Rating: 
Summary: Fair and Balanced
Review: I was privileged to read this book several years ago when it was still a manuscript. I approched it with a critical eye, but found myself moved mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.Paul is a very warm guy with a wry sense of humor, and it is apparent in his style. He expected reviews like the one from Publishers Weekly, which is part of the reason why there are nearly 60 pages of footnotes, the other part is that he is a scholar and takes his craft seriously. So seriously, in fact, that this book was an accident. Kengor was curious how Reagan fought the Cold War and set out to research it. He was struck by how much Reagan's faith influenced his decisions and decided to change tacks. Not one to simply rehash existing records, his research included interviews with family members, co-workers, and friends. Many of his sources are written by Reagan's own hand. If you are not a Christian, you will be prone to look down on this book because of its discussion of spirituality. I challenge you to read this book with a truly open mind. Reagan is often criticized as being rather dim-witted. He also was known for being humble and rather soft-spoken. The criticism all stops at the argument that Reagan almost single-handedly toppled the USSR. He did. It was his resolve and leadership. God has a very ironic sense of humor. This dim-witted, meek, and quiet guy did what no one else could. Sounds like irony to me, the simple shaming the scholars. Read the book; make your own judgments.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating and Masterfully Done
Review: If you believed the reviews from Publisher's Weekly and the bloke from Britain, Gandhi and Gorbachev are responsible for the end of the Cold War, not Ronald Reagan. However, a more discriminating reader would realize that these reviewers are indeed morons and haven't even read Paul Kengor's captivating and masterfully done spiritual autobiography of Ronald Reagan. What other reviewers have failed to capture is the dual nature of the book - it manages to be what no other Reagan book is: both scholarly, and inspirational. Containing over fifty pages of footnotes, it is truly the work of a scholar, and yet oh so enjoyable to read. Where other biographers have failed - the blundering Edmund Morris with his insertion of himself into the narrative and the emotionalism of Peggy Noonan - Paul Kengor succeeds simply because he relies on fact. Don't take my word for it; many other scholars agree. "An important volume about one of the most significant figures of the 20th century. Ronald Reagan's spiritual beliefs were central to who he was, and this aspect of Reagan's life has been neglected by far too many historians and political scientists. Paul Kengor has filled the void with this superb book-no interpretation of Ronald Reagan will be complete without reference to this vital work."
-Stephen Knott, Ronald Reagan Oral History Project, University of Virginia "A penetrating history of the president's evolving religious faith."
-Kenneth W. Thompson, University of Virginia "Meticulously researched and insightful."
-Andrew E. Busch, author of Ronald Reagan and the Politics of Freedom "Throughout the Cold War, sophisticated people-conservatives and liberals alike-supposed that communism could possibly be contained, but not defeated. Ronald Reagan believed otherwise, and acted on that belief. Why did Reagan believe it could be done? In his fine new book, Paul Kengor argues that it was a matter of faith. In the vast body of Reagan scholarship, what has been missing is a spiritual biography. Kengor has admirably supplied our need."
-Robert P. George, Princeton University "The conventional wisdom about Ronald Reagan is that he can be explained merely by understanding his conservative ideology. Yet Reagan was a man of faith, and that faith both deeply and significantly shaped his career, his policies, and his political style. Paul Kengor has taken that faith seriously and in this compelling book explains why students and scholars should do so as well. God and Ronald Reagan makes an important contribution to our understanding of the last major president of the 20th century, as well as to the undervalued role of religion in public life."
-Ryan J. Barilleaux, Miami University of Ohio "The conservative Christian who rarely went to church: that is the conundrum most pundits used to refer to Ronald Reagan when discussing his relationship to religion. Now, Paul Kengor casts light on the Ronald Reagan most of us knew was there, but which few of us had the chance to see. Enjoyable and enlightening."
-Gary L. Gregg, University of Louisville In sum, Paul Kengor renders the only real Ronald Reagan available in biography today - a man of deep faith who believed that godless communism enslaved the soul and that all men should be free to choose their destiny. Bravo, Professor Kengor.
Rating: 
Summary: Reagan's Spiritual Life?
Review: Isn't this a little like writing a book about Jeffrey Dahmer and vegetarianism?
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, insightful
Review: Kengor has done a marvelous job in telling the story of Reagan's spiritual journey. Anyone interested in God, politics, or the person of Reagan, will enjoy this book. Very well written.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: Mr. Kengor did a very thorough job of researching for this book and produced a very readable account of an extradorinary person. Ronald Reagan's legacy will always include the role he played in bringing about the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. Kengor does a very good job of showing how Reagan's faith (as instilled by his mother) helped to develop the ideals that he would carry with him to the presidency. I was too young to vividly recall many of Reagan's speeches, but I was amazed at just how often he referred to his faith. I find it interesting that Reagan was able see that defeating Communism was an ideological war...not a war to be fought on the battlefield. Reagan held true to his belief in God and the world changed as a result.
Rating:
Summary: I just loved this wonderful book and both subjects!
Review: One of the most exciting days of my life was election day 1980 when Ronald Reagan swept into office. I've loved Ronald Reagan ever since. I used to say during his presidency that I loved him more every morning than I did the night before when I went to bed. OK, I'm a rabid Ronald Reagan fan.
So, my wife gave this book to me for my birthday. For months I looked at it on my shelf and ignored it believing it to be an over-the-top evangelical perspective that, through its emphasis on Reagan's religiosity, would somehow miss the "real" Reagan. Boy, was I wrong! Before this book, I had no idea what a central role religion, and a formal religious upbringing played in Reagan's life.
