When Character Was King, Peggy Noonan
When Character Was King, Peggy Noonan
List: $12.50 | Sale: $8.75
Club: $6.25

When Character Was King

Author: Peggy Noonan

Narrator: Peggy Noonan

Abridged: 5 hr 23 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/13/2001


Synopsis

From the bestselling author of What I Saw at the Revolution comes an elegiac tribute to one of America's most beloved leaders.

It is twenty years—a full generation—since Ronald Reagan first walked into the White House and ignited a revolution. From the beginning, he enjoyed the American people's affection but now, as he approaches the end of his life, he has received what he deserved even more: their deep respect.

What was the wellspring of his greatness? Peggy Noonan, bestselling author of the classic Reagan-era memoir What I Saw at the Revolution, former speechwriter, and now a columnist and contributing editor for The Wall Street Journal, argues that the secret of Reagan's success was no secret at all. It was his character—his courage, his kindness, his persistence, his honesty, and his almost heroic patience in the face of setbacks—that was the most important element of his success.

The one thing a man must bring into the White House with him if he is to succeed, Noonan contends, is a character that people come to recognize as high, sturdy, and reliable.

Noonan, renowned for her special insight into Ronald Reagan's history and personality, brings her own reflections to Reagan to bear in When Character Was King and discloses never-before-told stories from the former president's family, friends, and White House colleagues to reveal the true nature of a man even his opponents now view as a maker of big history.

Marked by incisive wit and elegant prose, When Character Was King will enlighten and move readers.

About The Author

Peggy Noonan was a special assistant to President Ronald Reagan from 1984 to 1986; in 1988, she was chief speechwriter to Vice President George Bush during his campaign for the presidency. In 1989, she left Washington, DC, for her native New York, where she completed her first book, the bestselling What I Saw at the Revolution: A Political Life in the Reagan Years. Since that time, her articles, and essays have appeared in Time, Newsweek, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Forbes, and many other publications. She is also author of The Case Against Hillary Clinton, a #1 New York Times bestseller. Currently, she is a columnist and contributing editor at the Wall Street Journal and a political contributor for Fox News. She lives in New York City.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Doran on July 20, 2008

I finished reading Peggy Noonan’s book about Ronald Reagan last night. It’s a great book about a great man that ends on a sad note (just like Reagan’s life will end after his long battle with Alzheimers). There was one part of the book that really stood out and impressed me — so much so that I felt I......more

Goodreads review by Lizzie on April 14, 2011

"In a time of malice he was not malicious; in a time of lies he did not falsify; in a time of great pressure he didn't bend or break; in a time of disingenuousness he was clear and candid about where he stood and why. And in a time when people just gave up after awhile and changed the subject, he re......more

Goodreads review by Mick on July 20, 2014

Peggy Noonan does a wonderful job reminding us that Ronald Reagan was not only a President worth celebrating but also a man of character worth honoring. Noonan takes readers on a fast-paced tour through Reagan's formative years, his professional career and his political journey, stopping only long en......more

Goodreads review by Steve on November 24, 2018

[URL not allowed] Peggy Noonan’s “When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan” was published in late 2001. Noonan is the author of nine books, a political commentator and a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. From 1984 to 1986 she was a speechwriter for President Reaga......more