The Reagan I Knew by William F. Buckley Jr.

The Reagan I Knew Reviews

• 
  Mike (the Paladin)

  I suppose any of you who have read much of what I've said in other reviews will not be surprised to learn that I hold Ronald Reagan in the highest regard. I was raising a family in the 1970s and observed, survived, and worked in the period of Nixon, Ford, and Jimmy Carter. I was in a state that had up to 50% unemployment in some areas during the Carter "malaise". I spent years...that's years, able to get only either part time or temporary jobs. Then I lived through the 80s.
  
  There have been and still are huge attempts to either paint Mr. Reagan as a doddering old man who just happened to be there when the economy boomed and the Soviet Union fell, or to portray his presidency and the entire period of time as something they weren't. It's popular now to use the phrase the "me decade". George Orwell commented on this sort of thing often. He pointed out that "Those who control the past control the future, and those who control the present control the past."
  
  If you'd like to know what went on listen to and read those who were there...but in an argument, try both sides.
  
  I plan that this book will stay on my shelf and I will (if it is within my power) hand it down to my own children. I would hope it gets read. It is not only about a man I respect deeply but was written by another man I respect deeply.
  
  Through personal experience and correspondence WFB tells the story of the Ronald Reagan he knew. There is insight here to both Mr. Reagan and his wife...and not a little to the author. I would think you'll find of interest things said and thought during some of the events that took place then and still effect all of us to this day. Mr. Reagan's Presidency (I believe) pulled the US out of a terrible slide into a hole, a pit (one which the country has now been/is being shoved/ed back into). This is an important book and a good addenda to any other volume on the president.
  
  So, if like me you look up to Mr. Reagan and wish we could find a successor to him, then this book will appeal to you. If on the other hand you're one of those who grind their teeth, fume, and feel the bile rise at the mention of his name, well then there's a lot here for you to continue to get angry about. Might be worth your time to.
• 
  PRP

  A special, but not belabored, look at WFB's friendship with "RR" (and Nancy Reagan). Reagan was notably reluctant to form intimate friendship, but Buckley and Reagan's sincere esteem for each other and their gratitude for each other's impact on the other's life is well presented in this book, as well as just their joy for each other as friends. (Sad that we are no longer a society of letters.) The book's narration is padded with delightful letters to and from the author and both Reagans. National Review was very critical at times of some of Reagan's policy, and this books remind me of the ability for friends to agree and disagree, respectfully. This book is less sesquipedalian than most other Buckley writing which makes it more enjoyable. Some have criticized this book as not revealing enough about their policy differences and personal discussions, but then again Buckley loathed such books.
• 
  Cindy B.

  Enjoyed this stroll in history, liked RR, & appreciated his humanity, intelligence, humor, & courage documented by an author sharing the same attributes. Audiobook well narrated by Martin Hilgartener (sp?).
• 
  Mark Lawry

  I grew up a huge Reagan and Buckley fan. I was really expecting more. Buckley was such an intellectual giant. There just isn't a show of the caliber of a Firing Line out there currently. This book didn't really get into discussions of ideas as much as it just enumerated events that took place, like reading a diary. There were a few pages dedicated to the 2 hour debate between Reagan and Buckley over the Panama Canal. I would have liked to have read more such debates between them. On that issue and a few others we can see that Republicans were once able to strongly disagree with each other over ideas and still be friends and respect each other. As Reagan put it, "My party left me."
• 
  Otto Lehto

  Although the title suggests it, this is not some in-depth, "tell-it-all" exposé of Reagan. Instead, it is a minimally curated collection of warm and personal exchanges between the Reagan and Buckley households. It also includes transcripts of public debates and interviews. The Buckley-Reagan correspondence stretched for decades, so its narrative tracks the public ascendancy of the Reagan revolution. At its best, the book reveals the mindset of Reagan during the pivotal moments of those years. At its worst, it degenerates into superficial cordialities and pleasantries. The content is far from exceptional but it makes for an interesting time capsule. I was especially struck (as many others have) by Reagan's (and, to a lesser extent, Buckley's) sense of humour and joie de vivre. Even Nancy Reagan, despite her awful "Just Say No" campaign, comes off as humorous, even conservatively mischievous. I can imagine that dinner conversations between Nancy and Ronnie must have been joyful. I also enjoyed reading about the occasional disagreements between Reagan and Buckley, most famously on the issue of the Panama Canal, and the endearing efforts by both sides to ensure the survival of their friendship. There seems to have been an enduring mutual respect and affection between them. Although I cannot say that I was left with any great new revelations or deeper insights into Reagan's mind or family life, what is there is endearing and witty. What is not there, on the other hand, is presumably too scandalous to include.
• 
  Lee Goldin

