Speaking My Mind: Selected Speeches [Paperback]

Ronald Reagan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 3, 2004

A collection of speeches chosen and introduced by Ronald Reagan. The speeches date from his days as an actor, to his 8-year term of office. Political, historical and personal speeches are included, on Gorbachev, the U.S airstrike on Libya, and tributes to friends and his wife Nancy.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (August 3, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743271114
• ISBN-13: 978-0743271110
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #736,940 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From the man himself, June 5, 2006

By 

B. Mayberry (Sierra Vista, AZ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Speaking My Mind: Selected Speeches (Paperback)

This is the first book dedicated specifically to Ronald Reagan I've read, and I'm glad it was one Mr. Reagan himself put together. I freely admit I admire Mr. Reagan very much for not only his political principles, but also his wit and his way with words.

Here in "Speaking My Mind" we get to see how Mr. Reagan wants us to remember him. He is truly "The Great Communicator". The speeches he includes show his sense of self-deprecating humor, his ability to good-naturedly rip his opponents to shreds, his compassion, and his unwavering dedication to conservative economic principles, not to mention democracy and individual liberty.

Naturally such an autobiographical work may tend to be one-sided, but Mr. Reagan doesn't shy away from the politically devastating Iran-Contra scandal; He included his address to the American people taking responsibility for the wrongdoings of his administration.

I recommend "Speaking My Mind" to those interested in learning about Ronald Reagan as only the man himself can teach.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Reagan!, August 29, 2008

By 

Ronald E. Robinson "Ron Robinson" (Herndon, Virginia United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Speaking My Mind: Selected Speeches (Paperback)

These were Ronald Reagan's best speeches. He selected them himself, not those a revisionist would impose. They are his most important speeches: his first inaugural when he warned that "Government isn't the solution...government is the problem!" His CPAC speeches including the landmark, March 1981 address. The Evil Empire address and his farewell address from the Oval Office. This is vintage Ronald Reagan.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Reagan Bible, June 7, 2007

By 

Kendal B. Hunter (Provo, UT United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Speaking My Mind: Selected Speeches (Paperback)

Out of all of the Reaganalia in print, this one is the Reagan Bible. If you are curious about what he thought, where he stood, or why every Republican candidate since 2004 has claimed his mantle, then get this book.

All of the beloved speeches--which sometimes feel like motivational sermons, celebrations of the American Spirit--are here:

* "The Speech" aka "A Time For Choosing" This is the speech for Barry Goldwater that launched Reagan's political career.
* Selected radio addresses.
* Both inaugural addresses, plus his farewell address.
* "The Evil Empire" speech.
* The D-Day/Rangers Monument Speeches.
* The Challenger Speech.
* The rededication of the Statue of Liberty.
* The Q and A session at Moscow State University.
* A selection of witty and wise quotes.

This book's strength is that it was selected by the Gipper himself, so this is essentially "Reagan on Reagan," or what he thought was important. In this aspect, "Speaking My Mind" outstrips its only rival Reagan, In His Own Hand: The Writings of Ronald Reagan That Reveal His Revolutionary Vision for America. To be sure, I recommend both books, but the former has an edge over the latter.

In addition to providing the key intellectual cornerstones of his though, I found this book helpful for establishing a Reagan chronology. Lou Cannon's quasi-official biographies Ronald Reagan: A Life in Politics has chapters that revolves around (and therefore emphasizes) Reagan's shortcomings. This book, on the other hand, highlights the high points of his life. Between the two, you get a depth perception that each one lacks. "By proving contraries, the truth is made manifest."

Take this book, then, as the main standard work on both Reagan and Reaganism. In Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan, Edmund Morris passes Reagan off as an enigma. Not so!--he was an open book. Open this book, and see what I mean.