In 1987, Garry Wills, now a Pulitzer Prize-winning commentator on American history and religion and Professor Emeritus at Northwestern University, wrote this social history of then-President Ronald Reagan, working in the tradition of his earlier study of Richard Nixon, Nixon Agonistes: The Crisis of the Self-Made Man (1970). It is an attempt to understand how Ronald Reagan became "Ronald Reagan," to this day the iconic symbol of Republican neo-conservatism.
For Wills, it appears that this is an intriguing exploration largely because it is rooted in some deep contradictions. For example, Reagan was not a life-long Republican and, in fact, in his early years, was a great admirer of FDR. Furthermore, as the first Hollywood-actor-turned-politician, his path into politics was atypical and, as Wills tells it, idiosyncratic.
As far as the book's positive features, there is no doubt that it is well-researched and rooted in primary sources—Reagan's own memoirs and first-hand interviews with relatives and friends from all phases of Reagan's life. Overall, the book makes a fair bid at objectivity and even-handedness, and does, I believe, offer some unique insights into Reagan's character and actions.
However, to me there seemed to be an underlying purpose of "catching out" Reagan in lies, falsehoods, and misrepresentations. If this were the only book one read about Reagan, I'm pretty sure the general impression would be that he was nearly quite as devious as his Republican predecessor, Nixon. To be clear: I did not find it problematic that Wills noted ways in which a politician lied or misremembered events to improve his own self-image or position. Unfortunately, such behavior is a given of political action in all generations (even happening in the era of the biblical prophet Jeremiah, my own corner of academic expertise).
However, several of Wills' "quotes" that were presented as proof of Reagan's inveterate dissembling could have easily been taken to point to some other meaning, entirely innocent of any deceptive intent. I found myself puzzled at times, trying to figure out what was so "wrong" with Reagan's recounting of the event, as Wills himself had presented it. Furthermore, these accusations and innuendoes occurred with enough frequency to constitute what I feel counts as a "hidden agenda" in Wills' analysis. Wills clearly does not "like" President Reagan…but never admits it, which gave me the feeling the whole way through the book that I was reading a "skewed" perspective parading as objective analysis. The book is not simply a "biography" of Reagan; it is a "critique" of his Presidency and, I feel, should have been more clearly presented as such.
Now, there were several points where I agreed with Wills' understanding of Reagan and his "meaning" within the cosmos of American politics. In fact, Wills' reflections on how the skills and ethos of the theater shaped Reagan's understanding of politics (as well as giving him the ability to charm the country) are helpful and insightful.
I do think, after reading Wills, that a key critique of Reagan-era policies (especially economic policy) is that his conservative distrust of "big government" did not translate into an equally-conservative trust of "big business." Somehow, he had a misguided faith that CEOs somehow remain incorruptible, immune to the temptations of power and influence that prey upon senators and presidents. In that, Reagan's push for corporate deregulation appears both hasty and foolhardy—a political move designed to earn a short-term win while ignoring long-term costs and damages.
Though I would consider myself a "conservative," I do not share the typical hagiographic view of Reagan that most fellow conservatives share. I find myself sharing the puzzlement of Randall Balmer to understand how the evangelicals of the late '70s/early '80s turned on Jimmy Carter, a very devout Christian, in favor of Ronald Reagan, a man who rarely (if ever) even attended church! However, even though I am quite capable of looking at several of Reagan's actions as President with a properly-jaundiced eye, I still feel like Wills' work, overall, was unfair to Reagan's accomplishments and legacy. Reagan is rightly considered one of the greatest Presidents of the latter 20th century…not perfect, but deserving of further consideration that Wills appears prepared to give. ( )

Much more than just Reagan's America this is more of a biography and covers Reagan's entire life.

A perceptive look at the cult of personality surrounding Reagan, in light of the collision of the American tendency toward self-mythologization and wish-fullfillment with the emerging mass-media technology that enabled much of it to become a lived reality. Reagan might have been acting a part, whether consciously or unconsciously, but America ate up the act. This book tries to take a balanced look at why and how that happened. ( )

This book gives full credit to the positive role Ronald Reagan's father and mother played in his growing up. Hislo father actually had an initial career in the department store business, it was his mother's religious affiliation that led him to Eureka College where he excelled. His father and other family members benefited from the federal depression work programs. The book shows the pivotal role movies, especially Westerns played in Reagan's development, not only as an actor, but as an early moviegoer. They were going West...he went West.

There are great bits of insight about his wives. While not dwelling on the divorce there is a chapter telling how Wyman and Reagan diverged as actors, the role Nancy Reagan played in his presidental appearances

This is a very good book by an author experienced with presidential biographies. I strongly suggest it as a significant addition to the still growing list of Reagan biographies.