hearing Margaret Thatcher say he won the Cold War "without firing a shot." First, it entails an analysis of World War II, in which some 50 to 60 million people died, yet the world says it was worth it to defeat Hitler and Japan. This leads to my theory, which is based on the unfought World War III. Say this struggle was fought between freedom, led by the U.S., and Communism, led by the U.S.S.R., between 1983 and 1989. Say that during this period, 50 to 60 million people died, and the world was caught up in an Apocalypse just as terrible as the one fought in the 1940s. Say that, through better technology, leadership, military doctrine, and with the help of God, the U.S. wins World War III. Say further that the political fallout of the war is exactly and precisecly that with which actually happened in 1989-91. I say that had it happened this way, the world would again say it was worth it, to defeat Communism. Reagan did it without firing a shot, and this is why I love him so much. Furthermore, in an ironic twist, Bill Clinton owes much of his success to Reagan. The Republicans were victims of their own success in 1992. Having defeated Communism, the Military Industrial Complex came to a standstill, causing the brief economic downturn that cost George Bush his re-election. This in turn led to the Cold War dividend in which all those smart defense techies fueled the Internet revolution. Clinton, presiding over a world made peaceful by Reagan-Bush policies, his feet held to the fire by a Republican Congress bent on maintaining Reagan's economic principles, takes credit (and some of it rightly so) for a period of huge expansion of the economy.
Rating:
Summary: Great Inside Look at Reagan White House
Review: This book really focuses on Reagan and his relationships with those who were in his inner circle. Mr Cannon seemed to be very objective in his writing and it is obvious that he had close relationships with most of the key players. The amount of detail concerning major events, i.e. Iran Contra, Iceland Meeting, was really amazing although in the case of Iran Contra somewhat tedious. If you are a Reagan fan, you may find Cannon's portrait of a distant, detached president disturbing, as I did. I did enjoy this book very much and felt that I gained some insight to the players of this fascinating presidency.
Rating:
Summary: The Real Reagan - Both Good And Bad
Review: This is an excellent book although as one reviewer noted, Reagan is not given proper credit for ending the Cold War. But whether you like or hate Reagan, you will enjoy this book. It gives a concise and excellent account of Iran-Contra. This book is worth it for no other reason than those two chapters. You find out how devious Reagan's subordinates were and the fact that he tolerated an environment that enabled I-C to happen. But Reagan shines in many places, too. He shines when firing the striking PATCO workers in 1981 as well as when he got Prime Minister Begin to stop bombing Beirut in 1982. There are a few mis-steps that prevent me from giving it five stars, however. First, Reagan's illnesses are only mentioned in passing - with the exception of his cancer surgery that marked the beginning of Iran-Contra. Nothing is said about Nancy's breast cancer and very little about the strained relationship between Ronnie and his kids. Part of the reason for this is because the author, Lou Cannon, wrote two other books about Reagan before this one. This one deals primarily with Reagan as President. The first two dealt with his time as governor and his election in 1980. All in all, it is a good read, just a little short of the five star mark. Read both this book and "Reagan," also by Cannon, and you get a greater understanding of what made Reagan tick.
Rating:
Summary: Masterful biography....one of the best I've ever read
Review: Throughout this mammoth presidential biography, I was continually reminded how unbelievably fair and unbiased it was. I suppose such things should be a given, but too often the politics of the writer interfere with what should be a detached historical assessment. Cannon, more than any non-fiction writer on the scene (also see his "Official Negligence" for a similar lack of ideological grandstanding), respects the reader, knowing that credible (and exhaustive) sources, extensive, multi-facteted research, and a balance of criticism and praise brings the past alive far more than sanctimonious revisionism. As for the Reagan portrayed in Cannon's work, he is as most of America knew him to be: charming, devoid of vanity, genuinely friendly, stubbornly committed, and yes, unmistakably deficient in the realm of day-to-day politics. Moreover, Reagan himself understood his limitations, approaching the presidency as he would a film role, or as the CEO of a corporation. Because Reagan was not equipped intellectually to handle complex policy discussions and position proposals, he advocated (more so than any president this century) a "cabinet government," whereby all major decisions were delegated to who were presumed to be trusted advisors. To his near downfall, Reagan trusted too much and his reluctance (and inability) to tackle matters of high importance in his administration directly led to scandals, abuse of the public trust, and violations of stated goals. Reagan's achievements are given their due, but also the proper perspective, for Cannon is not seeking to deify his subject. Reagan was instrumental in the thaw of U.S.-Soviet relations, but he also missed many opportunities and often held too strongly to ideological positions that often contradicted the facts or what might have been a more pragmatic approach. And, lest we forget, the alleged opponent of big government failed to submit a balanced budget in his eight years in office and could not bring himself to cut valued programs of the New Deal legacy (due in part to a sentimental attachment to FDR). In many ways, Reagan was a complicated man, although his philosophies were anything but, which of course added to his lasting appeal with conservatives. Never a mystery and always up front with his intentions, Reagan was an attractive figure for a party in need of strong, dedicated leadership. However, Reagan was flawed in that he was unable to deal with direct confrontation, rapid change, and facts which came in opposition to his "inner script." In all, Cannon presents a fascinating figure; one worth remembering, but always with a realistic tinge. He gave us our pride, but it came (and continues to come) at a heavy cost.
