New from Bill O’Reilly: Killing Reagan

There are a few things you know for certain about Bill O’Reilly. One, he’s going to speak his mind. Two, he loves history. And three, he’s going to write bestselling books. And when those three elements are combined, the results are wildly entertaining and popular, beginning with 2011’s Killing Lincoln and continuing through Killing Kennedy, Killing Jesus, and last year’s Killing Patton. Now, in Killing Reagan, O’Reilly explores the near-assassination of Ronald Reagan. Here are five reasons to put this book at the top of your must-read pile.
1. It’s O’Reilly
No matter what your politics, your creed, or your favorite color, Bill O’Reilly is one of the most fascinating guys in the world. Even people who have never seen his show or read one of his books have an opinion of him. Anyone who can stir up those kinds of passions, especially when tackling history, a subject many people still regard as dry and dull, is always worth paying attention to. And O’Reilly is far from a crank: his history is spot-on and deeply researched.
2. It’s Reagan
Not only is Ronald Reagan the grandfather of the modern conservative political movement, he’s also a fascinating figure apart from politics. From his days as a B-level movie heartthrob to his reinvention as political powerhouse and Governor of California, to his rise to the Presidency, Reagan’s worth as many books as people are willing to write about him. Thirty years after he left office, Reagan remains an enigma to most, a folksy caricature whose image has been shaded by the revelation of his struggle with dementia later in life. O’Reilly’s research chops unearths plenty of interesting facts about our 40th President.
3. The approach is fresh
The subtitle of this book is “The Violent Assault That Changed a Presidency.” O’Reilly’s angle of exploring the effect of the attempted assassination on Reagan’s psychology and his presidency is a fascinating one. You can examine a politician’s public statements, private actions, and legislative achievements, but examining the effect that this horrific attack had on Reagan as he struggled to hide the extent of his injuries and maintain his grip on his administration is certain to provide new and fascinating insights into the event and the president himself that other history books have overlooked.
4. It’s time for some perspective
Reagan’s presidency is still fairly recent; we’re just getting to a point where some objectivity is finally possible as the long-term results of his policies can be traced. It’s valuable and fascinating to see what a card-carrying conservative like O’Reilly has to say about a president who remains as close to a Republican saint as possible.
5. It’s more than politics
Reagan’s time as president may be the most important of his life. But Reagan’s youth and his experience as a Hollywood leading man are just as interesting. O’Reilly examines these eras in Reagan’s life, and draws some fascinating conclusions from them, along with parallels with later events and decisions. While everyone knows that Reagan was an actor, very little has been written linking the younger Reagan—a conservative who nevertheless headed up a labor union when he served as President of the Screen Actor’s Guild from 1947-1952 (and again in 1959)—with the 40th President who fired the striking Air Traffic Controllers in 1981.
Reading is all about seeing new perspectives. Ronald Reagan is a famous figure from U.S. history that most people don’t know much about, and O’Reilly and Dugard are sure to show us all a few new insights. We’re excited to find out what they have to say about one of the most famous—and still most popular—presidents in history.