The Age of Reagan: A History, 1974-2008

An excellent chronicle of events that's marred, not by Wilentz's take on Reagan, which is as positive as any objective viewer could wish, but by his defense of Clinton, whose various actual misdeeds are buried in the narrative of Republican lunacy that focused on his penis instead of his politics. Another goodreads reviewer has suggested, disapprovingly, that "this book is intended for students of political history, but clearly not for republicans." Well, yes.

It's usually a good sign when a book about recent American politics is attacked from both sides, and that's the case here. Wilentz debunks the Reagan mythologies (i.e., Reagan did not swoop down like Superman to end World Communism; nor was he an idiot who just bumbled his way show more through the presidency with notes on the back of napkins), and puts in their place a reasonable argument: that Reagan's real achievement was resisting the realists in his administration, which made Gorbachev's actions in the USSR possible. Wilentz goes so far as to suggest that this is one of the greatest accomplishments of any US president, ever. Republicans, apparently, don't like to hear that kind of thing.

On the other hand, what could have been an excellent short study in the business of the press after Watergate--the muckraking mentality, Wilentz suggests, made politics less doable through the eighties and nineties--turns instead into a defense of Clinton. His actual, important policy decisions, his 'third way' of politics (according to which the polls rule, rather than reason), and his genuine foreign policy mistakes are all given little play; instead, Wilentz suggests that the real story is how Clinton was almost brought down by a smaller but still considerable right wing conspiracy that was only possible because of the prurience and incompetence of the press. Very disappointing.

But not as disappointing as subtitling a book "A History, 1974-2008" and then including only an epilogue on the last 8 years of that period. Perhaps he felt he just couldn't deal objectively with Bush II, but in that case, what's wrong with 'A History, 1974-2000'?

In any case, all the big scandals and stories are here, and Wilentz writes quite well, so it's a pleasure to read (and not, thankfully, in the way that journalistic accounts are a pleasure to read. Wilentz doesn't need to use the present tense to make his account seem important). show less

Wilentz approaches his subject as historian; this is a work of analysis not hagiography. The conditions that brought Reagan to power and the echoes of his colleagues and fellow-travelers (Bushs, Rumsfeld, etc.) mark the gamut of the Age of this study. I was very young when Reagan ruled, but I wasn't too you to recall the hue and cry over his militarism (Granada, Libya), expenditure (SDI), etc. So, I was a bit suprised to his funeral handled like that of a passing saint. Wilentz helps to explain much of that and many other myseteris. Why did Reagan cling to "Star Wars" in spite of technological complexity, high cost, and the fact it irked the USSR? He felt it would bring peace to the whole world and protect America, says the author. How show more did Iran/Contra happen under his nose? Because Ronnie was in the driver's seat and narrowly avoided impeachement, says this author.

An interesting book, which gives context to the neo-con movement and gives examples of how the Republican party was not destroyed by its own radical right base. show less

As one of my Goodreads friends put it, "a perfectly serviceable overview of the reagan era." If you don't know much about political history over the past 40 years (which isn't something to be ashamed of), you will enjoy this book and get a lot out of it.

For my part, I used to be a political junkie before the dysfunction of DC disillusioned me and caused me to cut my consumption of political news to a trickle. I have been and continue to be a history junkie. As a result, there was little in _The Age of Reagan_ that was new to me.

Rick Perlstein's history of the conservative moment is more provocative and better written. I have read Perlstein's _Nixonland_ and _The Invisible Bridge: the Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan._ Haven't yet show more read _Before the Storm_ about Barry Goldwater.

I guess that tells you something: in a review of Wilentz's book, I'm pining for Perlstein's books. show less

I expected this book to focus specifically on President Reagan and the modern conservative movement, however it's broader than that. Wilentz examines the impacts and legacy of the Presidents from Nixon through G.W. Bush. The author has attempted an element of fairness, praising the good and condemning the bad in each of the past administrations. Of course, since this is a political topic, people with strong party feelings from either side of the aisle will find fault with the authors criticism of their favorite president or party. Political books bring out strong emotions in people, the only book judged to be 'fair' would probably only be a book you write yourself. That said, I thought the author provided a decent summary of our recent show more political history. show less