During his two terms as the fortieth president of the United States, Ronald Reagan kept a daily diary in which he recorded, by hand, his innermost thoughts and observations on the extraordinary, the historic, and the routine day-to-day occurrences of his presidency. Now, nearly two decades after he left office, this remarkable record—the only daily presidential diary in American history—is available for the first time.

Brought together in one volume and edited by historian Douglas Brinkley, The Reagan Diaries provides a striking insight into one of this nation's most important presidencies and sheds new light on the character of a true American leader. Whether he was in his White House residence study or aboard Air Force One, each night Reagan wrote about the events of his day, which often included his relationships with other world leaders Mikhail Gorbachev, Pope John Paul II, Mohammar al-Qaddafi, and Margaret Thatcher, among others, and the unforgettable moments that defined the era—from his first inauguration to the end of the Cold War, the Iran hostage crisis to John Hinckley Jr.'s assassination attempt.

The Reagan Diaries reveals more than just Reagan's political experiences: many entries are concerned with the president's private thoughts and feelings—his love and devotion for Nancy Reagan and their family, his belief in God and the power of prayer. Seldom before has the American public been given access to the unfiltered experiences and opinions of a president in his own words, from Reagan's description of near-drowning at the home of Hollywood friend Claudette Colbert to his determination to fight Fidel Castro at every turn and keep the Caribbean Sea from becoming a "Red Lake."

To read these diaries—filled with Reagan's trademark wit, sharp intelligence, and humor—is to gain a unique understanding of one of the most beloved occupants of the Oval Office in our nation's history.

Ronald Reagan in his own words. Nothing gives a better look at what one is like than a daily diary, and this one is no exception.

You can expect a writer to favor himself, but over eight years of faithful journal-keeping, the true character appears. In this wonderful record Reagan appears variously humble, witty, frustrated, angry and always, charming.

We see many instances where the media has reported situations innaccurately - some due to bias, but many due to lacking the information necessary, but refusing to hold the story until the facts are known.

There are times when Reagan takes the attitude that "the buck stops here" and others where he (privately) lets us know who was responsible.

Reagan's patriotism, determination, intelligence, love for his wife and family, and Christian values come through loud and clear, without the filter of an author's interpretation. The editing has left some of Reagan's own misspellings or grammatical errors, which serves only to make the diary more personal.

This is a wonderful addition to any library.

Answer: Pretty darn great! Read this diary and you'll come away with a broader picture of this president and the man he was.
If you're at all curious about what a president does on a daily basis, this is the book for you.
My take is that about 80% of what a president does is awful; boring meetings and politics; 20% is great fun! Dinner parties, entertainment, travel, and relaxing at Camp David.

Warning, this is one long book that covers Reagans 8 years as President. With the exception of Security and author progative, this is his complete thoughts on each day, his drive, his frustrations, and times that made him happy. The day to day of the White House is pretty much just like the day to day of any leader, dealing with normal operations and the occasional incident that needs to be taken care of. I have to say that I have more respect for Ronald Reagan after reading this book and for the challenges that face our leadership.

This book allows you to "see" thru Ronald Reagan's eyes for a brief moment to experience life from his viewpoint.

This book offers not only a deeper look at the day to day operations inside the White House, but also helps explore the inner workings of President Reagen's mind. It helps explain some of the reasons he made decisions the way he did.