The Notes: Ronald Reagan's Private Collection of Stories and Wisdom

by Ronald Reagan, Douglas Brinkley (Editor)

Overview

A collection of Ronald Reagan's private thoughts, jokes, and favorite quotations from the #1 New York Times–bestselling editor of The Reagan Diaries.
Ronald Reagan left behind a legacy that America will never forget. Now, in this one-of-a-kind collection of his most intimate thoughts, his favorite quotations by others, and his own most collectible jokes, all culled from a newly disclosed set of personal notecards he kept throughout his life and career, admirers of the fortieth president will find a unique window of insight into the soul of an American icon. Edited by Douglas Brinkley, editor of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Reagan Diaries, this indispensable Reagan retrospective is perfect for anyone looking to find inspiration in the thoughts and musings of a great American leader.
Praise for The Reagan Diaries
"A portrait of a president who was engaged by his job and had a healthy perspective on power." —Jon Meacham, Newsweek
"Reagan the diarist is at home with himself, unself-consciously comfortable. . . . Two things run through the diaries like a thread: One is a kind of gee-whiz everyman's delight in finding himself in such interesting and enjoyable circumstances; the other is his love for and reliance on Nancy." —Tim Rutten, Los Angeles Times
"It's amazing what nuggets of information you can unearth deep within a book as jampacked as The Reagan Diaries." —Walter Pincus, The Washington Post

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062065155
Publisher:	HarperCollins e-books
Publication date:	03/19/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	322
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Ronald Reagan was the 40th President of the United States.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

On the Nation 3

On Liberty 29

On War 57

On the People 69

On Religion 101

The World 113

On Character 123

On Political Theater 153

Humor 165

Glossary 233

Acknowledgments 254

Editorial Reviews

Reading these diaries, Americans will find it easier to understand how Reagan did what he did for so long: by steady work, and a steadfast commitment to the job at hand. . . . They paint a portrait of a president who was engaged by his job and had a healthy perspective on power.” — Jon Meacham, Newsweek

“The chief executive who emerges from these pages has a capacious attention to and knowledge of this country and the world. . . . Reagan the diarist is at home with himself, unself-consciously comfortable. . . . Two things run through the diaries like a thread: One is a kind of gee-whiz everyman’s delight in finding himself in such interesting and enjoyable circumstances; the other is his love for and reliance on Nancy.” — Tim Rutten, The Los Angeles Times

“These are amusing and enlightening diaries. . . . I quite simply couldn’t put them down.” — Christopher Hitchens, The Times

“It’s amazing what nuggets of information you can unearth deep within a book as jampacked as The Reagan Diaries.” — Walter Pincus, The Washington Post

“The book offers a window into the mind of the nation’s 40th president and displays the effort he made behind the scenes to hone his performance as a speechmaker and storyteller driving home a conservative political philosophy.” — USA Today

“This volume provides an illuminating glimpse into Reagan’s mind. . . . The entries show the directness of Reagan’s thought and his uncanny ability to make a point.” — The Daily

“These notes are wonderful things. . . . Although a few recent books have proclaimed to have finally uncovered the real Reagan, there’s a chance we’ll never get any closer than in these scribbles, which reveal so much.” — Christopher Buckley, Bloomberg News

“Now with the discovery of his note cards, we can better appreciate just how hard Reagan himself labored to be clear and convincing—and, yes, sometimes funny—to his many audiences.” — The American Spectator

“This is a book to return to often and sample the collected wisdom found there that buttressed a remarkable man’s vision.” — The Washington Times

From the Publisher

The book offers a window into the mind of the nation’s 40th president and displays the effort he made behind the scenes to hone his performance as a speechmaker and storyteller driving home a conservative political philosophy.

USA Today

These are amusing and enlightening diaries. . . . I quite simply couldn’t put them down.

Christopher Hitchens

It’s amazing what nuggets of information you can unearth deep within a book as jampacked as The Reagan Diaries.

Walter Pincus

Reading these diaries, Americans will find it easier to understand how Reagan did what he did for so long: by steady work, and a steadfast commitment to the job at hand. . . . They paint a portrait of a president who was engaged by his job and had a healthy perspective on power.

Jon Meacham

This volume provides an illuminating glimpse into Reagan’s mind. . . . The entries show the directness of Reagan’s thought and his uncanny ability to make a point.

The Daily

This is a book to return to often and sample the collected wisdom found there that buttressed a remarkable man’s vision.

The Washington Times

Now with the discovery of his note cards, we can better appreciate just how hard Reagan himself labored to be clear and convincing—and, yes, sometimes funny—to his many audiences.

The American Spectator

These notes are wonderful things. . . . Although a few recent books have proclaimed to have finally uncovered the real Reagan, there’s a chance we’ll never get any closer than in these scribbles, which reveal so much.

Christopher Buckley

The chief executive who emerges from these pages has a capacious attention to and knowledge of this country and the world. . . . Reagan the diarist is at home with himself, unself-consciously comfortable. . . . Two things run through the diaries like a thread: One is a kind of gee-whiz everyman’s delight in finding himself in such interesting and enjoyable circumstances; the other is his love for and reliance on Nancy.

Tim Rutten

The book offers a window into the mind of the nation’s 40th president and displays the effort he made behind the scenes to hone his performance as a speechmaker and storyteller driving home a conservative political philosophy.

USA Today

This is a book to return to often and sample the collected wisdom found there that buttressed a remarkable man’s vision.

The Washington Times

This volume provides an illuminating glimpse into Reagan’s mind. . . . The entries show the directness of Reagan’s thought and his uncanny ability to make a point.

The Daily

The book offers a window into the mind of the nation’s 40th president and displays the effort he made behind the scenes to hone his performance as a speechmaker and storyteller driving home a conservative political philosophy.

USA Today

Now with the discovery of his note cards, we can better appreciate just how hard Reagan himself labored to be clear and convincing—and, yes, sometimes funny—to his many audiences.

The American Spectator