Product Description

Ronald Reagan is more than a revered and popular president--he is a hero to millions, beloved as a persuasive leader who inspired America and shaped the future more than any other modern president. Reagan's everyman insight--stemming from his unique background as actor, sports broadcaster, and labor leader--make him America's most quotable president. In The Wit & Wisdom of Ronald Reagan, author James C. Humes brings together the best observations and opinions of the "Great Communicator." Spanning one-liners, anecdotes, zingers, and little-known stories, this collection also includes commentary about Reagan from friends and foes as well as analysis of his great speeches. The Wit & Wisdom of Ronald Reagan is an exceptional tribute to America's adored fortieth president.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #68267 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 222 pages

From the Inside Flap
From Hollywood to the White House, the "Great Communicator's" Great Words

Ronald Reagan is more than a revered and popular president--he is a hero to millions, beloved as a persuasive leader who inspired America and shaped the future more than any other modern president. Reagan's everyman insight--stemming from his unique background as actor, sports broadcaster, and labor leader--make him America's most quotable president. In The Wit & Wisdom of Ronald Reagan, author James C. Humes brings together the best observations and opinions of the "Great Communicator." Spanning one-liners, anecdotes, zingers, and little-known stories, this collection also includes commentary about Reagan from friends and foes as well as analysis of his great speeches. The Wit & Wisdom of Ronald Reagan is an exceptional tribute to America's adored fortieth president.

From the Back Cover
A sample of Reagan's wit & wisdom

Reagan on Taxes:

"The taxpayer--that's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take a civil service exam."

Reagan on the Cold War:

"We win; they lose."

Reagan on Welfare:

"I think the best possible social program is a job."

About the Author
JAMES C. HUMES is a former presidential speechwriter whose words have helped create some of the most memorable moments in history. Before his speechwriting career, he represented the U.S. State Department in lectures on American government all over the world. He has served as a communications advisor to major U.S. corporations, including IBM and DuPont. He is the author of twenty-three other books, including Confessions of a White House Ghostwriter (Regnery) and the Pulitzer Prize-nominated Churchill: Speaker of the Century. A widely sought speaker across the country, he lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Customer Reviews

A wonderfully nostalgic treat that can make a wonderful gift.
If you love and miss Ronald Reagan, this is a book that will feed your nostalgia while providing a warm glow to your day. The author has been a speechwriter and the author of several books, so he knows how to select great words. James C. Humes organizes the book in eight short chapters.

Chapter 1 provides quotations from the Gipper. They are a sentence or two on a wide range of topics (and are arranged alphabetically by topic). Chapter 2 is a collection of quips and jokes and also organized by topic. Chapter 3 provides brief comments by Reagan on world leaders and a few historic figures. Chapter 4 presents brief statements by friends and enemies about Reagan. For example, we are reminded that it was Margaret Thatcher who said he won the Cold War without firing a shot and Pat Schroeder who called him the Teflon President.

Chapter 5 consists of short anecdotes about Reagan's life and career. Chapter 6 puts some of Reagan's best zingers in their true historical context (which the media tries to twist and distort and forget - because they are invested in the notion that Reagan was a dunce. History is taking a much different assessment of the man and his two terms as President). Chapter 7 presents some of Reagan's best stories. They reveal a great deal about his beliefs and his character. Chapter 8 presents excerpts from his best speeches and provides some information about the context in which the speech was given and its effects. Again, this helps undo some of the work the liberals in the media do to insult and undermine his memory.

While much of the material Reagan used was not original with him (some of it is), he delivered it masterfully and had keen insight on when to use it for best effect. This book is not only an enjoyable read, it makes a great gift for anyone in your life who is fond of Reagan or someone you want to learn about how great and effective a President he was.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

A great source of wisdom from an intelligent man
This book clearly shows how Ronald Reagan was superior to his critics. The man they accused of having simple solutions to complex problems outwitted and outmaneuvered them by having just that. His solutions where simple, but not easy. It was the right step to take at a time when America and the rest of the world was suffering from failed economical policies. By making the economy more simple and easing the burdens of the taxpayer, he did more for the world economy than all the economists of the "old" system did after the second world war. His quick remarks and one-liners in response to critique is a great sign of his intelligence. What he did not make up for in his education, he accomplished with his intelligence and belief in the good intent of man.

Warm. Reminiscent. Revealing.
The WIT & WISDON OF RONALD REAGAN is warm, revealing and reminiscent of better days. Among this generation of politicians, Reagan shines all the more brightly as a leader of character, confidence, and common sense. Although the media vilified and derided him during his Presidency, America loved him.

The book contains many well-known quips and quotes of "the Gipper" including some which shook the world: "...tear down this wall" and the "evil empire" speech. Others amused and delighted us. "Honey, I forgot to duck". Through it all, the President conducted himself with humility, grace, and wisdom.

"Reaganonomics" was mocked by economists, liberals and the press. But it worked. The economic policies Reagan started with the 1982 tax cut and promoted through his two terms fueled unprecedented economic growth which is still driving the economy today.

From foreign policy to fiscal policy, Reagan stands tall. History will remember Reagan as one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. This book helps us remember why.