An American Life

711 Pages·1990·6.16 MB·English

by  Ronald Reagan

Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
Copyright © 1990 by Ronald W. Reagan
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions
thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Simon & Schuster
Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY
10020.
This Simon & Schuster hardcover edition January 2011
Simon & Schuster and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon &
Schuster, Inc.
Designed by Eve Metz / Eric Ziman
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data
Reagan, Ronald.
An american life: the autobiography/Ronald Reagan.
p. cm.
Includes index.
1. Reagan, Ronald. 2. Presidents—United States—Biography.
I. Title.
E877.R33 1990
973.927'092—dc20
[B] 90-10093
CIP
ISBN: 978-1-4516-2073-3
ISBN: 978-1-4391-4148-9 (ebook)
Unless otherwise credited, all photos were taken by White House
photographers and appear in the book courtesy of the Ronald Reagan
Presidential Library.
Photo 1: AP/Wide World Photos; Photo 2: Ronald Reagan Home Preservation
Foundation; Photo 3: 1926 Dixonian; Photos 5, 7, and 8: Reagan Family
Collection; Photo 6: Photo courtesy of The Dixon Telegraph; Photos 9 and 10:
Gene Trindl/Shooting Star; Photo 11: Michael Evans photo.
To Nancy. She will always be my first Lady. I cannot imagine life
without her.
Acknowledgments
Presidential memoirs have become somewhat of a tradition recently—a way
for a president to tell his story in his own words. And while that is what An
American Life does, I had a great deal of help, for which I am most appreciative.
First of all, I thank my beloved wife, Nancy. There are really no words to
describe what she means to me. Life with her is everything I always hoped it
would be.
Robert Lindsey, a talented writer, was with me every step of the way. Bob has
a way with words that has rightly earned him a reputation as one of our country’s
most gifted authors. Even though I am glad to have this book finished, I will
miss my conversations with Bob. I’m also grateful to Bob’s wife, Sandra, for her
tireless work in typing Bob’s notes.
The wonderful and thoroughly professional team at Simon and Schuster,
under the able leadership of CEO Dick Snyder, were there day and night, always
cheerful and always helpful. Editor in chief Michael Korda patiently read every
single word time and time again, dotted every i and crossed every t—no one
could ask for a better editor. Charlie Hayward, Alice Mayhew, and Jack
McKeown were also of invaluable assistance. And Mort Janklow, my literary
agent, who assembled the whole group, played a key role in bringing this book
to completion.
The staff in my Los Angeles office worked with me from the very first—
researching files, finding photographs, checking facts, jogging memories.
Jeanine Chase, Dottie Dellinger, Kerry Geoghan, Cathy Goldberg, Peggy
Grande, Jon Hall, Joanne Hildebrand, Selina Jackson, Bernadette Schurz, and
Sheri Semon—loyal and competent, they are the best team anyone could field.
Three persons in particular spent considerable time working with me on this
book and deserve a special mention: Fred Ryan, my chief of staff, who came
with me from the White House, where he skillfully managed my schedule and
where he was the architect of one of my proudest achievements—the Office of
Private Sector Initiatives; Kathy Osborne, who has been my personal secretary
since Sacramento and always knows just what I need (sometimes even before I
do!); and Mark Weinberg, my director of public affairs, who for over ten years
has articulately and effectively served as my “ambassador” to the press.
The dedicated team at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation—Doris
Heller, Robert Higdon, Chuck Jelloian, John Lee, Suzanne Marx, Stefanie
Salata, Marilyn Siegel, Pam Trowbridge, and Sandy Warfield—will always have
my gratitude for the work they are doing on the presidential library being built in
the Simi-Thou-sand Oaks area of Ventura County.
And finally, I thank the men and women Nancy and I “left behind.” The
question I am most often asked these days is whether I miss Washington.
Although I enjoyed the presidency, I don’t miss the job. What I do miss is the
people—the good and decent people from every state in the union, from all
walks of life, black and white, Christian and Jew, rich and poor, military and
civilian, political and civil service, who comprise the executive office of the
president of the United States, joined only by the desire to serve their country.
They do so with the greatest dedication and distinction. We miss them, we keep
them in our hearts, and we will always be grateful to them.
Ronald Reagan