Riding with Reagan, John R. Barletta
Riding with Reagan, John R. Barletta
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
Club: $9.99

Riding with Reagan
From the White House to the Ranch

Author: John R. Barletta, Rochelle Schweizer

Narrator: Christopher Grove

Unabridged: 6 hr 55 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 07/09/2024


Synopsis

John Barletta was a Vietnam veteran and Secret Service agent who spent over a decade with the Reagans, poised to give his own life at any moment to save the fortieth president of the United States. His superior riding skills made Barletta the perfect choice to protect Reagan during his frequent visits to the ranch. Over time, he got to know Reagan as few others did.

In Riding With Reagan, John Barletta shares his one-of-a-kind memories of the President, painting a picture of a relaxed Reagan at his very best. Through his eyes, we see a rugged man who thrived outdoors, deeply loved his wife and children, and was a prankster at heart.

Barletta also recalls the sad times: watching a once-robust Reagan fade into the dark shadows of Alzheimer's disease, and the painful moment when he had to tell the former president that his days of horseback riding had come to an end.

Poignant and candid, Riding With Reagan is an intimate portrait of the man who remains one of the most popular presidents in our nation's history. A stirring ode to friendship, brotherhood, and the great outdoors, it celebrates a true hero whose life and spirit are the embodiment of what it means to be an American.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Luisa on April 17, 2025

What a sweet and touching account of a secret agent’s time with Reagan on his ranch in California! If you love horses, or if you’re indifferent about horses (like me), if you enjoy the slow pace of ranch life, and/or you like stories about an unlikely friendship with a charming old man, this book is......more

Goodreads review by Mediaman on January 10, 2025

Great book. Not particularly well written but packed with interesting content that shows a whole different side of President Reagan as well as rare insights into the Secret Service. For 23 years the author was the agent in charge of Reagan's ranch horses as well as helping at the White House. He wou......more

Goodreads review by Nelia on November 17, 2024

This was a delightful book, written by a member of the Secret Service who was the closest to President Reagan because of his expertise on horseback riding. Very few could keep up with the President when he was on the back of a horse, so John Barletta worked at the Reagan ranch in California as well......more

Goodreads review by Colleen on April 17, 2023

The book was loaned to me by a mutual horse friend. Politics aside, I only read it due to my interest in Reagan as a horseman and because I’d lived in Santa Barbara. That being said, I found the book extremely difficult to get into. I thought the writing was amateurish and definitely not engaging. I......more

Goodreads review by Denise on October 25, 2024

Ronald Reagan was such a good man. The likes of which are very difficult to find today, especially in politics. You do learn about Reagan in this book, but you learn a lot more about horses, riding, and Secret Service protocol.......more