How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life audiobook

I think Peter Robinson changed my life by telling me how Ronald Reagan changed his.

Peter Robinson was the speechwriter who is responsible for Reagan’s famous Berlin Wall speech. I first came across his name when I sat down to watch what I thought was a short Facebook video of Pat Sajak interviewing one of Reagan’s speechwriters. The video turned out to be over an hour long and I sat fascinated and watched the entire thing. So needless to say, I was so excited when I discovered this book! While this book wasn’t filled with facts about Reagan that I didn’t already know, there were so many interesting facts that I learned about Peter Robinson and that makes my nerdy little heart happy.

I was six years old when Ronald Reagan died, and I didn't understand why my family cared about a man we didn't know and who wasn't even the current President. This book gave me a little more insight into why Ronald Reagan mattered to my family and to America.I came upon this little treasure in a thrift store. Because it was about Ronald Reagan, I picked it up, not knowing anything else about it. I loved it. The book is basically a collection of lessons that Peter Robinson learned as one of President Reagan's speechwriters. I expected a little bit more information about Ronald Reagan himself and less about Mr. Robinson, but I enjoyed both aspects of the book, as well as the snippets we see of the interior workings in the White House. If you're looking for a biography of Ronald Reagan's life, this is not the book for you. But if you're looking for information on the principles that Ronald Reagan founded his life on, this is a wonderful source. This book increased my interest in the life of Ronald Reagan, and now I want to read his autobiography.This book was a pleasure to read. I enjoyed all of the anecdotes and examples Mr. Robinson used to show and not just tell us the lessons President Reagan taught him. I also enjoyed Mr. Robinson's descriptions of his own life. His style is fun and comfortable to read, and I would recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those like myself who weren't born until after Reagan's time and who may not realize why he matters. He matters because he was a man who unabashedly believed in God, believed in doing what was right, and believed in America. More important than just believing, he acted on his beliefs. He lived his beliefs, and Mr. Robinson just stated them after the fact.

I picked up this book because I didn't know a thing about Ronald Reagan and wondered why people talked about the guy like he was God or something. This author does just that. I guess he is God. Hmmm. Lots to ponder here. No, but seriously, he sounds like a kind man, and actually was a very remarkable (and unlikely) president. Makes me want to read his bio as well as his wife's.

The author was one of President Reagan's speechwriters, and I read this book sometime around April of 2004, which proved to be timely because the former President passed away in June of that year, shortly after I finished the book. Reagan had what we might call a charmed life; it was long, well and completely lived, and spectacularly successful, too. The keys to his success were, to a very large degree, his character and temperament, which the author studied carefully and summarized in the chapters of this book. (Parenthetically, he even notes that Reagan had a natural golf swing that was nearly perfect.)Robinson devotes an entire chapter to one pivotal moment in Reagan's Presidency, which seemed far more important and prescient in retrospect than it did at the time: his challenge to Mikhail Gorbachev, issued in the shadow of the Brandenburg Gate, to "tear down this wall." From my own perspective, I vividly recall that speech, which was given in June, 1987; what a powerful sentiment, I thought, but too bad there was no chance of seeing it fulfilled, at least in my lifetime. But down came the Berlin Wall, a short 2-1/2 years after Reagan gave the speech, and near the end of the year he left office. His advisers almost unanimously insisted that he omit the line from his prepared speech, but Reagan, a man of conviction and principle, insisted that it be left in. Peter Robinson wrote the speech, complete with the controversial line; and even now, whenever I listen to it on YouTube, it continues to thrill and amaze me.This one is on my short list of books worth rereading, although I haven't gotten around to doing so yet. But I have encouraged my children to read it. My son did so about four years ago, when he was about 16; my daughter, who is 15 when I write this review in the summer of 2009, hasn't done so yet, but I hope she will.

This was actually a very good book! Like many, I dismissed Reagan as an amiable dunce, but after reading Robinson's book, I've changed my mind, at least somewhat. Robinson was hired right our of university to be speech writer for the VP, but somehow he went to work for Reagan in the White House.It is more of a look back by a much more mature man, telling the story of his earlier self. In laying out the various ways that Reagan changed his life, he sheds light on Reagan, his personality, work ethic, foreign policy etc and left me with a lot of respect for Reagan's view (and his respect for) the common people, a respect that is certainly missing from the Washington (and Ottawa) crowd today.He is not afraid to tackle the thorny questions about Reagan and whether or not he was an architect of the collapse of USSR, and this is where I disagree with him the most.He paints a very sympathetic picture of Reagan after he leaves the White House and starts to show signs of Alzheimers, the disease that killed him.Even if you dismissed Reagan as the amiable dunce, mere tool of those around him, and perhaps especially if that is your view, you should read this book for an entirely different and very thoughtful view.

I can't speak highly enough about this book. I first listened to the audiobook for a class project. Peter Robinson's conversational style and insight into so many topics required that I read the whole book. After driving to a library 40 minutes away I had the book. Finished in no time, the book is everything a young man like myself could want in a book. The history of the Reagan years is brief but insightful. It reflects on Reagan's life. A man at the end of his life, Reagan has so much to teach young men. It reflects on Peter Robinson's life, then in his 40's and just starting a family. He talks about the issues he had as a 20 something finding his way in the world while being in the Reagan White House. For a almost college grad, his concerns are my concerns and he taught me a lot.I loved the book so much I already bought a new version of the book. This is almost unheard of for me since I am cheap and prefer used. However, I know I will keep looking back to this book for guidance, history and entertainment for years to come. Truly a near perfect book for this point in my life.

Endearing portrayal of Reagan the man. Peter Robinson writes in an engaging, rather chatty and conversational style about someone he unabashedly adored. It's a mix of Robinson's life and Reagan's with many memorable stories.

From the man who wrote the "Tear Down this Wall" speech Reagan is so famous for. This book gives insight into the man that is quite valuable to anyone who wants to know more about the Reagan Years. Very well written.

The title originally turned me off, but this is one of the best books I have ever read...

What a wonderful book. This is one that belongs on the shelf of each and every "Ordinary American". Loved it.

I have to admit I found this portrayal of Ronald Reagan inspiring and even brought a tear to my eye at its most poignant pages.

Fantastic read!!