Reagan: American Icon

by Iwan Morgan

Overview

Ronald Reagan is arguably the most successful post-war American president. A transformational leader, he is broadly credited with renewing American prosperity after the stagflation-hit 1970s, laying the foundations for Cold War victory and bringing about the shift to the right in late-twentieth century politics. In this new biography, Iwan Morgan shrewdly assesses Reagan's considerable achievements whilst also highlighting the shortcomings that were an indisputable part of his record. Based on extensive research, this book plots a chronological path through Reagan's life covering his upbringing; his rise and fall as a Hollywood star; his time as California governor; and his pursuit of the presidency. Morgan offers a detailed evaluation of the pragmatic conservatism that was the hallmark of Reagan's presidential leadership in domestic affairs. In the international sphere, he explains Reagan's metamorphosis from Cold War hawk to negotiator for nuclear-arms reduction, while also examining his role in the Iran-Contra scandal.
This book ultimately shows that what made Reagan an American icon above all else was his optimism regarding his country and his ability to articulate its best values - even if he himself did not always live up to these. Today, as the Republican Party grapples with its new direction and identity, understanding the legacy of Ronald Reagan and Reaganism is more relevant than ever.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781786720504
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	09/16/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	408
File size:	7 MB

About the Author

Iwan Morgan is Professor of US Studies and Head of US Programmes at the Institute of the Americas, University College London. He was awarded the British Association of American Studies Honorary Fellowship in 2014 in recognition of his contributions to the discipline over the course of his career. His publications include The Age of Deficits: Presidents and Unbalanced Budgets from Jimmy Carter to George W. Bush; Nixon and Beyond the Liberal Consensus: A Political History of the United States since 1965.
Iwan Morgan is Professor of US Studies emeritus at the Institute of the Americas, University College London, UK. He is also a distinguished fellow of the Rothermere American Institute, University of Oxford, UK. He was the recipient of the British Association of American Studies Honorary Fellowship in 2014, and winner of the Richard Neustadt Book Prize in 2010. He is the author of Reagan: American Icon (2016), named by The Times/Sunday Times as a Politics Book of the Year.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations vii

Preface xi

Acknowledgements xv

Preface to this Edition xvii

1 Young Dutch 1

2 Rising Star 18

3 Falling Star 37

4 Right Star 63

5 California Governor 86

6 Right Man 113

7 Mr President 145

8 Pragmatic Conservative 174

9 Cold Warrior 200

10 Morning Man 230

11 Imperial President 259

12 Summit Negotiator 286

Epilogue: History Man 315

List of Abbreviations 334

Suggestions for Further Reading 336

Notes 340

Index 385

Editorial Reviews

‘Iwan Morgan's Reagan is a fast-paced narrative that is superbly organized and judiciously argued about the life and times of America's 40th president. Before going elsewhere, both academics and general audiences should first read this exceptional volume as the introduction to this complex topic.’

Irwin F. Gellman

‘As one might expect from such an influential and controversial personality Ronald Regan has been the subject of much biography, running from the meticulous but essentially critical works of Lou Cannon to the bizarre biographical fantasy by Edmund Morris. Iwan Morgan’s new life, benefiting from the elapse of time, the fading of old resentments and the appearance of rival subjects of both admiration and disdain, stands every chance of emerging as the standard life. Morgan has brought to its writing formidable but also thoughtful and critical research and a lively style. His research has given him a sure grasp of Reagan’s improbable journey from small town Middle West, through Hollywood’s Golden Age into national and international politics. Morgan’s greatest virtue is his fairness. He does justice to Reagan’s authentic faith in the essential virtue of America and to the individual, non–ideological quality of his conservative faith. At the same time he is not afraid to point out the contradictions in Reagan’s beliefs, the limitations of his political credo and the occasional mistakes and absurdities of his political career. Wise, fair and witty, Iwan Morgan ‘s life of Reagan is likely to be accepted by both the admirers and the critics of the fortieth president as both trustworthy and readable.’

Godfrey Hodgson

‘Iwan Morgan has written a hugely valuable account of a highly consequential life. Reagan is engagingly written and exhaustively researched – the grounding in archival sources adds real depth to the portrayal of Reagan the person, performer, governor and president. The book does credit to Morgan as a scholar but his erudition is consumed painlessly thanks to the elegance of his prose. Morgan’s assessment of Reagan is nuanced and refreshingly non-partisan, giving credit and finding fault where each is appropriately due. Readers will come away appreciating the intriguing complexity of the man, and the immense impact of his career.’

Andrew Rudalevige

‘This is exactly what presidential scholars have been waiting for: a study of Ronald Reagan that avoids simplistic partisan judgements in developing an interpretation that is both critical and sympathetic. Lucid, fluent, perspicacious, and grounded in a keen appreciation of the broader themes of US history, this is an outstanding work by one of Britain's foremost historians of modern America.’

Mark White

‘Iwan Morgan's highly intelligent and authoritative Reagan accomplishes the rare feat of elucidating President Reagan's complex personal psychology, his core values and his economic and political policies. In this concise and fair-minded portrait , Morgan shows us how this optimistic and pragmatic man became a consequential president who not only represented his times, but helped steer the course of history in a conservative direction. Morgan does not shy away from exploring Reagan's failures including his lack of empathy for AIDS patients and African-Americans.’

Will Swift

‘WOW! It's all here —and I mean all of it — in Iwan Morgan's superb biography of America's fortieth president. I would never have believed how much I didn't know about a fellow Californian I first met in the spring of 1946. But when a distinguished historian with a wonderful way with words doubles as a prodigious researcher the pages are going to fly. Hey, the Gipper's back. Enjoy the ride.’

Alex Butterfield

Highly recommended, Reagan: American Icon turns a complex subject into a readable narrative suitable for anyone interested in the life and presidency of Ronald Reagan… The Reagan this biography portrays is complex rather than one-dimensional; someone who benefited from having a variety of careers before entering politics; a deep thinker if not an original one; a conservative but also a pragmatist; a committed anti-communist who was dedicated to ridding the world of nuclear weapons; a passionate advocate of freedom who aligned the United States with repressive regimes for Cold War advantage in Latin America, Africa, and Asia; and an eternal optimist about his country’s future who could not empathize with disadvantaged groups needing the assistance of government to get by in 1980s America…

The Huffington Post