The Reagans
Portrait of a Marriage
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- £13.99
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- £13.99
Publisher Description
The Reagans: Portrait of a Marriage is a penetrating portrayal of one of the most powerful couples of the twentieth century. Distinguished biographer Anne Edwards paints the first in-depth, intimate portrait of the man who became our fortieth president and the woman without whom he might never have reached such heights.
It was a dramatic love story from the start: Nancy was always first in Reagan's thoughts and he was paramount in Nancy's actions. But this obsessional love had a darker side for the four Reagan children. Anne Edwards brings the Reagans' dysfunctional family life into sharp focus, along with a fascinating array of supporting players such as Reagan's evangelistic mother, Nelle, Frank Sinatra, and Gerald Ford.
Few first ladies had as much power as Nancy Reagan, and few were so widely disliked. Anne Edwards shows a side of her never before revealed---from Nancy's ardent defense of Reagan's interests with both opponents and supporters, to the most difficult battle yet, the struggle to maintain her husband's dignity through his descent into Alzheimer's disease.
The Reagans is an original and mesmerizing look at one of America's most important presidential marriages.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Even in his 70s, Ronald Reagan would leave sentimental love notes for his wife, Nancy: "For My Mommy Poo... Love Poppa." In her latest book, prolific biographer Edwards (Ever After: Diana and the Life She Led) paints a portrait of the Reagans as completely in love. From the day they married, Nancy devoted her every moment to ensuring her husband's happiness. He, in turn, relied completely on Nancy and trusted her wholly. Those close to the couple admit that Reagan's success in politics would not have occurred without Nancy's constant devotion and involvement. Throughout his governorship of California, his presidency, the assassination attempt, his meetings with Gorbachev Nancy's sentiments, advice and complaints figured prominently, to the extent that the president of the United States rearranged his schedule according to the advice of Nancy's favorite astrologer. But according to Edwards, this romantic picture came at a price. The Reagans' children yearned for their parents' love and acceptance, but found that the couple's all-encompassing relationship did not include them. While Edwards celebrates the Reagans' achievements, she does not shy away from presenting the darker, grimmer side of their life and does a wonderful job of fully fleshing out the convoluted and tortured emotions that define this famous family. In all, she offers an engaging yet honest look at the human experience played out on the public stage. 32 pages of b&w photos not seen by PW.
Customer Reviews
In a word gripping
I have learned so much about these two people, but more than that so much about a real life love story