Rating: 
Summary: "Morning again in America"
Review: Two years ago, as part of my efforts at continuing self-education, I set myself a goal: to read a biography of every President of the United States. The latest addition to the list of Presidential biographies I've read is "President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime," by Lou Cannon. Here is an interesting and often controversial look at the man who became the 40th President of the United States. "President Reagan" is not a biography in the traditional sense. Instead of covering the life and times of Ronald Reagan, giving an account of his early life, his first career as a movie star, and his political rise to the top, Lou cannon concentrates on the years 1980-1988 - those years when Reagan served as our Nation's Chief Executive. Cannon, a reporter for the "Washington Post" for over 30 years, covered Ronald Reagan since the 1970's, when Reagan was governor of California. Cannon was well acquainted with Reagan and his closest advisors, having forged a friendship with all of them. Cannon had unparalleled access to how Ronald Reagan and his team worked, both in Sacramento and in Washington, DC. As a result, he was well positioned to write a book like "President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime." When I bought this book, I expected a long an detailed account of Reagan's two terms as President. I hoped the book would be filled with entertaining anecdotes of what the Reagan White House was like, and with an analysis of the impact of the Reagan presidency on history. I got what I expected, but not in the "way" I expected. And therein lies my problem with "President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime." Cannon paints an abysmal picture of Ronald Reagan as President. The entire book is founded upon the premise that Reagan was emotionally and intellectually unprepared to assume the nation's highest office. By the time he assumed office, the septuagenarian Reagan is totally disinterested in the day-to-day affairs of running the country. He permits Cabinet members with rival agendas to battle it out, and does nothing to resolve internal political conflicts. Briefings from his advisors are largely ignored; Reagan actually falls asleep in many meetings! When briefing others, reads from a carefully prepared script, written by advisors on index cards. When asked to deviate from set-piece situation, Reagan flounders. All of these problems eventually lead to conflict and confusion in government policy, especially in the are of foreign affairs. Cannon gives a number of concrete examples of how government policy was hampered by Reagan's management style. Because he delegated authority to his inner circle of advisors completely, his top advisors - Cabinet members all - acted almost like independent agents within their purviews of power. Results were often disastrous. Budgets spiraled out of control. Arms flowed into Nicaragua. U.S. Marines were killed in Lebanon; and American policy toward terrorism in the Middle East, despite being stated unequivocally as "We will never negotiate with terrorists," was inconsistent. Reagan constantly shows his lack of a grasp on public affairs in public. Reporters ask questions; Reagan stumbles, stutters, and frequently gives answers that are factually wrong. When I finished "President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime," I had decidedly mixed feelings. It is a very well written book. Cannon's text is sharp, lively, and interesting. It's also easy to understand, containing none of the "stuffiness" that accompanies many political biographies. It is also very well researched. My problem with the book stems from having my preconceived notions of Ronald Reagan shattered so bluntly. Now that I've finished reading "President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime," I am pondering: given his popularity and the manifold successes achieved by his administration... was Ronald Reagan really "that" bad a President? Although I was never a huge fan of Reagan, I tend to think he was actually a pretty good Chief Executive. It's difficult for me to imagine that he lacked even the most rudimentary political and management skills necessary for a successful presidency. Perhaps the answer to why Reagan was the way he was portrayed in this book lies not with his indifference toward policy making, or managing the executive branch of government. Perhaps the answer lies in the tragic situation in which Ronald Reagan now exists. Perhaps, unknown to him, his wife and children, his advisors, and the public at large, Reagan was already suffering from the degenerative disease that has now completely robbed him of his memory. What a pity Lou Cannon didn't explore this possibility. MY VERDICT: a good, solid, readable book that will please some and dismay others. On balance, a fair assessment of Ronald Reagan... well worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: If you read one book on Reagan . . .
