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What I Saw at the Revolution: A Political Life in the Reagan Era
On the hundredth anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth comes the twentieth-anniversary edition of Peggy Noonan’s critically acclaimed bestseller What I Saw at the Revolution, for which she provides a new Preface that demonstrates this book’s timeless relevance. As a special assistant to the president, Noonan worked with Ronald Reagan—and with Vice President George H. W. Bush—on some of their most memorable speeches. Noonan shows us the world behind the words, and her sharp, vivid portraits of President Reagan and a host of Washington’s movers and shakers are rendered in inimitable, witty prose. Her priceless account of what it was like to be a speechwriter among bureaucrats, and a woman in the last bastion of male power, makes this a Washington memoir that breaks the mold—as spirited, sensitive, and thoughtful as Peggy Noonan herself.
384 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 1990
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About the author
Peggy Noonan
28 books175 followersPeggy Noonan is an author of seven books on politics, religion and culture, a weekly columnist for The Wall Street Journal, and was a Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan. She is considered a political conservative.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
November 17, 2010
Peggy Noonan, as I’m sure many of you know, was one of Ronald Reagan’s speechwriters. I received her memoir as a gift some 20 years ago with the inscription, “Look how far this gal from Farleigh Dickinson went!” That was sweet, sort of like saying, “If she could do it, imagine what you can become,” but I didn’t know quite what to make of it since the person who wrote that inscription was someone who’d made a career of bashing the Reagan administration. I was 19 or 20 then, and had spent my teenage years believing that protests were cooler than parties and professing the attitude that President Reagan was evil incarnate. The person who gave me book was a veteran protestor from the 60’s – the coolest of the cool. Why was he encouraging me to read Peggy Noonan?
I’ve long passed my “radical” stage, but I am still more Democrat than Republican, so I still had an aversion to the book. But that wasn’t the only or even the main reason. The book was the only tangible remnant I had of the person who gave it to me. Who needed a reminder of him? The only reason I happened to take the book off the shelf and read it after all these years was that I didn’t have time to go to the library and pick up anything from my to-read list. And now, I’m very glad it worked out that way.
With that introduction, I think you can imagine that at times, reading this book was painful for me. It brought me right back to the 80’s, reminding me from the other side of the ways that I was wrong. Oh, if I had only spent more time being blissfully unaware of politics like other teens, instead of adopting positions that were necessarily ignorant! That’s not to say that the book has made me any more politically conservative than life itself has already made me. I don’t agree with Noonan 100% on every issue. But her adoring portrait of Reagan has certainly made me like him. She paints him as basically a populist who cared about the welfare of the average American and who had some very conservative attitudes about morality. He was a Democrat turned Republican, and led many other Democrats with him. The trouble, she said, was that much of his staff wasn’t populist; they were elitist. She blames most of the problems that arose on Don Regan, Chief of Staff in the second term. Boy, does she have an axe to grind about him!
It would take too long to describe how each and every issue raised in the book affected me. So I’ll just say this: at the beginning of the book, Noonan states that there are several types of White House insider memoirs. Some adopt so serious a tone that they’re lifeless. Hers is definitely not that; it’s very human. Another variety she mentions is “They Should Have Listened to Me, the Fools!,” a trap she falls into quite a bit herself. But heck, she can write! The very last epilogue, added after the fall of Communism, uplifted me like a good political speech. And now I’m in the mood to read the other side of the story. Can anyone recommend anything good on Mikhail Gorbachev?
I’ve long passed my “radical” stage, but I am still more Democrat than Republican, so I still had an aversion to the book. But that wasn’t the only or even the main reason. The book was the only tangible remnant I had of the person who gave it to me. Who needed a reminder of him? The only reason I happened to take the book off the shelf and read it after all these years was that I didn’t have time to go to the library and pick up anything from my to-read list. And now, I’m very glad it worked out that way.
With that introduction, I think you can imagine that at times, reading this book was painful for me. It brought me right back to the 80’s, reminding me from the other side of the ways that I was wrong. Oh, if I had only spent more time being blissfully unaware of politics like other teens, instead of adopting positions that were necessarily ignorant! That’s not to say that the book has made me any more politically conservative than life itself has already made me. I don’t agree with Noonan 100% on every issue. But her adoring portrait of Reagan has certainly made me like him. She paints him as basically a populist who cared about the welfare of the average American and who had some very conservative attitudes about morality. He was a Democrat turned Republican, and led many other Democrats with him. The trouble, she said, was that much of his staff wasn’t populist; they were elitist. She blames most of the problems that arose on Don Regan, Chief of Staff in the second term. Boy, does she have an axe to grind about him!
It would take too long to describe how each and every issue raised in the book affected me. So I’ll just say this: at the beginning of the book, Noonan states that there are several types of White House insider memoirs. Some adopt so serious a tone that they’re lifeless. Hers is definitely not that; it’s very human. Another variety she mentions is “They Should Have Listened to Me, the Fools!,” a trap she falls into quite a bit herself. But heck, she can write! The very last epilogue, added after the fall of Communism, uplifted me like a good political speech. And now I’m in the mood to read the other side of the story. Can anyone recommend anything good on Mikhail Gorbachev?
