When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"You read her to thrall in her striking ability to behold great vistas through a pinhole . . . in a language that is always concrete and vital." (The New York Times)

"Noonan possesses an astonishingly deft touch for making the political process come alive." (USA Today)

It is twenty years—a full generation—since Ronald Reagan first walked into the White House and ignited a revolution. From the beginning, he enjoyed the American people's affection but now, as he approaches the end of his life, he has received what he deserved even more: their deep respect.

What was the wellspring of his greatness? Peggy Noonan, bestselling author of the classic Reagan-era memoir What I Saw at the Revolution, former speechwriter, and now a columnist and contributing editor for The Wall Street Journal, argues that the secret of Reagan's success was no secret at all. It was his character—his courage, his kindness, his persistence, his honesty, and his almost heroic patience in the face of setbacks—that was the most important element of his success.

The one thing a man must bring into the White House with him if he is to succeed, Noonan contends, is a character that people come to recognize as high, sturdy, and reliable.

Noonan, renowned for her special insight into Ronald Reagan's history and personality, brings her own reflections on Reagan to bear in When Character Was King and discloses never-before-told stories from the former president's family, friends, and White House colleagues to reveal the true nature of a man even his opponents now view as a maker of big history.

Marked by incisive wit and elegant prose, When Character Was King will enlighten and move readers.

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From the bestselling author of What I Saw at the Revolution comes an elegiac tribute to one of America's most beloved leaders.

It is twenty years?a full generation?since Ronald Reagan first walked into the White House and ignited a revolution. From the beginning, he enjoyed the American people's affection but now, as he approaches the end of his life, he has received what he deserved even more: their deep respect.

What was the wellspring of his greatness? Peggy Noonan, bestselling author of the classic Reagan-era memoir What I Saw at the Revolution, former speechwriter, and now a columnist and contributing editor for The Wall Street Journal, argues that the secret of Reagan's success was no secret at all. It was his character?his courage, his kindness, his persistence, his honesty, and his almost heroic patience in the face of setbacks?that was the most important element of his success.

The one thing a man must bring into the White House with him if he is to succeed, Noonan contends, is a character that people come to recognize as high, sturdy, and reliable.

Noonan, renowned for her special insight into Ronald Reagan's history and personality, brings her own reflections to Reagan to bear in When Character Was King and discloses never-before-told stories from the former president's family, friends, and White House colleagues to reveal the true nature of a man even his opponents now view as a maker of big history.

Marked by incisive wit and elegant prose, When Character Was King will enlighten and move listeners. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 338 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult; First Edition edition (November 12, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670882356
• ISBN-13: 978-0670882359
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (172 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #257,857 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Give The Book A Chance, November 28, 2001

By	taking a rest - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

If the Reagan Presidency is one that you have strong negative feelings about, this book is not for you. If you feel unconditional admiration for the man and his time in office, again this particular book is not for you. In my opinion the book is more favorable to the man than negative, however the author devotes a substantial portion of the book to comments from those who opposed President Reagan while in office. Author Peggy Noonan is clearly an admirer of her subject, although this was not always the case as she herself had written and published comments that are normal for politics but would make the average person feel anger at the very least.

This is only my thought, however I think that presenting a book that was a condemnation of the man and his service to the country would be a questionable decision at present. President Reagan in October became the longest living President in the nation's history, and with that age he has become one of the millions who suffer from Alzheimer's. There is also public opinion, which was expressed via a Gallup Poll commissioned by CNN during the spring of 2001. Polls are not perfect, but this one showed that together with Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, President Regan is one of, if not the most, admired of all Presidents.

Ms. Noonan has access to many of the Reagan Family and she clearly has their trust. This includes the former First Lady who is well known to be what many would feel is hyper protective of her husband. After I completed this book I felt that the degree to which she was concerned was very understandable. The relationship between this couple has been documented elsewhere and it clearly is a special one.

