Title: Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan
Author: Edmund Morris
First published October 19, 1999
874 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780394555089 (ISBN10: 0394555082)
Rating: 3.56
Overview
Edmund Morris’ Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan is a groundbreaking biography, offering readers an unprecedented look into the life of the 40th President of the United States. As the only biography ever authorized by a sitting President, Morris had complete interpretive freedom to explore Reagan’s life and legacy.
Morris’ fascination with Reagan began when he was invited to the White House as a literary guest shortly after Reagan’s inauguration. After Reagan’s landslide reelection in 1984, Morris became an observing eye and ear at the White House, gaining unprecedented access to Reagan’s personal papers, including early autobiographical stories and a handwritten White House diary.
This book takes readers on a biographical pilgrimage to the heart of Ronald Reagan’s mystery, starting with his birth in 1911 in rural Illinois, where he was known as “Dutch,” the dreamy son of an alcoholic father and a fiercely religious mother. Morris progresses through the many stages of Reagan’s life, including his time as a young lifeguard, aspiring writer, ace sportscaster, film star, soldier, union leader, corporate spokesman, Governor, and President.
Morris’ writing style and formidable scholarship make this book an epic read, taking readers on a journey through one of the most fascinating political figures of the twentieth century.
Editoral Review
Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan by Edmund Morris is a landmark biography of one of the most beloved and controversial American presidents of the 20th century. Published on October 19, 1999, Morris’s book delves deep into the life of Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, exploring his early years, his rise to fame as a Hollywood actor, his political career, and his enduring legacy.
Morris, who passed away in 2019, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and historian, known for his meticulous research and vivid prose. In Dutch, he draws on his extensive interviews with Reagan, his family, and his friends, as well as on archival materials, to create a rich and nuanced portrait of the man behind the myth.
The book is a work of creative nonfiction, blending Morris’s own reflections and observations with historical facts and anecdotes. It is structured as a memoir, with Morris inserting himself into the narrative as a character and framing Reagan’s story through his own experiences.
The plot of Dutch follows Reagan’s life from his birth in 1911 in Tampico, Illinois, to his death in 2004. Along the way, Morris explores Reagan’s childhood, his education, his early acting career, his entry into politics, and his tenure as Governor of California before his election to the Presidency in 1980.
Morris also delves into Reagan’s personal life, including his marriage to Nancy Reagan and his strained relationship with his children.
One of the strengths of Dutch is Morris’s ability to capture Reagan’s unique persona and his impact on American culture and politics. Morris portrays Reagan as a man of contradictions – a former liberal Democrat who became an arch-conservative Republican; a charismatic leader who struggled with personal relationships; a man of simple tastes who lived a life of luxury.
Morris also provides insight into the historical context of Reagan’s presidency, including his role in ending the Cold War and his controversial policies on taxation, social welfare, and foreign policy. Morris’s analysis is balanced and nuanced, acknowledging both the successes and failures of Reagan’s presidency.
However, there are some weaknesses to Dutch. Morris’s writing style can be overly dense and academic at times, making it difficult for readers without a background in history or politics to follow.
Additionally, Morris’s insertion of himself into the narrative may be distracting for some readers.
Overall, Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan is a must-read for anyone interested in American history and politics. Morris’s deep dive into Reagan’s life and legacy is both informative and entertaining, and his storytelling is masterful.
While the book may not be for everyone, those who appreciate a thorough and thoughtful exploration of a complex figure like Ronald Reagan will find Dutch to be a fascinating and rewarding read.
Rating: 4/5 stars.
