Ronald Reagan: His Life In Pictures [Hardcover]

James Spada (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0312269900 | ISBN-13: 978-0312269906 | Publication Date: January 2001 | Edition: 1st

An extraordinary life story in more than 340 photographs, most never before published.

Ronald Wilson Reagan lived the American Dream-- over and over again. During his long, astonishing life, he has succeeded at everything he attempted. College football letterman. Heroic lifeguard. Sports announcer. Movie star. Television host. Corporate spokesman. Governor. And finally, the greatest dream of all: President of the United States.

Fully two-thirds of the images in this book have never been published before, and they offer us glimpses into the private man as well as the public icon. We see him as a little boy in his mother's Sunday-school class; welcoming home GIs with Bette Davis; helping his daughter prepare for a ballet recital, and celebrating the birth of his namesake with his wife Nancy. In a wonderful assortment of unseen images from his presidential library, we see every aspect of the President, from building a snowman with his grandson on the White House lawn to anguishing over the deaths of Marines in Beirut.

No matter what one's politics, these images, and James Spada's evocative, balanced text, provide new insights into a man whose life embodies the promise of America.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Spada follows up his pictorial bios of Jackie and Marilyn.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Published to coincide with its subject's ninetieth birthday, Spada's black-and-white photo biography of the fortieth president forcibly recalls his enormous popularity when in office. Photogenic as well as handsome, physically robust (hence his longevity, perhaps, despite the ravages of Alzheimer's), radiating the same "talent for happiness" that he attributed to his mother, epitomizing the all-American boy who made good, Reagan charmed even many who loathed his "conservative" politics (most notably, many in the "liberal" media), convincing them that he was "presidential." Spada's selection spans Reagan's life from nine months to 89 years of age, and he looks good, if not always beaming, in every well-reproduced picture. For a man who was extremely controversial in his political career, he never looks more than miffed when angry, and he looks only slightly ill at ease in a picture from a low point in his acting career when he was a stooge for a Vegas comedy act in 1954. Good popular Americana. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (January 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312269900
• ISBN-13: 978-0312269906
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #598,624 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #98 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( R ) > Reagan, Ronald

More About the Author

James Spada is an author, publisher and photographer who has produced two dozen books over the past thirty-five years. He has had three New York Times bestsellers, including his biographies of Grace Kelly and Peter Lawford. He has written both intimate text-only biographies and illustrated coffee-table books.
In September 2010 he will have two new books on the market. His first work of fiction, "Days When My Heart Was Volcanic," is a historical novel about six months in the life of Edgar Allan Poe. His third collection of male nude images, "Eye Candy," comprises over seventy photographs.

Jim lives in Boston with his husband and two cats.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like Looking at President Reagan's Family Album of Photos, January 2, 2001

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Ronald Reagan: His Life In Pictures (Hardcover)

Mr. Spada has created a wonderfully appealing and enjoyable look at President Reagan's life through over 340 black and white photographs. Of these images, two-thirds have never been published before. The best part of the book, though, comes in the detailed captions that tell the story of what was happening in President Reagan's life at the moment in time.

The book is organized around key themes in President Reagan's life as these part titles indicate:

Part one -- Heartland Hero

Part two -- "The Errol Flynn of the B Pictures"

Part three -- TV Host, Citizen Politician

Part four -- California Governor, Presidential Candidate

Part five -- Mr. President

Part six -- Mr. President, Part Two

Part seven -- Golden State Retiree

If you have a fondness for or a curiosity about President Reagan, you will learn much. Here are a few things that I did not know. His father was an alcoholic shoe salesman who moved around a lot. His mother encouraged him to go to Eureka College because the school discouraged alcohol. President Reagan was very near-sighted as a young man, and did not realize it until he was 13. As a result of his nearsightedness, he was one of the first people to wear contact lenses in the late 1930s (this involved a very primitive procedure that was unpleasant).

In his role as president of the Screen Actors Guild, he became very aware of communist influences and became very conservative as a result. He could talk about nothing else. One of the reasons that his first wife gave for their divorce was that he would not stop talking about politics and they disagreed on the subject. I also did not know that Mrs. Nancy Reagan had been a contract actress. She and the president actually co-starred in one movie together. While President Reagan worked as a spokesman for General Electric, he made 15 speeches a day. It was this experience that allowed him to realize that he would like campaigning for political office.

One of the charms of the book is that it contains just the sort of photographs that you probably have from your own life, such as class pictures, team pictures, and wedding pictures. Naturally, you also get scenes from the Academy Awards, the White House, and swearing-in ceremonies.

The high and low points are well represented. They will give you a better flavor of and appreciation for this fine man's character and that of his devoted wife.

This is a great book to share with a young person, to help that person realize that much of your life is what you make of it. I hope that you will do such sharing.

Always look on the bright side!

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like Family Album!, February 15, 2001

By 

ZAZA SIAMASHVILI "Reaganesque Republican" (Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ronald Reagan: His Life In Pictures (Hardcover)

I got this book on my birthday, which is on February 7, one day later that of Ronald Reagan himself. I am amazed how James Spada got all those pictures in this one volume book. I am amazed at his comments. You got the feeling that he was next to him. President's assassination attempt and his Golden State retirements pictures are also here. BUT BE ADVISED: Unlike other books, this are BLACK AND WHITE pictures. If you are looking for the color pictures, go and buy 'REMEMBERING REAGAN' and 'UNGUARDED MOMENTS.'You will be able to compensate the color phenomenon. I would like to see another book like this one but only in color pictures. All in all, the book is great and the author should be recognized for his efforts. I hope he will start another project and we shall see the color one. You won't be upset as you will see wonderful pictures of President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Delightful!, February 10, 2001

By 

Bonita J. Wolgemuth (Schaefferstown, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ronald Reagan: His Life In Pictures (Hardcover)

What a refreshing look at our country's most admired President. After enduring the past 8 years of efforts by the former administration to demoralize family values, I am rejuvenated to see the wonderful photos and read the narratives. There is once again optimism that the Bush family will be the ones who will bring honor and pride to our White House and First Family. The book is a perfect collection of photos showing the geniuine love and respect for families and marriage, as exists with the Reagans. We have been fortunate enough to see Pres. Reagan during campaigns and in Washington, and want our grandchildren to learn more about this wonderful man. I purchased a copy for our grandson, and after receiving it-looked through it, and quickly ordered another copy for our own home.