Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period.
Reagan: A Life in Letters
by Authors:
Kiron K. Skinner, Annelise Anderson, Martin Anderson, George P. Shultz
Hardcover Description:
Many books have been written about Ronald Reagan, but this collection of his letters must certainly be among the most varied and revealing about every aspect of the man. Organized by themes such as "Old Friends," "Running for Office," "Core Beliefs," "The Critics," and "Foreign Leaders," the book contains over 1,000 letters stretching from 1922 to 1994. Whether discussing economic policy with a political foe, dispensing marital advice, or sharing a joke with a pen pal, Reagan comes across as gracious, caring, and inquisitive. Even when responding to blistering criticism, he remained fair and thoughtful. As one would expect, many of the letters are addressed to world leaders, well-known American politicians, pundits, and journalists, and these are certainly interesting for their historical relevance and insights into Reagan's diplomatic style. Among the more fascinating notes, however, are those sent to private citizens, some of which are quite long and detailed. That Reagan would spend the time, as both governor of California and President, to respond to the concerns and inquiries of constituents reveals that he never forgot how he got to his positions of leadership in the first place. He even went so far on occasions to help make business connections for people he had never met in person. He also sent many letters to children. In one, he encouraged a young student to turn off the TV and grab a book instead: "Reading is a magic carpet and you can never be lonely if you learn to enjoy a good book." Taken as a whole, these revealing, well-written, and entertaining letters trace the story of Reagan's life and times as well as any standard biography. They also offer further proof of why he was dubbed "The Great Communicator." --Shawn Carkonen
Average Customer Rating:
It doesn't get any better than this
I have been an admirer of Ronald Reagan for a long time. Reagan knew how to write and express himself so well. This book is wonderfully thick and the letters are divided by subject matter. Some are on public policy, others are ones he wrote to friends and family, public figures, still others to total strangers. His decency and warmth as a human being comes across in every letter. And especially his wonderful sense of humor which I think is one of his finest and most appealing qualities. I especially loved one letter in particular written to Reagan by a young man appealing for disaster relief funds after his mother declared his bedroom a "disaster area." Reagan's reply is hilarious.
Another excellent book containing Reagan letters is "I Love You, Ronnie", a collection of love letters and notes that Reagan wrote to Nancy over the course of their marriage.
A view of the man, not so much the legend...
First, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There is no substitute for hearing someone in their own words and this book provides that in abundance. Beyond the words themselves, the selection of letters that are available also says a lot about the man's character. A large number of these letters are in response to letters that disagreed with his various positions and in each response he not only effectively defends his opinions but also manages to treat those he's writing to with respect and dignity.
That said, two caveats for those who might purchase this book...
1 - The book is broken into sections that detail each topic with letters that relate to that topic. There are 2 page summaries of each topic but I think the book would be far more enjoyable if you already have a reasonable knowledge of the various challenges of the Reagan presidency.
2 - Most of the letters that are in the book are written to family and friends. Those that come to it expecting letters to Gorbachev detailing plans for an end to the cold war will be disappointed
Those caveats aside, this is a great book and an essential companion to any biography of President Reagan
A lost art from a great man we all lost
Many Americans will agree that letter writing is truly a lost art. With chat rooms and emails and instant messages, who has the time to sit down and write a letter? Reagan, who has been called the "Great Communicator," reminds us just how great letter writing can be.
Anyone can write a boring biography of a president, but this book is different. Through Reagan's own words - with his letters to everyone from prolific world leaders to entertainers such as Sammy Davis Jr.- we become privy to a side of our 40th president that many of us did not know. It is truly a great read - not the kind of book you will want to sit down and read cover to cover in one sitting - but the kind of read that you will pick up off the book shelf from time to time and be glad every time you did.
Can't find the book you're looking for? Then try Google.
DVD's
It doesn't get any better than this 
A view of the man, not so much the legend... 
