When Character Was King

When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan by Peggy Noonan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Noonan is a great writer. She captures the spirit of the man and his motives very well.

She often takes on a sentimental tone, with lots of inside jokes and obscure people. (Noonan is an insider herself, so has a penchant for name dropping, and letting us know she is in the know, it seems.) You have to let some of this go over your head, and just grab what you can.

The book is light on policy – what was Reagan actually trying to do? It’s in there now and then, mostly indirectly, but the author seeks to depict the man more personally. (Reading Noonan lately, I wonder if she has drifted away from his agenda and policy goals.)

If you appreciate Reagan, this book is worth your time.

3 stars



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