January 23, 2016
I have a total writer crush on Peggy Noonan. I love her writing style, and I love that she is conservative, reasonable, and not a complete ass toward those with whom she disagrees (a model many people would do well to emulate in this day and age). Noonan was a special assistant--read: main speechwriter--for President Reagan during both of his administrations. I learned an enormous amount about political speech writing: how many hands get into the pie, how much back and forth fighting goes on over each sentence and paragraph, and how tough one needs to be when in the center of power in this country, especially as a woman back before people like Condi Rice and Hillary Clinton. This was a fascinating political memoir that deserves the reputation it's earned over the past two decades. I thought it was great.
What most impressed me was how honest Noonan was about President Reagan's weaknesses, especially during his last few years in office. This is a lady who loves Ronald Reagan, but much of what she said about the things she saw going on in the White House strengthens the argument for those who insist Reagan was just too damn old and disengaged by the end of his time in Washington. She also had a lot of good things to say about the first President Bush, a man who I've long felt didn't get a fair shake by conservatives or liberals (but then again, I'm a moderate New England Republican, so according to most people in the movement, I'm an RINO, too).
I've just realized that, in the past year, I've read three books about Ronald Reagan. Funny how that happened.
What most impressed me was how honest Noonan was about President Reagan's weaknesses, especially during his last few years in office. This is a lady who loves Ronald Reagan, but much of what she said about the things she saw going on in the White House strengthens the argument for those who insist Reagan was just too damn old and disengaged by the end of his time in Washington. She also had a lot of good things to say about the first President Bush, a man who I've long felt didn't get a fair shake by conservatives or liberals (but then again, I'm a moderate New England Republican, so according to most people in the movement, I'm an RINO, too).
I've just realized that, in the past year, I've read three books about Ronald Reagan. Funny how that happened.
May 4, 2014
The woman can write. And she's carrying a torch for Reagan. This book, however, was (I believe) her first, and covers her service at the end of the Reagan years and through the GHW Bush years. Just about anything memorable Bush 41 said, Peggy wrote.
May 1, 2012
This book, written 23 years ago, is filled with poise beyond its writer's years, even when she is score-settling, and it makes you wonder what wisdom its author will uncover in the decades to come. All these years later, we can say: quite a lot.
What I Saw at the Revolution is larger and more autobiographical than the books Noonan has often written since. It is denser in every way. It is rewarding and enjoyable and at times a touch too heavy. There are moments, as well, when a reader can feel Noonan clench her fist and punch the air triumphantly as she imagines what one of the witling editors of her president's speeches will think of seeing himself made infamous in print. It's a writer's innocent conceit never to realize such witlings do not read about themselves, or anything else. Noonan comes closest to this realization here:
. . . there's an odd thing about writing as an art: The critical faculty often fails. When people who can't paint try to paint they can usually step back when they're done, smile a rueful smile, and admit that painting's not their talent. But when people who can't write try to write they often can't tell they're not good. In fact, they often think they're pretty close to wonderful, and they're genuinely hurt - and often suspicious - when told otherwise. (p. 77)
The book's most interesting pieces are those in which the wide-eyed young presidential speechwriter discovers her hero, the President of the United States of America, is a bit of an empty vessel, a professionally trained actor, a pleaser of rooms:
He really always played himself; the vivid have no choice. That's why he seemed both phony and authentic. Because he was. He was really acting but the part he played was Ronald Reagan. (p. 158)
That observation has aged well. It's a tribute to Noonan that the very pop-pom shakers who today clip a sentence of hers here or there for their Republican rallies would regard that passage as such apostasy. Lucky for them, revelations like that happen far too deep in the pages of this considering book; they needn't ever be disabused of their love for her and Him.
But Noonan would never be loyal as they wished her to be because she is a writer, an employer of perfect words like tropism, and not a publicist. Or as she puts it:
A writer can do anything for his side but write for it. You either take whatever talent you have and let it lead you where it leads you, or you harness it to a political viewpoint and let political considerations decide what you do and do not write, do and do not see. In which case you are a partisan and a polemicist, but not a writer. You have to decide what you are. (p. 324)
Noonan knows by the end of this book exactly what she is, and she captures it in this tiny phrase: . . . my curiosity has grown bigger than my awe.
What I Saw at the Revolution is larger and more autobiographical than the books Noonan has often written since. It is denser in every way. It is rewarding and enjoyable and at times a touch too heavy. There are moments, as well, when a reader can feel Noonan clench her fist and punch the air triumphantly as she imagines what one of the witling editors of her president's speeches will think of seeing himself made infamous in print. It's a writer's innocent conceit never to realize such witlings do not read about themselves, or anything else. Noonan comes closest to this realization here:
. . . there's an odd thing about writing as an art: The critical faculty often fails. When people who can't paint try to paint they can usually step back when they're done, smile a rueful smile, and admit that painting's not their talent. But when people who can't write try to write they often can't tell they're not good. In fact, they often think they're pretty close to wonderful, and they're genuinely hurt - and often suspicious - when told otherwise. (p. 77)
The book's most interesting pieces are those in which the wide-eyed young presidential speechwriter discovers her hero, the President of the United States of America, is a bit of an empty vessel, a professionally trained actor, a pleaser of rooms:
He really always played himself; the vivid have no choice. That's why he seemed both phony and authentic. Because he was. He was really acting but the part he played was Ronald Reagan. (p. 158)
That observation has aged well. It's a tribute to Noonan that the very pop-pom shakers who today clip a sentence of hers here or there for their Republican rallies would regard that passage as such apostasy. Lucky for them, revelations like that happen far too deep in the pages of this considering book; they needn't ever be disabused of their love for her and Him.
