Ronald Reagan : Biography [Hardcover]

A&E Television Network (Author)

Book Description

Series: Biography (a & E) | Publication Date: November 18, 1997

At a time when America's confidence was at a low ebb, Ronald Reagan made his grand entrance into the nation's political spotlight and sought to fulfill what he saw as his mandate: to inspire the nation with his personal, undying optimism. This revealing biography traces Reagan's life from his childhood in Illinois through his career as an actor and onto the biggest role of his life--president of the United States.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Random House, Inc.; 1st edition (November 18, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517200783
• ISBN-13: 978-0517200780
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,355,855 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kenneth T. Walsh is a prize-winning journalist who has covered the White House since 1986, including the presidencies of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.

Walsh has won the most prestigious awards for White House coverage and is former president of the White House Correspondents' Association. He is Hurst professorial adjunct lecturer in communication at American University in Washington, D.C. and appears frequently on television and radio. He also is a popular speaker who gives talks around the country and on cruise ships. Walsh has written five books.

A native of New York City who spent nearly a decade as a reporter and editor in Denver, Walsh is married to Barclay Walsh and they live in Bethesda, Maryland. They have two children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A good read for liberals, September 7, 2005

By 

Marvin D. Pipher (Houston, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ronald Reagan : Biography (Hardcover)

I bought this book primarily because of my respect for A&E, its unbiased reporting, and the high quality of its programming. Sadly, the book failed to live up to my expectations or to A&E's high standards. My impression is that the author was an outsider during Reagan's political lifetime who views events through a prism of liberal bias and, therefore, simply can't understand or accept them. "How," he might ask, "could such an ignorant man accomplish so much?" My main gripe with the book, however, lies with the constant use of prejudicial terms seemingly intended to disparage Reagan or slant the discussion. I must admit, though, that this book for the most part truly represents the liberal view of Ronald Reagan during his time as president. Therefore, if you dislike Ronald Reagan and feel that he was simply an uninformed actor who had to be told what to say and do, and that everything achieved during his administration either happened by chance or would have happened even if he had not been president, then this is the book for you.

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not a bad book, but not what it seems, May 4, 2000

By 

Loren Rajender - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ronald Reagan : Biography (Hardcover)

About three quarters of the way through this book, I was ready to throw it out the window. I am biased on the issue of Ronald Reagan, I am a huge fan of his. I wasn't angry just because the book was mostly in criticism of Reagan, but I didn't like that it showed more bad than good, and I think that that is unfair. However, after reading through the whole book (an encouraged practice before making a judgement, and writing a review), I found that, while I believe that Kenneth Walsh is anti-Reagan, he did an okay job of portraying the good side of Reagan as well, but by no means sufficient. I don't think that this book is what it says it is: an unbiased portrait of the Reagan legacy; but rather, a censure in disguise.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Short and to the point. Great read!, May 28, 1999

By 

Michael W. Travis (Mascoutah, Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ronald Reagan : Biography (Hardcover)

Mr. Walsh presents the information well and tells both sides (good and bad) about one of the most influencial presidents of this century. I read this book within hours and learned a tremendous amount of information.