Rating: 
Summary: A reminder of what really happened
Review: D'Souza does not hesitate to note flaws in Regan's character or mistakes made during his life, governorship or presidency. Even so, one sees a very different image of Reagan than what is popularized and by now accepted by default, without question, as facts of history. I was astonished at what I assumed to be true only because pundits and the media said so.We are frequently told that Reagan was a doting "pawn" of other more intelligent powers. But D'Souza reminds us of 1976 when Reagan challenged the incumbent president - a bold move within either party. Having lost the first five states his campaign manager unilaterally established a withdrawal meeting with Ford. But Reagan, under tremendous pressure to pull out, even from his wife, refused, stating he would take his ideas all the way to the convention, even if he lost every state. Then he started to win and Ford narrowly escaped. In '82 Reagan was vilified with media prejudice (see Bernard Goldberg's "Bias") as Paul Volker (a Carter appointee) restricted the money supply, while Reagan himself signed the biggest tax cut in history. Keynesian's - advocates of centralized government intervention - shouted for Reagan's head. These actions would produce nothing they said, as tax cuts provided money to spend while shrinking the supply took it away. Who would not have changed course given the economic downturn from already depressed levels? Reagan defied pressure again with defense spending - accepting enormous deficits, as Democrats and Republicans were not willing to exchange their social programs (and associated votes) for his defense promise. Clear about financial and political costs, to Reagan, defeating the Soviets with technological strength vs. weakness was worth the price. Finally, Reagan refused Gorbachev when he tried to trade away Star Wars at Reykjavik - a deal Reagan nearly bought with his strong desire to end the Cold War, eliminating nuclear weapons. Again Reagan took a terrible beating in the media. We find Reagan a simple and practical man. He saw the world in uncomplicated ways that our elite emphatically state the world can no longer be seen in. To Reagan there was good and evil, right and wrong. He focused on larger pictures of his intent with little or no concern for details, infighting, insults, meetings or defections. While Billy Graham pronounced he had caviar everyday in Russia and John Kenneth Galbraith, among so many intellectuals, noted the success and permanence of the USSR, Reagan could not believe it. To him it simply violated common sense to think that the communist system would motivate, inspire and succeed with human nature better than capitalism and democracy. Even the master international diplomat, Richard Nixon, derided Reagan for not accepting the USSR as it was and always would be, writing insultingly about Reagan for years. Actions noted do not match the definition of "pawn". Nor was Reagan simply stubborn. Reaganomics worked, reducing Carter's inflation from 12% to 3%, interest rates from 21% to 9%, leading to the greatest economic expansion since World War Two. (Unable to disconnect the economic rocket from Reagan's guidance, the next tactic, now so worn, was to snivel, "but not all Americans are doing equally well." They were supposed to be?) In ten years of Détente nine nations fell into the Soviet sphere and seventy percent of South America was communist or socialist. By the close of Reagan's administration 90% of South America was democratic and nine other countries fell out of Soviet influence with Berlin's Wall tumbling down under the hammers of freedom. Reagan and Thatcher changed the world into the global economy we see today - with all its problems they are not that of dictators, KGB and nuclear holocaust. As we discover, contrary to fashion, Reagan was focused with a determined conviction. His ideas were no accident or implant. After years of writing, meeting people across America through his position at GE and a life experience showing how hostile big government was (is) to everyday Americans, Reagan sensed the country was ready for his message. Reganomics turned out to be a revolutionary insight, not irresponsible idiocy. Time after time he defied pressure and won the biggest prize since World War Two. The economic impacts of Reagan's defense debt, according to economist Lawrence Lindsey, has been a "fantastic payoff - the best money we ever spent". Apparently, today's vogue position on Reagan is intended to discount him, adopting politically correct propaganda promoted by his opposition. The same opposition he kicked out of university buildings commandeered by force and violence by the hypocrisy laden 60's "peace" generation. The same opposition who rode 20th century orthodoxy, stating that government should regulate, escort and pamper its citizens. Reagan ran against the 20th century and fundamentalist movements born in the 60's. For that they never forgot him, determined to bury his success under the suffocation of revisionist history. Fortunately for some, still open enough to challenge modern dogma, D'Souza has a book to read.
Rating:
Summary: A GREAT BOOK ABOUT A GREAT MAN
Review: Dinesh D'Souza has done an excellent job with this unconventionally formated biography. His basic outline is in three parts: background, domestic accomplishments, and foreign policy accomplishments. Although he details many familiar things you can find in other Reagan biographies there are two things that set this book apart. His opening, which shows how that Reagan suceeded despite the opposition and erroneous projections and statements he received from both liberal elites and conservative elites as well (this book really does effectively embarass Reagan's critics simply by documenting their often incredibly off-the-wall quotes and often snobbish attitude toward Reagan). Secondly he concludes the book by showing where subsequant politicians from Pat Buchanan to Bill Clinton have succeeded when copying Reagan but have failed when parting ways from his core beliefs (i.e. Buchanans embrace of protectionism which contradicted Reagan's free trade beliefs). The whole book is enjoyable and should be required reading for all Reagan followers and his critics as well (though the followers will certainly enjoy it much more).
Rating:
Summary: Reagan I never knew
Review: I was a newborn when Reagan took office, and he was a man my generation has not learned anything substantive about. This Book has opened a whole new world to me. This President I never knew has become an icon to me in how he lived, how he thought, and how he had a goal in mind, and never lost sight of it. I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to learn more about the man, and the issues along with the criticism and rufutations of them in this easy to read expose' of the truth.