But Noonan would never be loyal as they wished her to be because she is a writer, an employer of perfect words like tropism, and not a publicist. Or as she puts it:
A writer can do anything for his side but write for it. You either take whatever talent you have and let it lead you where it leads you, or you harness it to a political viewpoint and let political considerations decide what you do and do not write, do and do not see. In which case you are a partisan and a polemicist, but not a writer. You have to decide what you are. (p. 324)
Noonan knows by the end of this book exactly what she is, and she captures it in this tiny phrase: . . . my curiosity has grown bigger than my awe.
November 28, 2020
I chose this book after reading Dana Perino's book on her experiences working in the White House. I downloaded the audio edition, not realizing that it was abridged. Now that I've had a chance to listen to it, I will probably get one of the print editions, because as much as I liked the audiobook, I would like to compare the text edition with the audio edition.
In her book, Noonan postulates that Reagan was a populist president - not merely a Republican. She bases this on his connection with the "common man," and with issues that spoke to him. She told stories about what it was like to work in the White House behind the scenes as the speechwriter. She shares stories about his work and how he did things that were not considered "business as usual," like taking time out of his schedule to answer fan mail, and talking with a young mother at a campaign photo op at a McDonald's - things that we now consider standard fare.
As we are ending another populist presidency, I often wonder what the people who worked in the White House with Trump, particularly his speechwriters, will have to say about the four years they worked there and what it was like behind the scenes with him as a President. I wonder if years from now we will look back at the years from 2017-2020 with different eyes.
In her book, Noonan postulates that Reagan was a populist president - not merely a Republican. She bases this on his connection with the "common man," and with issues that spoke to him. She told stories about what it was like to work in the White House behind the scenes as the speechwriter. She shares stories about his work and how he did things that were not considered "business as usual," like taking time out of his schedule to answer fan mail, and talking with a young mother at a campaign photo op at a McDonald's - things that we now consider standard fare.
As we are ending another populist presidency, I often wonder what the people who worked in the White House with Trump, particularly his speechwriters, will have to say about the four years they worked there and what it was like behind the scenes with him as a President. I wonder if years from now we will look back at the years from 2017-2020 with different eyes.
June 13, 2017
After visiting the Reagan Library, I seem to be obsessed with all books Reagan. Especially written by Noonan, and a review would be redundant. I'll leave it at this.... it's not as good as "When Character was King", but it made me love Noonan even more!
March 17, 2014
In her excellent chronicle of life as Reagan's chief speechwriter, Noonan notes, "when people who can't write try to write they often can't tell they're not good. In fact, they often think they're pretty close to wonderful, and they're genuinely hurt, and often suspicious, when told otherwise."
Thankfully for the political reader interested in a well-written, entertaining, and oft-poetic narrative, Noonan decidedly provides the antithesis to her description. She is a writer bar none, and one can't help but keep turning the pages; moreover, Noonan has something that I've found truly rare--the ability to see past the fog of myriad details and the plethora of contrasting viewpoints--and really, really nail the main themes of a moment in history. It's what made her such a vital part of cementing Reagan's now almost unquestioned political legacy, and a grand part of what makes this book such a terrific read.
Thankfully for the political reader interested in a well-written, entertaining, and oft-poetic narrative, Noonan decidedly provides the antithesis to her description. She is a writer bar none, and one can't help but keep turning the pages; moreover, Noonan has something that I've found truly rare--the ability to see past the fog of myriad details and the plethora of contrasting viewpoints--and really, really nail the main themes of a moment in history. It's what made her such a vital part of cementing Reagan's now almost unquestioned political legacy, and a grand part of what makes this book such a terrific read.
March 1, 2012
So the words "I'm going through a bit of a Peggy Noonan phase" have probably never been spoken, until now, but I'm going through a bit of a Peggy Noonan phase. Maybe it's because there are very few books written by female speechwriters about being a female speechwriter. And yes, she's a crazy loon these days, but Peggy Noonan circa 1985 is actually kind of inspiring. For one, she didn't do what she didn't want to do. The first lady asks you to write a speech, most speechwriters would be like "sure, fine." She said no. For another, she writes the memos I only dream of writing. And finally, she's a tremendously gifted writer.
So if you like tremendously gifted writing, memos, and female speechwriters, this is a really fascinating read. Oh, yeah, Reagan is there too, but he played a supporting role to Peggy, her ego, and her incredible speeches.
