From New York Times bestselling biographer Bob Spitz, a full and rich biography of an epic American life, capturing what made Ronald Reagan both so beloved and so transformational.
Bob Spitz is a journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Life. In his career as a music-business figure, he has represented the careers of everyone from the Partridge Family to Bruce Springsteen and Elton John. He is the author of seven books, including The Beatles, his definitive bestselling biography of the phenomenal supergroup; Barefoot in Babylon, the eye-opening documentary of the Woodstock Music Festival; and Dearie, his bestselling biography of Julia Child.
Named one of the Top 10 Books of 2018 by Publishers Weekly
Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Biography "A
significant contribution to the Reagan literature." --The National
Review "This comprehensive examination of America's 40th president
represents presidential biography at its best. Noted biographer Bob
Spitz (previous subjects have included The Beatles and Julia Child)
researches like a historian, writes like a novelist, does the hard
work of providing ample and intelligent context, and remains able
to take an evenhanded approach to his subject." --Christian Science
Monitor, 10 Best Books of October "Publication of Bob Spitz's
massive biography of Ronald Reagan couldn't have been more timely .
. . a significant marker against which to measure our current
politics and political leadership." --LA Times "Reagan: An American
Journey is a handsome, handy introduction to the 20th century's
last hero." --Wall Street Journal "Bob Spitz, whose previous
biographical subjects include Bob Dylan, Julia Child and The
Beatles, has written a solid, sweeping narration of Reagan's life,
sympathetic but not sycophantic." --USA Today "No biographer has
dug as deeply or with such verve into the making of Reagan the star
. . . Energetic and engaging." --Washington Post "This is a book
admirers and critics of Reagan will enjoy. The roots of the
conservative movement that gave life to both the party and Trumpism
can be found here, and on an even broader level Reagan's life story
is a story of America, and all its promise." --Dallas Morning News
"A balanced, comprehensive view of Reagan and his legacy . . .
Spitz manages to evoke Reagan's heyday in the 1980s with compelling
clarity--and to suggest how The Gipper's legacy continues to shape
21st-century politics. . . . one marvels at the telling details
that Spitz manages to get in." --Christian Science Monitor "If you
find yourself longing for the golden age of the Republican Party,
brush up on the humble story and folksy charm of our previous
celebrity president, whose legacy -- for better and worse -- still
animates politics today." --Vulture "Bob Spitz's nearly 800-page
book paints a spectacular, sometimes-thorny portrait of President
Ronald Reagan, the man who is credited with ending the Cold War
(and appointing the first woman to the Supreme Court, Sandra Day
O'Connor) while, as Spitz writes, struggling to show empathy for
victims of AIDS and Americans with great financial burdens."
--oprahmag.com "Readers of all political stripes will find much to
enjoy in this evenhanded intelligently written biography of our
40th President." --People "This captivating and evenhanded
biography of America's first celebrity president, Ronald Reagan,
reads like a novel but doesn't skimp on the scholarship. . . .
Impressive research, including numerous interviews with a wide
array of Reagan cohorts, from 1930s movie star Olivia de Havilland
to national security adviser Robert 'Bud' McFarlane, undergirds the
exceptional writing. Spitz synthesizes other scholars' analyses,
the firsthand memoirs of key players, original press coverage, and
archival holdings. Readers need not be Reagan fans or Republicans
to enjoy this outstanding biography." --Publishers Weekly, starred
review "The strictly chronological approach is easy to track, and
because the author is such a skilled stylist, the narrative flows
smoothly. The major strength of this version is Spitz's
consistently diligent effort to provide context beyond just his
main subject . . . Spitz also skillfully portrays numerous
supporting characters, especially Reagan wives Jane Wyman and Nancy
Davis. A solid entry in the realm of presidential biography."
--Kirkus "This is the book so many of us have been waiting for: an
epic life of one of the most significant presidents in the history
of the Republic. In Bob Spitz's graceful and absorbing narrative,
Ronald Reagan emerges in all his complexity and charm, a warm yet
enigmatic man who did so much to shape the way we live now." --Jon
Meacham, #1 New York Times bestselling Presidential historian,
Pulitzer Prize winner, and author of The Soul of America "Bob
Spitz's Reagan is a masterfully written and well-researched
biography of America's 40th President. All the crescendos and
diminuendos of Reagan's vibrant Hollywood and political careers are
judiciously investigated. Truly engrossing and monumental!"
--Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History at Rice University and
editor of The Reagan Diaries
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