Biography of Ronald Reagan: The 5 Most Interesting Published Works

Ronald Reagan is an icon for most of America’s right-wing conservative movements. In fact, author Craig Shirley, who wrote "Reagan’s Revolution," went so far as to say that Ronald Reagan was the original Tea Party candidate, in an article that appeared on NPR.org.

Due to his popularity with conservatives, many biographies of Ronald Reagan have been published highlighting his achievements — or failures — depending on the political perspective of the author. The wealth of choices makes finding a good biography of Ronald Reagan a daunting task.

Vote Now: Who Was the Greatest American President?

This list of the five most interesting published biographies of former President Ronald Reagan will help narrow down those choices.

1. "An American Life: The Autobiography"
This is the official autobiography of Reagan himself, and as such, tops the list of most interesting publications. What better place to get great information on Reagan than the man himself?

2. "The Reagan Diaries"
While Reagan was president, he kept daily diaries where he recorded very personal thoughts and feeling concerning the country and his presidency. This book, edited by Douglas Brinkley, serves almost as a supportive text to Reagan’s autobiography.

3. "Stories in His Own Hand: The Everyday Wisdom of Ronald Reagan"
Reagan was renowned as a storyteller throughout his life. According to the Amazon.com description of this book, manuscripts of stories Reagan wrote during the late 1970s were compiled by former Reagan aides into this book. 

4. "Ronald Reagan: How an Ordinary Man Became an Extraordinary Leader"
Dinesh D’Souza, longtime conservative author and former Reagan aide, penned this book that depicts how Reagan rose to the most powerful political office in the world.

5. "The Notes: Ronald Reagan’s Private Collection of Stories and Wisdom"
This book follows the same format as "Stories in His Own Hand," in that the book is comprised of Reagan’s private thoughts, writings, and musings during his presidency.
For those looking for a unique and interesting biography of Reagan, these five publications provide a great starting point.

Vote Here: Which US President Would Be Considered the Greatest in History?
Related Stories:

• Reagan’s ‘Time for Choosing’ at 50: It Changed a Nation
• Ronald Reagan: A Birthday Tribute