So if you like tremendously gifted writing, memos, and female speechwriters, this is a really fascinating read. Oh, yeah, Reagan is there too, but he played a supporting role to Peggy, her ego, and her incredible speeches.
August 27, 2010
It's not my political cup of tea, but Peggy Noonan writes an engaging memoir of her experiences working as a speechwriter for the Reagan administration. I enjoyed her style and perspective, even when I didn't agree with her.
My chief problem was that every time Reagan walks into a room, she is just short of describing him as accompanied by rainbows and unicorns. At the same time, I understand that comes from being part of the "Reagan Revolution".
A unique perspective on working for a presidential administration, and an interesting read even if it's not your political leanings.
My chief problem was that every time Reagan walks into a room, she is just short of describing him as accompanied by rainbows and unicorns. At the same time, I understand that comes from being part of the "Reagan Revolution".
A unique perspective on working for a presidential administration, and an interesting read even if it's not your political leanings.
November 23, 2019
If you're a writer, definitely read this book. It's so charming and wonderful and made me cry (a lot).
April 25, 2020
Peggy Noonan’s book, What I Saw at the Revolution, details her experiences under the Reagan administration as a speechwriter. Peggy Noonan before her career at the White House was at CBS writing scripts for the radio shows. Her rise during the White House under the Reagen administration was remarkable. Noonan shows herself and admits to being a Conservative- evidence threads itself throughout the book aside from her admission.
Though her personal career was interesting, the book showed little understanding of the administration and the workings of the White House. In one paragraph, she shows depth and understanding of Reagan and his methods and in the very next shows how little she understood. Though Peggy seemed to not have a comprehensive understanding of President Reagan, she was able to communicate the American presidency is more than one person leading a nation and more of a group of individuals with different agendas operating within one organization that happens to have a figurehead with a driving ideal. Her accounts showed how much the President was a person within the cogs rather than a driving force within the American government. Peggy recognized while working at the White House not everything was what it seemed to the American public and much more of it was a facade. Leadership seemed to not emanate from the president if Noonan’s account is taken as the only view of the Reagan presidency. One can only assume that Reagan was a leader after reading Peggy Noonan’s book for it detailed very little of his personal leadership style and methods.
Peggy Noonan during the second Reagan campaign blamed the television for the presidential move to acting or pretense- stating that television has changed the nature of presidential actions and campaigns. During her tenure under Reagan wrote his speech following the Challenger explosion. Her personal working methods within the White House were those expected of a presidential speechwriter- a person who should strive to help a president find the words to help translate to the public the work that he was doing behind closed doors. Despite this there were at times where her working actions would have a note of arrogance.
The end of the book details Peggy Noonan’s departure from the Reagan administration and transition to working with George H.W. Bush. Noonan left the Reagan office when she felt speechwriters were no longer able to carry out the purpose of their job in its original purpose. It is only towards the very last pages of the book that the reader learns anything of note of Noonan’s personal life; she is married and divorced within the same sentence.
What I Saw At The Revolution shared little comprehensive details of the Reagan administration and more guidance regarding the navigation of being a speechwriter in a highly political environment- one that transcends Republican and Democrat issues and more personal agendas and affairs. Other summaries might denote this book as humorous and insightful to the Reagan administration. Rather this book shows how one person within the White House sees so little of the matters of the president. Peggy Noonan’s book described how distanced the White House the speechwriters are from the president despite the fact that they help put words in the president’s mouth that help advance their political agendas. What revolution was seen during the experiences she noted in the book is nuanced - perhaps this reader missed it between the pages. Her strongest suit throughout the book and her career is clearly her ability to use language and a well-rounded knowledge of culture and literature to her benefit.
Though her personal career was interesting, the book showed little understanding of the administration and the workings of the White House. In one paragraph, she shows depth and understanding of Reagan and his methods and in the very next shows how little she understood. Though Peggy seemed to not have a comprehensive understanding of President Reagan, she was able to communicate the American presidency is more than one person leading a nation and more of a group of individuals with different agendas operating within one organization that happens to have a figurehead with a driving ideal. Her accounts showed how much the President was a person within the cogs rather than a driving force within the American government. Peggy recognized while working at the White House not everything was what it seemed to the American public and much more of it was a facade. Leadership seemed to not emanate from the president if Noonan’s account is taken as the only view of the Reagan presidency. One can only assume that Reagan was a leader after reading Peggy Noonan’s book for it detailed very little of his personal leadership style and methods.
Peggy Noonan during the second Reagan campaign blamed the television for the presidential move to acting or pretense- stating that television has changed the nature of presidential actions and campaigns. During her tenure under Reagan wrote his speech following the Challenger explosion. Her personal working methods within the White House were those expected of a presidential speechwriter- a person who should strive to help a president find the words to help translate to the public the work that he was doing behind closed doors. Despite this there were at times where her working actions would have a note of arrogance.
The end of the book details Peggy Noonan’s departure from the Reagan administration and transition to working with George H.W. Bush. Noonan left the Reagan office when she felt speechwriters were no longer able to carry out the purpose of their job in its original purpose. It is only towards the very last pages of the book that the reader learns anything of note of Noonan’s personal life; she is married and divorced within the same sentence.
