From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9-This chronologically organized account provides a good general introduction to Reagan. Although some personal information is presented, most of the focus is on his acting career and the subsequent development of his political career, including his terms as California governor and his election to the presidency. Young covers most of Reagan's administration in a chapter-long overview, and then adds two more detailed chapters about the Iran-Contra affair and the end of the Cold War. The last chapter discusses Reagan's battle with Alzheimer's disease and examines his legacy. The author is generally admiring of Reagan, describing him as a genial man with a unique ability to connect with the American people, but also as a distant and private person who let few people get close to him. Young objectively analyzes his subject's political successes and failures, concluding that his legacy is mixed. Sufficient background material is included and the text is well documented. Average-quality, black-and-white photos appear throughout. This book provides better analysis than George Sullivan's Ronald Reagan (Messner, 1991; o.p.) and Renee Schwartzberg's Ronald Reagan (Chelsea, 1991; o.p.).
Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 6-10. This biography of Ronald Reagan from the Twentieth-Century Leaders series begins by quoting Reagan's comment that an unsuccessful job interview led him to the White House: "If I'd gotten the job I wanted at Montgomery Ward, I suppose I would have never left Illinois." Throughout the book, well-chosen quotes and black-and-white photos help bring the the man to life. After a brief description of Reagan's childhood and an insightful look at his college years, the discussion closely follows his career from radio announcer to actor to California governor to president. The story of Reagan's life as a sportscaster and an actor makes engaging reading, while the narrative of his presidential years provides a succinct explanation of the issues, his actions, and their impact on national and international affairs. Young gives an evenhanded assessment of Reagan's strengths and weaknesses as president. In the end, he calls him "a man of contradictions," projecting warmth, yet remaining aloof. A time line, source notes, a bibliography, and a list of Web sites are appended. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