Rating:
Summary: Ronald Reagan: Dumb as a Fox!
Review: If you like Ronald Reagan, you will love this book. If you don't care for Ronald Reagan, you just might after reading this book. This is a well researched book about a truly great and extrordinary man who was one of our very best Presidents. This behind the scenes look at Ronald Reagan shows that he molded the world unto himself. He knew what he was doing all along on countless fronts. He, more that any other person, was responsible for the collapse of the Soviet Union with his 'Star Wars' scare tactic. The media never gave Ronald Reagan enough credit for the things that he accomplished. They usually portrayed him as being a little dumb, and Reagan used that to his advantage. Read how and why Reagan was as dumb as a fox!
Rating:
Summary: From a former Mondale/Ferraro campaign worker...
Review: Dinesh D'Souza is a man of integrity and a true scholar. Few writers have ever put as much effort into research as he did with "The End of Racism" and "Illiberal Education". I think it was on that basis that I bought this book, although I held off for quite a while before reading it. What was most surprising, other than the fact that I enjoyed the book, was how objectively it was written. Although it is evident that D'Souza has high regard for Reagan, there is no effort made to omit the parts of his personality and history that are unflattering. D'Souza wants the reader to have a solid, balanced view of the individual who was the real "Man of the Decade". This means presenting, and explaining, the total person. I feel that I really do have a grasp, now, of who Reagan was and why he was such a successful leader.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Enchanting!
Review: After hearing a speech from Mr. D'souza I purchased this book and his tome "The End of Racisim". While I was bogged down in the intellectually and scholarly writing style of "The End of Racisim" this book was a suprising turn to the lighthearted and fun. The narrative stories about Former President Reagan are absolutely wonderful. I'd reccomend this for any history fan and anyone interested in political history!
Rating:
Summary: Peace and prosperity
Review: Thank you, Mr Reagan. You have our eternal gratitude. Thank you, Mr D'Souza, for explaining why.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I would rather say that this is a great book on leadership. Reagan demonstrated his commanding attributes since his time at Dixon. One can infer that you either are born with leadership skills or not, you definitely cannot learn them at school. You end up being a boss with authority to give orders, not a leader that commands respect. Now, many people have this skills but not developed or trained enough to use them, kind of dormant. The beauty of this book is that you can awake your leadership capabilities by learning from the experiences of this great president. Just by looking at the results. The way D'Souza explains how Reagan handled different hard situations in his presidency is superb.
Rating:
Summary: The Non-Reading Book Reviewer Strikes Again!
Review: Having just exposed Matt Cale for apparently reviewing Peggy Noonan's "When Character Was King" without bothering to READ it first, I am a little surprised to catch him at it AGAIN! Though at least this time Matt COULD have read the book before reviewing it (since it was first published in November of 1997), it is pretty clear from his review that he did NOT because he gets NOTHING right. For example I'm sure it will come as a tremendous surprise to Mr. Cale that Dinesh D'Souza condemned Reagan's trading of arms for hostages as "a grave error in judgement" and "the most serious blunder of his presidency" (page 247 of the hardback first edition so Matt STILL won't have to read it). I could give more examples, but I'd be wasting my time and yours. What I DO want to say is that this book is STILL one of the best Reagan biographies available. In exploring the paradox of Ronald Reagan, a (seemingly) ordinary man who became an extraordinary leader, D'Souza did not have access to the treasure trove of handwritten manuscripts that became the basis of "Reagan, In His Own Hand" and so was forced to make his case primarily by pointing out how all the self-appointed experts on the Left AND the Right had consistently underestimated him and his policies and had been incapable in particular of grasping his vision for moving decisively to WIN the Cold War. As D'Sousa puts it, "Not long after this, the wall did come tumbling down, and Reagan's prophecies all came true. The most powerful empire in human history imploded. These were not just results Reagan predicted. He intended the outcome. He advocated policies that were aimed at producing it. He was denounced for those policies. Yet in the end, his objective was achieved. If Reagan was such a fool, what does that make the wise men? What does that make us?"
Rating: 
Summary: Hero Worship
Review: For all of you who believe that the invasion of Grenada was an upstanding and fine use of our fighting men, check out this horribly biased (and deluded) account of the man who made the election of George W. Bush possible. By setting the tone for intellectual mediocrity in the White House, Reagan inspired future dullards and the easily distracted to achieve the nation's highest office. But what of the book itself? To be fair, D'Souza does not pretend that his is an objective historical review or biography. D'Souza genuinely believes that Reagan was the greatest man since Jesus and such worship oozes from every page. Literally everything that Reagan does (right, wrong, misguided, or silly) is twisted and reshaped as pure, unadulterated genius. Lacking brainpower? Simply a deliberate and calculated game, says Dinesh. Unable to distinguish between reality and fantasy? Part of a winning charm that expressed a deep sense of right and wrong, says Dinesh. Dogmatic, inflexible, and perilously rigid? Of course, says Dinesh, but that is why he is so loved in right-wing circles. Of course, one's opinion of Reagan will determine one's enjoyment of this book. No one's mind will be changed and no one will find a cause for re-evaluation. If you believe that his tendency to fall asleep in cabinet meetings reflected a brilliant (and wicked) opposition to bureaucracy rather than the laziness of a tired old man, dig right in. D'Souza will comfort all your fears, reassure you at every turn, and have you nodding your head in agreement: "Yes, Reagan was our greatest man. Period."
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