What I Saw At The Revolution shared little comprehensive details of the Reagan administration and more guidance regarding the navigation of being a speechwriter in a highly political environment- one that transcends Republican and Democrat issues and more personal agendas and affairs. Other summaries might denote this book as humorous and insightful to the Reagan administration. Rather this book shows how one person within the White House sees so little of the matters of the president. Peggy Noonan’s book described how distanced the White House the speechwriters are from the president despite the fact that they help put words in the president’s mouth that help advance their political agendas. What revolution was seen during the experiences she noted in the book is nuanced - perhaps this reader missed it between the pages. Her strongest suit throughout the book and her career is clearly her ability to use language and a well-rounded knowledge of culture and literature to her benefit.
April 28, 2022
There may be little need in 2022 to review a 1990 book on White House level politics of the 1980s. Still the author, Peggy Noonan, is a gifted writer, was present on the scene, and offers her report on the times. The book, What I Saw at the Revolution, is, by turns, tender, teasing, and payback time on some of obstructionist White House colleagues.
The revolution of which she writes is dual. One part is the change taking place in the Republican philosophy that pitted the younger, ideological conservatives against the older, pragmatist conservatives. She places Ronald Reagan in the latter category. When she writes of the fall of the Berlin Wall and subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union she finds this vindicates of Reagan's dealings with Gorbachev.
The other revolutionary aspect she addresses is the transformative nature of American politics. As in the generations who came to see FDR as a man who could do no wrong and voted that way for years, she saw a significant change in the public acceptance of conservative positions on the size of government and the policy decisions that the Reagan government made. Noonan notes, for instance, that she was the first in her Irish Catholic family to support a Republican. Reagan's 1980 election saw the Senate move into Republican hands for the first time since World War II. This initiated an era of fierce partisanship in Congress, but Democrats lost the House for the first time since WWII in 1994--under a Democrat in the White House. Since then, there has been a healthy contestation in control of both the executive and legislative branches of national government.
The teasing noted above is associated with her reporting on some of her colleagues. Sometimes she names the target individual and documents the basis for her differences. In other cases she does not mention names. Rather, she refers to one trio of troublesome types as "the mice." Perhaps denying them the visibility of naming them was part of her measures of revenge.
There is much close examination of the role of speechwriting (her job) in politics. The writing must present the speaker in the best possible light; a literary touch helps in this regard. However, the process of "staffing" the draft allows all the policy wonks to attempt rewrites to bring in their project of the moment, or to guard against disruptions of an atmosphere the State Department wants to develop, or protect. Readers who are creative themselves may be familiar with the gauntlet that review may construct. She also documents the difficulties faced by a woman working in the male dominated world of politics in the 80s.
The people and the policies at the heart of this book are mostly gone-- although Senator Joe Biden is mentioned several times, and he is still active--but the complexities of party politics in an era of change as described here may make this old book timely, once again. Anyone who is concerned with serious politics may find this a rewarding read.
The revolution of which she writes is dual. One part is the change taking place in the Republican philosophy that pitted the younger, ideological conservatives against the older, pragmatist conservatives. She places Ronald Reagan in the latter category. When she writes of the fall of the Berlin Wall and subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union she finds this vindicates of Reagan's dealings with Gorbachev.
The other revolutionary aspect she addresses is the transformative nature of American politics. As in the generations who came to see FDR as a man who could do no wrong and voted that way for years, she saw a significant change in the public acceptance of conservative positions on the size of government and the policy decisions that the Reagan government made. Noonan notes, for instance, that she was the first in her Irish Catholic family to support a Republican. Reagan's 1980 election saw the Senate move into Republican hands for the first time since World War II. This initiated an era of fierce partisanship in Congress, but Democrats lost the House for the first time since WWII in 1994--under a Democrat in the White House. Since then, there has been a healthy contestation in control of both the executive and legislative branches of national government.
The teasing noted above is associated with her reporting on some of her colleagues. Sometimes she names the target individual and documents the basis for her differences. In other cases she does not mention names. Rather, she refers to one trio of troublesome types as "the mice." Perhaps denying them the visibility of naming them was part of her measures of revenge.
There is much close examination of the role of speechwriting (her job) in politics. The writing must present the speaker in the best possible light; a literary touch helps in this regard. However, the process of "staffing" the draft allows all the policy wonks to attempt rewrites to bring in their project of the moment, or to guard against disruptions of an atmosphere the State Department wants to develop, or protect. Readers who are creative themselves may be familiar with the gauntlet that review may construct. She also documents the difficulties faced by a woman working in the male dominated world of politics in the 80s.
The people and the policies at the heart of this book are mostly gone-- although Senator Joe Biden is mentioned several times, and he is still active--but the complexities of party politics in an era of change as described here may make this old book timely, once again. Anyone who is concerned with serious politics may find this a rewarding read.
August 26, 2017
Loved her conversational, positive tones and inclusive style.
