Review by Booklist Review
Deaver, former advisor to President Reagan, offers a collection of 54 essays by noted conservatives explaining their devotion to the ideals of political conservatism most closely associated with Reagan. The contributors recall their personal journeys, some from being Democratic and Republican liberals or cultural liberals. A few even confess to voting for Democrats in their youth. Many cite the appeal of Reagan with broadening the base of the Republican Party. Michael Barone turned conservative after witnessing the Detroit riots of 1967, when he worked as an intern to the mayor. Trent Lott offers a brief statement of faith in individuals to take responsibility for their own lives. Robert Bartley, editor emeritus of the Wall Street Journal, cites that the basic appeal of conservatism is its grounding in reality rather than the utopia entertained by liberals. Bob Dole extols the appeal of conservative social values. Contributors, including Robert Novak, J. C. Watts, Edwin Meese, Mona Charen, Orrin Hatch, and Bill Frist, write on a range of topics, from limited government to conservative social values to free-market economics. --Vanessa Bush Copyright 2005 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The Gipper's former deputy chief of staff as well as the author of Nancy and A Different Drummer: My 30 Years with Ronald Reagan, the ever-faithful Deaver continues his flame tending with this anthology, which solicits first-person encomiums on the lasting impact of Reaganology. It's a pretty impressive roster: Bill Frist, Bob Dole, Rick Santorum, Henry Hyde, Phil Gramm, Grover Norquist, Orrin Hatch and Chuck Hagel all check in among elected officials; Robert Novak, P.J. O'Rourke, G. Gordon Liddy and Mona Charen among theorists and commentators. Of the 54 contributors, five are women. Very few of the pieces feel fresh; most feel like they've passed through any number of hands before a final vet. The pols write as if on the stump; the wingers as if the fate of the world were hanging in the balance of their every measured phrase: "I am a conservative because all other political philosophies have failed," writes Donald J. Devine, "And the poor, modern world badly needs the vision of a positive future that only conservatism can provide." Progressives will beg to differ, but this book is more about preaching to the choir and rallying the troops than convincing skeptics. (On sale June 24) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Booklist Review
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
