A Different Drummer: My Thirty Years with Ronald Reagan

Rating:
Summary: The Personal Reagan
Review: "A Different Drummer" doesn't aspire to be the definitive book about the life of Reagan, but it completely succeeds at what it does set out to do, which is to give us a funny, touching account of one man's life with Ronald Reagan. Deaver knew the President better than perhaps any of the others who have written about him with the possible exception of Nancy Reagan. Probably no one has as many revealing anecdotes to share. If you have a mini-collection on Reagan, "A Different Drummer" deserves to share the shelf.

Rating:
Summary: In the wake of Ronnie's death, indispensable
Review: After the massive disappointment of Edmund Morris' "Dutch", I thought I would give up on outside accounts of the Reagan legacy. Mike Deaver's book, however, brought me out of the disappointment of "Dutch" and in this week of mourning, has brought this reader many smiles. Let not the slimness of this volume dissuade you: Deaver, having been close to Reagan from before the Governorship of California, understands his subject in a way that completely eluded Morris' bloated opus and what emerges from these pages is a picture of an introverted extrovert. One sees a complex Reagan - but where "Dutch" seemingly gives up and fails in trying to understand the complexity, "Drummer" seems to draw a picture of a man who simply wanted to share his very personal life with Nancy - and respects him for it.

I also salute Deaver's work for its assessment of Reagan as bringing about the end of the Cold War, for the little-trumpeted Reagan reaction (or lack thereof) to the shooting down of Korean Air flight 007, thereby isolating the Soviets further. Hopefully, history will follow Deaver in marking this as the non-shot that saved the world from a nuclear winter.

I highly recommend buying this book now; it will become _the_ definitive Reagan assessment in the years to come.

Rating:
Summary: Reagan Remembered
Review: I grew up with Ronald Reagan. He was my president. Although I was 11 when he was elected, I consider him to have been the first president that I heard, noticed, watched. The image of a father figure was obviously shared by millions of Americans, and I guess the day when I began looking on him as my president, was when Hinckley fired his .22 caliber. I had arrived home from school and was outside playing basketball with friends. My mother came out and told me, and I remember missing my bedtime that night, up watching the latest news. I prayed for Reagan, I watched him, listened to his radio addresses, wrote to him, pulled for him, admired him.
Deaver's book brings back the reasons we all loved President Reagan. He was different. He did not rely upon polls, he was constant, unflappable, strong. At a time when the vernacular included phrases like "Iron Curtain" and "Arms Race", he comforted and protected us, and single-handedly dismantled the biggest threat we faced. Deaver lets us glimpse what we already knew to be true. His stories, although new and unknown to me, validate why I called Reagan MY president. I was at the National Republican Convention in New Orleans in August 1988 when he gave his farewell speech to the faithful. I was right up front, and as a 19 year old, I remember crying upon realizing that he was leaving public life. This book will remind you, too why we loved him.

Rating:
Summary: Reagan Remembered
Review: I grew up with Ronald Reagan. He was my president. Although I was 11 when he was elected, I consider him to have been the first president that I heard, noticed, watched. The image of a father figure was obviously shared by millions of Americans, and I guess the day when I began looking on him as my president, was when Hinckley fired his .22 caliber. I had arrived home from school and was outside playing basketball with friends. My mother came out and told me, and I remember missing my bedtime that night, up watching the latest news. I prayed for Reagan, I watched him, listened to his radio addresses, wrote to him, pulled for him, admired him.
Deaver's book brings back the reasons we all loved President Reagan. He was different. He did not rely upon polls, he was constant, unflappable, strong. At a time when the vernacular included phrases like "Iron Curtain" and "Arms Race", he comforted and protected us, and single-handedly dismantled the biggest threat we faced. Deaver lets us glimpse what we already knew to be true. His stories, although new and unknown to me, validate why I called Reagan MY president. I was at the National Republican Convention in New Orleans in August 1988 when he gave his farewell speech to the faithful. I was right up front, and as a 19 year old, I remember crying upon realizing that he was leaving public life. This book will remind you, too why we loved him.

Rating:
Summary: Personal glimpses of Ronald Reagan.
Review: I have seen some of the other reviews of this book, and I don't understand why some rate it as a poor read. Deaver offers a personal glimpse of one of our great modern presidents, and his interaction with him. The book does jump around, but it is an easy read, and enjoyable. Unfornately Deaver is not critical enough on Reagan on some points, and the book tends to hero worship. Other than those two points, the book is very enjoyable. As Deaver says of Reagan, what you see is what you get.

I voted and campaigned for Reagan/Bush is both 1980 and 1984. I often wondered what the personal Reagan was really like, and this book at least satisfies some knowledge requirements. Reagan was a complex man in many ways. This book shows him as a simple man who pursued policy regardless of the poll statistics. He was also a softy when it came to common people's requests. This book shows the personal side of a great American President.

Rating:
Summary: A New Take on a Great Man
Review: I picked this book up with some skepticism. I had long since grown tired of books that refused to accept that Ronald Reagan was a human being and was merely looking for an interesting, insightful, yet honest read about the man. Being as close to Reagan as Michael Deaver was, I suspected that this book would be another glossed-over account of reality, but I could not deny that it probably had some interesting stories that would be worth the time it took to read. Upon finishing, I had to admit that Deaver had delivered the book I was looking for.

What I liked about the book is that there is no discussion of policy. There is no index and there is little discussion of legislative events. The book is simply Deaver's reflection on his years with Reagan and it paints a portrait of a man (not some quasi-godlike figure that no one can relate to) who had the courage to dream things so tremendous that he was laughed at from one end of the country to the other. Paying no mind, Reagan set out to achieve his goals and repeatedly amazed critics by with his ability to make tremendously optimistic goals a reality.

I find myself noticing that, while officials in other presidential administrations write memoirs of their personal experiences, Reagan officials seem only to write tributes to Reagan. The conclusion I have come to is that Reagan was able to make people believe: in themselves, in America, and in his ability to lead the country toward some great end. There are very precious few people like that in the history of politics and, when one comes along, those on the inside end up chomping at the bit to get the message out, Reagan wasn't perfect and he made mistakes, but as Deaver points out, his ability to make people believe again made him an extraordinary president. This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in politics who deeply wants to believe again.

Rating:
Summary: Not at all surprised
Review: If you liked Ronald Reagan, this book could cause you to love him. If you didn't like him, this book could change your mind. Well written by a man who possibly knew Reagan better than anyone, second to Nancy.

Rating:
Summary: Very charming book!
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: 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: 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.