This memoir is the coming-of-age story for Noonan's political life and covers her work in the White House as a speechwriter for Regan and Bush (#41). She is a true original, so her mind and writing sometimes goes to surprising places. Not always cookie-cutter "Republican" and a bit anti-establishment. Very comfortable with the messy bits of herself and life in general. But ultimately, she seemed in line with all the major issues that I noticed. Her original voice gives her arguments more weight and authenticity - especially in the areas of the sanctity of life and individual liberty vs. big government. It feels like she wrestled with these issues and based her positions on profound understanding and compassion for others. She also worked for Dan Rather and CBS early in her career and has an affection for liberals - even when disagreeing with their politics. Her view of conservative ideals is very inclusive & positive. Love that!
I was a little shocked to read about her liberal college days (and a mention of casual drug use). She also has strong feminist tenancies and a major subcurrent of the book was her trying to knock down walls for herself a woman. Very hard noised at times. She seemed unsure about marriage, when back to full-time work while nursing and ultimately divorced her husband. :-(
Long chapters are divided by paragraphs with extra space in between and sometimes asterisks. In some sections, the paragraphs seems almost like free form thoughts - interesting but rambling and random. Kind of crazy and unpredictable. She has a 'comfortable' relationship with grammar - not always adhering to correct standards for paragraph indentations and punctuation. (I wonder if this mirrors a speechwriter's standard for writing).
Very interesting look inside the functioning in the White House, the articulation of Reagan politics and the experiences of a women in the 1980's male-dominated political arena.
Lots of references to being Irish Catholic. She generally has a good impression of the Church, except when she doesn't. She isn't afraid to openly criticize bishops and other church officials she disagrees with, but it usually seemed to be slightly grey areas - never issues of dogma.
Lots of eerie similarities to "And the Good News Is...: Lessons and Advice from the Bright Side" by Dana Perino - a memoir by the first female Republican White House press secretary, who worked for Bush (#43).
While this book deals with the articulation of Reagan's political messaging, the memoir itself is not as politically oriented as I expected. Noonan describes various political arguments as they relate to the story, but I never got the sense that this book was intended to convert readers to her political positions. She has a comfortable relationship with her politics - being able to articulate her own beliefs beautifully and being unphased if others disagree. She is definitely a political profession, who is use to the jostling of debates and the free flow of ideas.
I loved her insight into the disappearance of "locals" - ie local standards and cultures. She states that no one has beliefs now; we are more comfortable acting as commentators on beliefs held outside ourselves. Many of the trends and political issues she highlights seem relevant today. It is amazing that she wrote this back in the 1980's!
This memoir is the coming-of-age story for Noonan's political life and covers her work in the White House as a speechwriter for Regan and Bush (#41). She is a true original, so her mind and writing sometimes goes to surprising places. Not always cookie-cutter "Republican" and a bit anti-establishment. Very comfortable with the messy bits of herself and life in general. But ultimately, she seemed in line with all the major issues that I noticed. Her original voice gives her arguments more weight and authenticity - especially in the areas of the sanctity of life and individual liberty vs. big government. It feels like she wrestled with these issues and based her positions on profound understanding and compassion for others. She also worked for Dan Rather and CBS early in her career and has an affection for liberals - even when disagreeing with their politics. Her view of conservative ideals is very inclusive & positive. Love that!
I was a little shocked to read about her liberal college days (and a mention of casual drug use). She also has strong feminist tenancies and a major subcurrent of the book was her trying to knock down walls for herself a woman. Very hard noised at times. She seemed unsure about marriage, when back to full-time work while nursing and ultimately divorced her husband. :-(
Long chapters are divided by paragraphs with extra space in between and sometimes asterisks. In some sections, the paragraphs seems almost like free form thoughts - interesting but rambling and random. Kind of crazy and unpredictable. She has a 'comfortable' relationship with grammar - not always adhering to correct standards for paragraph indentations and punctuation. (I wonder if this mirrors a speechwriter's standard for writing).
Very interesting look inside the functioning in the White House, the articulation of Reagan politics and the experiences of a women in the 1980's male-dominated political arena.
Lots of references to being Irish Catholic. She generally has a good impression of the Church, except when she doesn't. She isn't afraid to openly criticize bishops and other church officials she disagrees with, but it usually seemed to be slightly grey areas - never issues of dogma.
Lots of eerie similarities to "And the Good News Is...: Lessons and Advice from the Bright Side" by Dana Perino - a memoir by the first female Republican White House press secretary, who worked for Bush (#43).
While this book deals with the articulation of Reagan's political messaging, the memoir itself is not as politically oriented as I expected. Noonan describes various political arguments as they relate to the story, but I never got the sense that this book was intended to convert readers to her political positions. She has a comfortable relationship with her politics - being able to articulate her own beliefs beautifully and being unphased if others disagree. She is definitely a political profession, who is use to the jostling of debates and the free flow of ideas.
I loved her insight into the disappearance of "locals" - ie local standards and cultures. She states that no one has beliefs now; we are more comfortable acting as commentators on beliefs held outside ourselves. Many of the trends and political issues she highlights seem relevant today. It is amazing that she wrote this back in the 1980's!
March 11, 2018
Very much written in her voice as I have heard it in her columns and on TV. Was interesting that she had critiques, often biting, of many people she worked for and with, except for Ronald Reagan. She saw him in something of a sycophantic way.
