"reagan, In His Own Hand"

Handwritten documents suggesting that Ronald Reagan did more of his own thinking and research than generally believed, and that even before he became president he was already articulating the ideas that became the "Reagan Doctrine."
In his foreword, former Secretary of State George Schultz argues that this collection is important because it "provides a key to unlocking the mystery of Reagan" and speculates that "maybe he was a lot smarter than most people thought." Most of the numerous essays included here were written in longhand by then-Governor Reagan before he recorded them for broadcast between 1975 and 1979: they thus presumably reflect his own work rather than talking points crafted by others. The speeches cover Reagan's philosophy and his ideas on foreign, domestic, and economic policy, reflecting a depth of preparation not usually associated with him. As he pondered the question of nuclear weapons, for instance, he quoted from NSC 68 (the 1950 National Security Council paper prepared for President Truman), warning that the Soviet Union would not be deterred by moral persuasion—only force would suffice. Elsewhere, Reagan frequently cited Congressional reports, The Economist, the New York Times, and the Washington Post, as well as a wide range of books and speeches. Characteristically, he used this data not to impress but rather to strengthen his points—points that were invariably phrased in accessible, personalized, and colloquial prose. The volume also includes Reagan's early writings from high school and college, a few drafts of his speeches (including the 1980 State of the Union address), and his moving letter to the nation announcing that he had Alzheimer's disease.
A timely reminder of just why the 40th president was called "The Great Communicator," plus some persuasive evidence that he was quite knowledgeable about what he wanted to communicate.