This book covers much familiar ground for those who have read President Reagan's Autobiography, so the first half of the book is review for those who have passed those parts before. There are two elements of the book that were of great interest, one added a great deal of information to the attempt upon his life, and the other section was devoted to recollections of many who served during his Presidency albeit from the opposing party. Iran-Contra is also covered in detail and in no way apologizes for what President Reagan allowed either directly or tacitly. Ms. Noonan places the blame on President Reagan. Her coverage of the issue is done in detail and dispassionately. This is a man she clearly admires and was disappointed and angry when the controversy came to light. Her insights into his views on what happened and why are interesting as well.

She adds to her words those of other familiar figures like Tip O'Neal, Dan Rastinkowski, and others. Some of these people clearly did not agree with Reagan on the methods to achieve a variety of goals, however amongst any criticism, it is clear they respected him as a man and a President with integrity. She also puts to rest claims made by detractors that may gain notice but are based on the imagination of those that spread the stories. One of the more notable stories surrounded the accusation he lied about being present when concentration camps were liberated. This and other falsehoods are remedied.

President Reagan makes a great target for actions that seem corny to many. Twenty years have passed and history is remembering the President with great affection. If it's to be branded as corny a President who would not remove his suit coat or blazer in The Oval Office out of respect for what that room represents, I'll take such a President.

Just over a generation has passed since he first took office as president, and history appears to be remembering, as he was, a flawed but remarkable president.

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Title Could Not Be Truer., January 22, 2008

By	Steve Guardala "Support The ASPCA. Ignore All... (?????) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan (Paperback)

Miss Noonan writes in a clear style about a subject that is clearly personal to her. This book goes into the mans core of what he believed & why. That is no small feat since President Reagan was an intensely private man. His character grew out of his own experiences & observations.

The book starts with his humble origins, the problems his family faced moving from town to town because, his dad was an alcoholic. From there she takes the reader through his College years where he developed the habit of staying in shape, & then into his radio & acting days. Not surprisingly, after a time doing films for the military during WW2 he found his promising acting career had gone adrift.

However, it was during this uncertain time that his interest in politics began. While President of the Screen Actors Guild, he learned how to negotiate with the tough studio heads, & saw some of his peers lured to Communism. Their secretive & subversive methods gave Mr.Reagan plenty of reason to pause. He spoke out, making numerous enemies in the process. Soon we go into his moving from films to television, which would lead him into Politics. This was when his core beliefs of less government, lower taxes, & his crusade against the spread of "world communism' came together. Once during a speech for Barry Goldwater he spoke of a "rendezvous with destiny" for those who would fight for our freedom: he asserted that the most important words in the Constitution are the ones that begin it: "WE THE PEOPLE..." It is soon clear that he felt strongly about states rights. He stated: "The Constitution they{the founding fathers} wrote established sovereign states, not mere administrative districts for the federal government. They believed in keeping government as close as possible to the people..."

Miss Noonan then goes somewhat into his time in office, first as governor of California & then President. But, he was more than a politician. She delves into his self-deprecating humor{the "I forgot to duck, honey." reply he gave wife Nancy after he was shot by Hinckley} & the affection & high regard he had for the Secret Service agents who guarded him. All in all a very pleasant & informative read.

47 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Story Behind Ronald Reagan, January 7, 2002

By	Norman Thomas Remick, author (Warren Grove, New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews

What is the real reason Peggy Noonan wrote this book? I pondered and pondered that question until I came upon one of the reviews on Amazon.com. I agree with "West Point" author Norman Thomas Remick's November 27, 2001 review of "When Character Was King" (I've now read both books) that said, as his book used West Point as a paradigm for teaching the philosophy of character and leadership, the real story behind "When Character Was King" is how Peggy Noonan pours out Ronald Reagan's life as a beautiful tutorial for teaching character and leadership, anecdotally. She uses many wonderful, and heretofore, little-known stories. I recommend reading both books. Many may believe Peggy Noonan's book is merely written to assure a positive spin on Reagan's legacy. Perhaps a positive spin is inevitable, if one is to be completely objective. Although Reagan is not perfect, and he himself had cautioned against casting the first stone, his contributions to our civilization are so profound, he is worth studying as a character role model for the sons and daughters of America. And remember this, Mr. and Mrs. America. The road to the sons and daughters of America goes through YOU. You really must read this book. Then give it to your kids.