I did like reading the behind the scenes at White House as lived by a person of great writing talent with extensive literary and historical knowledge. Her fights to keep the poetry in speeches while meeting policy and political objectives were fascinating, the review/revision process intriguing.
Some jarring racial and especially gender statements/observations, and phonetic dialect place this very much as a book of the late 1980s which it is.
Some quotes: "For our politicians and our poor, two groups with a special interest in the illusory..." I found this denigrating to the poor. Page 137 paperback 20th Anniversary
Reagan quote on Social Security: " Social Security is not part of the deficit: it's funded entirely by its own fund...So no, we won't lower Social Security to reduce the deficit." p146
About Reagan: "A woman who knew him said, He lived life on the surface where the small waves are not deep down where the heavy currents tug. And yet he has great powers of empathy." page 151
Her description of picture of President and aides watching Challenger explosion. "Only on the face of Reagan do we see horror, and pain."
Noonan strove to understand Reagan and get his voice, to know him (she never felt she did). Her Challenger speech is remarkable (in its rhetoric, speed of writing to delivery, and getting through pretty unscathed by committee), and she knew Reagan would understand the quote from High Flight having grown up when memorization was part of education and having lived through WWII.
A favorite quote: "Pure democracy is a constant argument, an unending tug of war over what is right and how and whether to achieve it." page 250
Though-provoking quote: "[Don] Regan's fall was savage...[but] he survived, and this is what I learned from watching: All defeat is a collaboration. And as usual, Don Regan wouldn't cooperate." page 294
On writing: "...if you had seen those drafts, you would have seen clots of ideas on clean paper, globs of heroic awkwardly phrased. Write, comb it out, rewrite, keep combing. You love that little phrase and you keep keeping it in, but it doesn't connect with anything anymore and it doesn't matter if it has a kind of half-eloquence. 'We must kill our little darlings, ' said Mary McCarthy. page 308
Cogent quote: "...when men in politics are together, testosterone poisoning makes them insane." page 323
I did like reading the behind the scenes at White House as lived by a person of great writing talent with extensive literary and historical knowledge. Her fights to keep the poetry in speeches while meeting policy and political objectives were fascinating, the review/revision process intriguing.
Some jarring racial and especially gender statements/observations, and phonetic dialect place this very much as a book of the late 1980s which it is.
Some quotes: "For our politicians and our poor, two groups with a special interest in the illusory..." I found this denigrating to the poor. Page 137 paperback 20th Anniversary
Reagan quote on Social Security: " Social Security is not part of the deficit: it's funded entirely by its own fund...So no, we won't lower Social Security to reduce the deficit." p146
About Reagan: "A woman who knew him said, He lived life on the surface where the small waves are not deep down where the heavy currents tug. And yet he has great powers of empathy." page 151
Her description of picture of President and aides watching Challenger explosion. "Only on the face of Reagan do we see horror, and pain."
Noonan strove to understand Reagan and get his voice, to know him (she never felt she did). Her Challenger speech is remarkable (in its rhetoric, speed of writing to delivery, and getting through pretty unscathed by committee), and she knew Reagan would understand the quote from High Flight having grown up when memorization was part of education and having lived through WWII.
A favorite quote: "Pure democracy is a constant argument, an unending tug of war over what is right and how and whether to achieve it." page 250
Though-provoking quote: "[Don] Regan's fall was savage...[but] he survived, and this is what I learned from watching: All defeat is a collaboration. And as usual, Don Regan wouldn't cooperate." page 294
On writing: "...if you had seen those drafts, you would have seen clots of ideas on clean paper, globs of heroic awkwardly phrased. Write, comb it out, rewrite, keep combing. You love that little phrase and you keep keeping it in, but it doesn't connect with anything anymore and it doesn't matter if it has a kind of half-eloquence. 'We must kill our little darlings, ' said Mary McCarthy. page 308
Cogent quote: "...when men in politics are together, testosterone poisoning makes them insane." page 323
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2020
Peggy Noonan wrote this memoir because, as she said, someone had tell the human side of living in the White House, beyond just the policy battles and congressional dust-ups. She succeeds admirably, because she has a preternatural sense for the telling anecdote and the bon mot, and she writes with propulsive verve.
Noonan was born to a working-class Irish family in 1950, and grew up in the Jersey suburbs. Like most of her generation, she was a Democrat, a Kennedy-worshiper, an opponent of the war in Vietnam, until, one day, she wasn't. She found herself horrified by the snobbery of Vietnam war protesters and the left's disgust at middle-America. Even when she moved to CBS to write copy for radio, and later, for Dan Rather, she kept a sense of political opposition, and finally in 1984, moved to the speech writing department of the Reagan White House to support the man who had most inspired her.
