A SHINING CITY: THE LEGACY OF RONALD REAGAN - Hardcover

To celebrate his next birthday, the former president's library has organized this volume of his postpresidency speeches, from his farewell address to his final public communication announcing his Alzheimer's disease. Preceding each of the 50 speeches is a tribute to Reagan from his associates and a few opponents, some of whose memories are interesting, some of whose are vapid (Howard Baker's six-sentence salute is: "He was a great president"). If one likes Reagan, enjoyment of these speeches naturally follows. They typically open with a joke, pause in mid-screed for self-deprecation of his age, and conclude by praising an idealized America, the shining city upon the hill of the Puritans, which Reagan always extolled. The subjects of Reagan's speeches range across constitutional amendments he favored, a eulogy, salutes to such figures as Lech Walesa, and variations on "The Speech" --as was labeled in his political heyday his stock address calling for a strong military and a small government. With many photographs, this collection will assuredly appeal to Reaganauts. Gilbert Taylor