  Nauseating puff piece should be titled "The Reagan I Blew" based on the way the The Gipper's legacy is portrayed by his old friend William F. Buckley Jr., a man who Gore Vidal once accurately described to his face on network television as a "crypto-fascist." Brief passages of personal recollection are padded by boring correspondence and reprintings of numerous Buckley-penned articles about the titular President, making this a fairly lazy final effort by the venerated conservative author. The most stomach-churning passages are the "love letters" to Nancy Reagan (and even one to her teenage daughter Patti!) filled with bizarre innuendo and numerous references to a never-consummated tryst in Casablanca. Buckley also includes a horrifically homophobic comment about the AIDS epidemic in one of the later letters, proving that unlike his views on race, WFB never got the message about what a bigot he was in terms of gay rights. I wanted to read something positive about Reagan (because I think he's the most overrated public figure in the span of living history) and often enjoy Buckley's wit in a masochistic way but in retrospect I should have opted for something with more substance. This is the worst political biography I've ever read, avoid at all costs.
• 
  Johnvano

  This book was a great disappointment. Through it I learned very little about Ronald Reagan. The book was filled with Buckley's preening about his views and sophistication and how it intersected with the life of Reagan, but not much on the man Reagan himself. Letters between the two men were enclosed, but more from Nancy were featured here than from Ron. It was amusing to see how Buckley teased Reagan about the Panama Canal--incessantly teasing the President not to give away the Erie Canal as well. He was also fond of teasing Nancy about an illicit affair between Buckley and Nancy to take place in Casablanca. Often the book was so loaded with pontificating it was hard to make sense of. It started well, with a few potent memories, the best of which was in Christoper Buckley's foreword. The book ends oddly with a skewering of Kitty Kelley. There is very little effort made to establish the sum of Reagan's parts, his impact, or how much he is missed--at least Buckley-to-reader (some of this is enclosed in letters and "On the Right" articles). Perhaps this clunky effort is due to Buckley's death and his collaborator finishing the work.
• 
  Tony

  In this book William F Buckley Jr. allows us a fascinating view of Ronald Reagan the man, and the President. Also, the bonus is the glimpses we find of the intelligent, witty and passionate Nancy Reagan.
  
  William F Buckley is witty, inviting, and a bit transparent in sharing the glimpses we see of his relationship with both of the Reagans. It is candid, sartorial, and humorous. At times the intimacy with the reader made me both wish I was there, and wish that I had known them both during the relationship.
  
  It also provide an in depth, second had view of the character of both the President and his wife. I may be biased but I will say unequivocally that I am far more invested in the honesty and character of Mr. Buckley, than any of the butcher jobs done on the Reagans.
  
  Although politics does play throughout this book, this book is not about politics. It is about the people involved. From sharing in those relationships, one learns more about all of them than reading an investigative treatise. Truth is an inviting elixir.
  
• 
  The American Conservative

  'The Reagan I Knew is a brief, breezy book, yet it succinctly conveys some of the complexities of both author and subject. That’s where its strength lies: not in imposing an artificial uniformity on the conservatism of Reagan and Buckley, but in showing—without morbidly dwelling upon—the sometimes fruitful contradictions and discontinuities in their thought. This makes The Reagan I Knew a surprisingly timely book.'
  
