Book #32: The Reagan Diaries

The book: The Reagan Diaries, by Ronald Reagan, edited by Douglas Brinkley

What is this book about: This book is the personal daily diary that Ronald Reagan kept when he was president. Fun fact: Only four presidents other than Reagan kept regular diaries. They are: George Washington, John Quincy Adams, James K. Polk, and Rutherford B. Hayes.

Why did I read this book: I went to the Reagan Library in October, and thought that I needed a little more personal and historical insight into what was making the guy tick.

What did I think of this book: They should totally make this book into a movie! All the horseback riding! All the lovey-dovey phone calls to Margaret Thatcher! The intrigue of what staff member will resign next, and who will replace him! A ton of bad guys to pick from, including Democrats! The press! Big government! The communists!

On a more serious note, it is interesting to see how a president spends his days. Some things went over my head because I didn’t know the context or who he was talking about, and the things that I did expect to be big deals weren’t. For example, the “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” moment was simply written up as: “Then it was on to the Brandenberg Gate where I addressed tens & tens of thousands of people—stretching as far as I could see. I got a tremendous reception—interrupted 28 times by cheers.”

What was my favorite part of this book: With eight years of entries spanning six hundred pages, it’s hard to pick out just one anecdote. I guess I’m going to go with the upchuck fiascos of ’87-’88. I’d like to note that “upchuck” is the president’s word and not mine. On August 1, 1987, the president did something he hadn’t done since he was a child—he upchucked because he accidentally put some ear drops in his nose. Then on January 13, 1988, he upchucked two times! There was such concern that he was going to keep upchucking that he couldn’t even go to a former aide’s funeral! He was worried that he’d upchuck on the prime minister of Japan! Whether Ronald Reagan ever upchucked after he left office, I can’t tell you.

What did I learn from this book: Ronald Reagan hated Mondays. Being president involves lots of meetings, lots of trips to Camp David, and lots of horseback riding.

What grade do I give this book: B+