The rise of Ronald Reagan

A quiet, soft-spoken assessment of the California Governor, by a reporter who had accompanied Reagan on his campaign trails. Interestingly enough, journalists who disapprove of Reagan's political stance, seem to agree on the man himself--sincere, likable, occasionally open minded, but not really tuned in to the needs and expectations of a sizeable element of his constituency of a different background, a different experience than his own small town American beginnings. In tracing Reagan's career--his college days, his film work (he was not a great actor, but a good one); his work for the Screen Actors Guild; entry into politics, campaign and administration--the author seems to concentrate on Reagan's headfirst, sometimes shrewd, sometimes highly emotional reactions to the situations with which he is faced. One has the impression of a man essentially passive, competent, only asking to do his job, unpleasantly jolted by demands he did not anticipate. For every shred of damning evidence--Reagan's ""economy"" measures which closed four treatment clinics in the mental hygiene department; his anti-conservation measures ("A tree is a tree--how many more do you need to look at?"): the deep splits between Reagan and the poor, the young, the intellectuals--the author supplies a "but on the other hand." "In a time of complexity (Reagan's Forgotten American) looks for simple answers and in Ronald Reagan he finds a spokesman and a leader." No startling grist for any political mill, but a sane estimate.