  Read the full review, "Getting Reagan Right," on our website:
  
  http://www.theamericanconservative.co...
• 
  Kathi

  This was a very interesting & insightful book into the longstanding friendship between President Ronald Reagan & William F. Buckley, Jr. It was filled with interesting facts & stories about Reagan's political career in California to his presidency. Buckley shares stories of time spent between the 2 friends and their wives - he also had a close friendship with Nancy Reagan. Interspersed throughout the book also is correspondence between Reagan/Buckley & Nancy/Buckley.
• 
  Mark Mortensen

  This was William F. Buckley’s 55th book and his last as he died while completing it. The author shares the exchange of his personal letters and more between good friends President Reagan and his wife Nancy. Buckley was clearly in his comfort zone and his whimsical side also shines through.
  
  2 + 2 = 4 and Buckley + Reagan = 5 Stars.
  
• 
  Pastor Greg

  Although I don't always agree with the positions take by the late, great William F. Buckley Jr., I always enjoy listening to him or reading him. He's one of only a few people that I enjoy listening and reading. In this case, I listened to his writing as read by narrator Malcolm Hillgartner. And, again, enjoyed it immensely.
  
  I have read two books about Reagan but have several in my stack of future reads. The other focused on the final years of Reagan but tossed in (about two-thirds of the book) biographical accounts of major and personal events in his life. This was much more biographical but from the viewpoint of the personal relationship and friendship that William F. Buckley Jr. had with President Reagan dating before he was president.
  
  I like and appreciate both of these men so knowing they were friends makes it that much more enjoyable to read this as one friend tells the story of that friendship with the other. Buckley is honest but respectful as he offers occasional criticism along with what is an obvious love for his friend, the president. No spoilers, but I fought back a tear with a lump in my throat as Buckley described the moment(s) when Reagan's mental deterioration become undeniably obvious.
  
  Both men professed faith in Jesus Christ. Reagan the Protestant, Buckley the Roman Catholic (by association but not fully in line with official doctrine). I don't wish Hell on anyone, but I really do hope to see these men in Heaven.
• 
  Zachary

  Given the title, one would expect this to be a book about Reagan. Given the author, one would expect it to view him positivity. That is what I was anticipating -- a positive analysis of Reagan from a long-time supporter. However, this book spent almost no time discussing public policy (a little on the Panama Canal and nuclear weapon treaties, but not much else), no real discussion as Reagan as a leader, nor even as a friend. If you want a book about Reagan, look elsewhere.
  
  What stuck out to me from this book, is just how out of touch the author, and to a lesser extent Reagan, was wholly out of touch with the realities of life for average Americans. This sense doesn't come from analysis of policy or discussion of politicians, but from the lifestyle they seemed to live. I don't see this book as a meaningful reflection on Reagan or his policies. It is a reflection on Buckley. After the glimpse I got from reading this, I'm not sure how much Buckley can be trusted for reliable analysis on the politics of the time. That may be unfair to his other work, but this does not put him in a good light.
  
  Overall, a disappointing and boring book that I can't recommend.
• 
  John

  I expected this book of personal correspondence to largely consist of lengthy, politically-charged letters written back and forth between these two conservative icons. Instead, what I got was a bunch of little personal notes, like what good friends send each other just to stay in touch. For the most part, these notes are playful, teasing, and highly personal. And by "personal" I don't mean "private"; I just mean they aren't likely to be of interest to anyone other than the addressee, unless maybe you are writing a biography of Buckley or the Reagans. I had to quit the book halfway through because it was...just...so...boring. Not because of the writing, but because the subject matter of these pieces of correspondence is just so trivial.
  If, on the other hand, you enjoyed this book, I'd recommend you also check out RIFLING THROUGH REAGAN'S GARBAGE: A COLLECTION OF DISCARDED CHRISTMAS CARDS AND SHOPPING LISTS.
• 
  Spiro Skrami

  Captivating!
  
  A brilliant book for those who enjoy reading about politics, history, or conservatism. The most important public intellectual of the U.S. in the past half century and father of modern conservatism, William F. Buckley Jr., shares his thoughts about the political figure who made that revolution possible, Ronald Reagan.
  
  The book contains recollections from Mr. Buckley's image of Ronald Reagan, private letters they so affectionately exchanged, and excerpts from some episodes of Firing Line in which Ronald Reagan appeared. Despite disagreeing on some issues e.g., the INF Treaty or the Panama Canal (which they debated on a two–hour special episode of Firing Line) these two political soulmates remained good friends until the end, with both acknowledging the other's influence on them.
  
