First published 2024
Craig Shirley presents the first exploration of Ronald Reagan's inner life, examining the mind and soul of America's fortieth president. The author traces how Reagan navigated major challenges and controversies throughout his career, revealing a leader who practiced conservatism on his own terms rather than conforming to ideological expectations. Shirley argues that Reagan achieved his three primary objectives: expanding individual freedom, reducing government size, and defeating communism while restoring national confidence. The book shows how Reagan solved the economic crises that plagued his predecessor, including inflation, high interest rates, and expensive gasoline. Under his leadership, the economy generated over twenty million jobs and increased the number of American millionaires nearly eightfold. Shirley demonstrates how Reagan's belief in optimism as a governing principle directly influenced national affairs, leading him to leave office with seventy-three percent approval. The author reveals Reagan as a unique conservative who championed individual rights over group identity and transformed America through his conviction that presidential optimism shapes the nation's destiny.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, american, political-science, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-study, historical-figure
Period: 20th-Century, 21st-Century
348 pages · Kindle Edition · Post Hill Press