Review: Vilified by the left and deified by the right, it sometimes seems like Reagan can't get a chance at being remembered for being a human being. Decade-long Reagan follower Lou Cannon's nearly 1000 page study of Reagan and his presidency, so far, has proven the first and also the best definitive book on the Reagan Administration.
Cannon and Reagan weren't friends, but he did cover him in the news since the Gipper's days as California governor. But even though Cannon ocasionally offers a helpful anecdote, or expresses sympathies with Reagan, the book is based entirely on his years of reporting and interviews with members of the administration. The interactions between Haig, Schultz, Weinberg, Mike Deaver, Stockman, Ed Meese, etc. form the backbone of the narrative. Seeing as how Reagan's paradoxical ability to envision the larger historical picture and his desire to have as little to do with administrative activities as possible, the real players often seem to be the many secretaries and bureaocrats around Reagan.
Not necessarily so, Cannon explains, but a fairly accurate simplification. In addition to Reagan's handeling, mishandeling, and unhandeling of the new economic reform package, the AIDS issue, Iran-Contra, Cannon explores what he and others have learned about Reagan in their years of working with him. Cannon weaves summaries and examples of Reagan's past throughout the entire book, bringing up personality traits or past experiences when they become relevant to the central story of the Reagan White House. The former President--a seemingly enigmatic figure, as Cannon admits--comes off as you'd expect; a dedicated, honest, visionary, perpetually friendly, distant, and intelligent but not in the traditional way presidents usually are.
Anti-Reaganites will point out that Cannon doesn't spend enough time on Reagan's supposed heartlessness towards the homeless and environment. The pro-Reagan crowd will be dismayed that Cannon could even suggest Reagan wasn't the perfect messianic presence he's been mythologized to be. Maybe it's a sign that this is, after all, an informed, even-handed book that should please most people looking for an overall picture of the Reagan Presidency.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Look At A Legendary Leader
Review: Whether you agreed with Ronald Reagan's policies or not, almost no one will deny that he was born to lead, and always made the country feel special and important. The outpouring of appreciation for the president shown by the country after his death (despite the best efforts of the New York Times) proved once and for all that the message and legacy of Ronald Reagan had a profound impact on this nation's persona. No one outside Nancy understands Ronald Reagan better than Lou Cannon, and this work should be commended.
Rating:
Summary: Good read for someone a Reagan background
Review: While the title of this book suggests that this book is about Ronald Reagan while he was serving as President of the United States, this book is really about the Reagan Administration, an administration that Reagan himself participated surprisingly little in. The author, Lou Cannon, comes from an interesting perspective--a reporter who covered the Reagan White House. However, this book is not just a summary of the events covered by Cannon (resembling a memoir), but rather Cannon uses his personal and professional experiences as a springboard from which he throroughly researched the events of the Reagan Presidency. Where Cannon's work shines brightest is in his treatment of foreign policy--he clearly conveys the delicacy of foreign relations, the role of the individual in policy decisions, and how foreign affairs is always in a state of flux. However, where this book does not shine as brightly is the sections dealing with domestic policy. Because Reagan relied so heavily on his staff, one has trouble keeping names, titles and relationships straight. Furthermore, Cannon doesn't have the same logical continuity that he displays during the foreign policy sections. There were other aspects of this book that I didn't enjoy. One aspect being the length of the chapters. Now, while this is clearly an idiosyncratic preference of this reader, seventy page chapters could and should be broken down into smaller chapters. Furthermore, the author uses footnotes extensively. I would estimate that two-thirds of the pages have a footnoted anecdote or other piece of narritive. While footnoted narritive in general can be helpful sometimes, it seems as if Cannon or his editor simply didn't have the heart to cut information that didn't neatly fit into the general narritive. Finally, I was confused for the first 250 pages or so as Cannon jumps between the running of the Reagan Administration, Reagan's background, anecdotes and statistics to illustrate Reagan's personality (the paragraphs using Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences was superb, by the way), background of the major players of the White House Team and previews of things to come was confusing and frustrating. In all, I would recommend it to people with a particular interest and background in Reagan or his presidency, but not as a biography of Reagan (as its focus is more Reagan's staff than Reagan himself) or as someone's first Reagan book.
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