  A short sum up of this book would be, as Mr. Buckley so simply puts it: "Thinking back on the decade just past, I have come to the conclusion that the 1980s was a triumphant decade."
• 
  Benjamin Schauer

  Yet another quick read about a US President. To understand the current Republican Party, you have to go back to its inception: Ronald Reagan. This is my 4th book on the man, and, as I’ve said before, I can see why people were so enamored by him. Seeing so many personal notes and anecdotes from close sources humanizes the man. Politics aside, he seems to be extremely easy going and quite jovial to those around him.
  
  Formal biographies tend to stick to the more impartial point of views, and it was interesting to see some of the issues at hand from both Buckley and Reagan’s perspectives. Even if I don’t agree with his motives and actions, I can appreciate the position he found himself and respect that he at least tried to do what he thought was best.
  
  Overall, it was an interesting read (albeit one that I did find myself shaking my head incredulously at numerous times).
• 
  Rho

  A very interesting memoir - I got a better sense of Reagan than I had before. Do not expect deep analysis. The bulk are correspondence between the author and RR and, or Mrs. Reagan which are nice to read. It was interesting to get a look behind the scenes and it was enjoyable to walk down memory lane. My favorite part of the book is the Buckley/Reagan debate on the Panama Canal Treaty in the late 1970s. It was interesting hearing both sides of the debate and seeing what has happened in the last 30 years. This is a very interesting book and very readable.
• 
  Ahmad

  I thought it’d be a biography of Reagan, turns out that the book largely consists of letters between Buckley and Nancy Reagan, and Buckley and Ronald Reagan. I enjoyed the letters, their friendship was cool. The rest of the book mentions some events that happened, interviews Buckley did on Firing Line, a couple of events that happened on the world’s stage. Even though most of the subjects in the book were not discussed in great detail, and even though it’s not an organized biography of Reagan, I still enjoyed it.
• 
  Kevin Findley

  An interesting look at our 40th President through his correspondence. I just wish there had been more of it. Buckley, at first, did a good job of showing how policy developed along with other aspects of Reagan's time in office. Eventually, the letter writing became extremely one-sided with an eventual side trip to Hawaii that bored the heck out of me.
  
  A must have for Reagan completists and fans of Buckley. For anyone else, it is still a nice diversion from most biographies on politicians.
  
  Find it. Buy it. Read it!
• 
  Chuck

  I had forgotten how much I enjoyed WFB though keep a dictionary close by. A fascinating look at Reagan as a man as much as a political leader.
  
  WFB was working on the book when he died and not sure if copies of his letters to Ron & Nancy were meant as filler or part of the original book but they provide amazing insight.
  
  Recommend this book highly.
• 
  John Anderson

  A bit disjointed as it was not finished in his lifetime and I would say probably incomplete as well but it does a good job of showing the relationship between him and the Reagan's. I found it interesting and worth the time. His son did a good job of putting it together with some of his NR writings.
• 
  Brenda

  Well-written book about the only world leader I've ever had much interest in. Also the first Buckley book I've ever read. I had no idea that the Buckleys and Reagans were so close. My favorite parts were the transcripts of some of the letters they all wrote each other. What wonderful writing styles they all had.
• 
  Fred Kohn

  I was reading two pretty depressing books and was scanning my shelf of library books for a pick-me-up. This may seem like an unlikely choice as a pick-me-up to some, particularly those who know that my politics lean more to the left than to the right. But I think anybody who knows much about Ronald Reagan can't help but be infected by his endless optimism, his humor, and his brilliant turns of phrase. I didn't know much about William F. Buckley except that he was a really smart guy, and I was delighted to find that his humor rivaled Reagan's.
• 
  Mike Glaser

  Not Buckley at his best but that still means he is better than 99% of the writers out there. A very interesting look at the friendship between these two conservative icons. Oh for the days when people actually wrote letters to one another.
• 
  Natali

  This was a fabulous book! I find it fascinating that Buckley and Reagan didn’t agree on everything but were still friends and deeply respected each other. Something we need more of in today’s political climate.
• 
  Jared Fontaine

  Great book. Funny and educational. Enjoyed the parts about Stockman the budget and Panama canal.