This book captured the "true" Reagan as well any other I've ever read and I've read plenty on this great man. This book tells a story that is both informative and inspirational.
In fact, understanding Reagan and his conservative philosophy without placing it in the context of his religious upbringing and his religious beliefs is to incompletely understand the man and his philosophy.
This book begins in Dixon with the young Dutch and the ever present saintly Nell, who was the first of two major influences in Reagan's life. The second of course being his wife Nancy.
Later, we are introduced to the unmistakable influence Whittaker Chambers played in Reagan's life. We're introduced Reagan's General Electric years and how he formulated his anti-communist pro-freedom philosophy. We're introduced to his Goldwater speech at the 1964 Republican convention. All of the major episodes in Regan's life are told intertwining his political and religious beliefs into the coherent whole that WAS Ronald Reagan.
More than anything this book emphasizes how extraordinary a man Ronald Reagan was. He wasn't just a bright fellow with a gift for telling stories who happened to adopt a winning conservative philosophy, but was an extraordinarily thoughtful intelligent spiritual man who prepared his entire life not for public office, but to become the exceptional man who would grace our country with his leadership.
If you love Ronald Reagan, if you love Truth, if you love God, if you find inspiration from Reagan's metaphorical reference to a shining city on the hill, if you loved his speeches at Normandy, if you were overcome by emotion during Reagan's funeral services, if you are optimistic and find inspiration in God's wonderful world this book will bring you a happiness and contentment you will cherish.
Please, go out and read it.
Rating:
Summary: A side of Reagan that few recognize
Review: Paul Kengor's "God and Ronald Reagan" gives insight into the deep religious faith of President Reagan. Reagan is often unfairly criticized by many Republicans for not being religious. Those who criticize his lack of faith have not studied the man. Paul Kengor has and captures the roots of Reagan's deep and abiding faith in God. Kengor points out that Reagan was the first President in more than 100 years to mention Jesus Christ in public speeches. Kengor does a good job in documenting how Reagan's faith was an integral part of Reagan's fight against communism. Anyone seeking to understand why Reagan fought so hard against communism and was ultimately successful must first understand how Reagan's faith in God influenced his decisions. Studying Reagan without looking at his faith is to miss perhaps the biggest influence in his life and political decisions. Reagan fought against communism because his faith told him that man should be free.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Summation
Review: Professor Kengor's book provides an excellent and thorough review of how Reagan's faith permeated his entire life, from his childhood in Illinois to his presidency. It is especially compelling to read the descriptions of how deeply Reagan drew on his Christian faith when combatting one of the chief evils of the past century: Communism. (By way of contrast, the book describes the snippy reactions of the secular elite who thought it was boorish for Reagan to speak of Communism's atheistic evil.) Kengor's book provides a superb antidote to those who have fallen for the myth that Reagan wasn't much of a believer insofar as he didn't often attend church as President (in fact, he was nervous about security, especially after the assassination attempt, and didn't want to force other churchgoers to be searched every Sunday). In short, a wonderful and readable book that should be of interest to many.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Subject, Excellent Scholarship
Review: So many biographies of our 40th President have left the impression that Ronald Reagan was difficult to understand. His official biographer, for one - historian Edmund Morris - was apparently so baffled by Reagan that he had to resort to fictionalizing Reagan's life story when he wrote his book "Dutch."
But now, thanks to Dr. Kengor's superb and scholarly work, we have a book that begins to uncover the real Ronald Reagan. For the first time, Reagan's many years of public policy pronouncements are comprehensively examined in light of his unwavering faith. For the first time, we begin to understand Reagan's motivations and his make-up as we come to realize that his spiritual life and his public life were inexorably intertwined - and that his religious faith had a tremendous, positive impact on public policy.
Whether President Reagan's bold, courageous, and timely public declarations about the malevolent intentions of the former Soviet Union, for example, actually accelerated that country's demise may well have to be left to a thorough examination by future historians. But there is no doubt that President Reagan sincerely believed that his faith compelled him to speak the truth about the evils of communism - something that is commonly accepted today but that no politician before him dared to utter. And there is also no doubt that his "evil empire" speech, all by itself, lifted the hopes and dreams of so many Christians and Jews imprisoned worldwide by communist governments that, to this day, remain intolerant and afraid of all things religious. Reagan's spiritual beliefs made a real difference.
Overall, this is a well written, thoroughly documented, and fascinating study. I am grateful to Dr. Kengor for shedding light on this topic and I look forward to his future works.
Rating:
Summary: Someone gets it right...finally
Review: This book finally identifies perhaps THE driving force of Ronald Reagan's life - his faith. The man who ended the Cold War was animated by a profoundly deep faith in God and felt he was enjoined by Scripture and the Lord Jesus to oppose evil - the Soviet Union - with all his might. Kengor relies not on opinions but fact as he traces the spiritual life of Reagan, meticulously using Reagan's own writings and words to highlight his faith. "God and Ronald Reagan" combines the fluid writing of a trade book with the scholarship (one-quarter of the text is footnotes) of a true academic. This is an amazingly engaging read, a true page turner, and a revealing look at Reagan's heretofore ignored faith. As Reagan rides into the sunset of his life, Kengor sheds new light on one of the enduring figures of the twentieth century. Do yourself a favor and read this book.
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