Noonan explains the endless battles she had with Security Council Chief Bud McFarlane, with Special Assistant Mike Deaver, and with Nancy Reagan. A lot of the battles emerged from the fact that everyone considers themselves a writer, and wanted to add their own flare to Reagan's speeches, such essential alliteration as, "sustained by their sacrifice," and she and her two bosses, Bud Elliot and Pat Buchanan (who she says is as gentle as could be!) had to fight them off. Other times she would get caught in the crossfire of some policy battle about conservation or Marxist theory, not knowing that every word she wrote could be taken as a victory by one side or the other. All speeches got "staffed" thoroughly because all speeches could make policy, and she knew she had to be careful.
In any case, the beauty of this book is really just the images it summons of the people. The tall, confident Dick Darman, the raffish Don Regan, and, above all, the kind, thoughtful, though distracted, Ronald Reagan. The book does, as Noonan hopes, give the human side of the story, warts and all.
Noonan was born to a working-class Irish family in 1950, and grew up in the Jersey suburbs. Like most of her generation, she was a Democrat, a Kennedy-worshiper, an opponent of the war in Vietnam, until, one day, she wasn't. She found herself horrified by the snobbery of Vietnam war protesters and the left's disgust at middle-America. Even when she moved to CBS to write copy for radio, and later, for Dan Rather, she kept a sense of political opposition, and finally in 1984, moved to the speech writing department of the Reagan White House to support the man who had most inspired her.
Noonan explains the endless battles she had with Security Council Chief Bud McFarlane, with Special Assistant Mike Deaver, and with Nancy Reagan. A lot of the battles emerged from the fact that everyone considers themselves a writer, and wanted to add their own flare to Reagan's speeches, such essential alliteration as, "sustained by their sacrifice," and she and her two bosses, Bud Elliot and Pat Buchanan (who she says is as gentle as could be!) had to fight them off. Other times she would get caught in the crossfire of some policy battle about conservation or Marxist theory, not knowing that every word she wrote could be taken as a victory by one side or the other. All speeches got "staffed" thoroughly because all speeches could make policy, and she knew she had to be careful.
In any case, the beauty of this book is really just the images it summons of the people. The tall, confident Dick Darman, the raffish Don Regan, and, above all, the kind, thoughtful, though distracted, Ronald Reagan. The book does, as Noonan hopes, give the human side of the story, warts and all.
October 8, 2021
I’ve had this on a hard drive since April 2013, and after that many years, it was time to either read it or delete it; naturally, I read it.
The writing here is fantastic. This is someone who could work for Dan Rather and with grace and real ability write some of Ronald Reagan’s most stirring speeches. She delves into the enigma that was Ronald Reagan, and while she comes to love the man, she never actually knew him. Noonan explores the kind of people attracted to power in the 1980s. You get an apparently deservedly unflattering look at Donald Regan, former treasury secretary and Reagan chief of staff, and her portrayal of Oliver North is fascinating as well.
I enjoyed the insight she provides into the creation of speeches. During my brief and early years as a reporter, I learned much from those who edited my work. In Noonan’s case, those edits seemed more destructive than instructive. There were always rival interests seeking to drop paragraphs and replace them with insipid stuff or pedestrian policy-wonk stuff relevant to the interest of a specific agency. More than once, she describes fighting hard to keep paragraphs in a speech, reinserting them repeatedly when others sought to take them out. Some of those battles she won; others she lost.
Some of the highlights of the book were rereading the speeches and remembering where I was when they aired. It was Noonan who wrote the now-famous 1984 speech “The Boys of Pointe Du Hoc,” which Reagan delivered in Normandy.
Noonan also gave us the now-infamous George Bush pledge, “Read my lips! No new Taxes,” a pledge that would come back to haunt Bush in 1992.
She gives you a glimpse into her personal life while all this writing occurred. There was a marriage that rather quickly failed and a son that resulted from that marriage. Throughout the book are quotes you’ll want to memorize from sources other than Reagan and a writing style that will captivate you if you’ve ever tried a hand at writing anything.
The writing here is fantastic. This is someone who could work for Dan Rather and with grace and real ability write some of Ronald Reagan’s most stirring speeches. She delves into the enigma that was Ronald Reagan, and while she comes to love the man, she never actually knew him. Noonan explores the kind of people attracted to power in the 1980s. You get an apparently deservedly unflattering look at Donald Regan, former treasury secretary and Reagan chief of staff, and her portrayal of Oliver North is fascinating as well.
I enjoyed the insight she provides into the creation of speeches. During my brief and early years as a reporter, I learned much from those who edited my work. In Noonan’s case, those edits seemed more destructive than instructive. There were always rival interests seeking to drop paragraphs and replace them with insipid stuff or pedestrian policy-wonk stuff relevant to the interest of a specific agency. More than once, she describes fighting hard to keep paragraphs in a speech, reinserting them repeatedly when others sought to take them out. Some of those battles she won; others she lost.
Some of the highlights of the book were rereading the speeches and remembering where I was when they aired. It was Noonan who wrote the now-famous 1984 speech “The Boys of Pointe Du Hoc,” which Reagan delivered in Normandy.
Noonan also gave us the now-infamous George Bush pledge, “Read my lips! No new Taxes,” a pledge that would come back to haunt Bush in 1992.
She gives you a glimpse into her personal life while all this writing occurred. There was a marriage that rather quickly failed and a son that resulted from that marriage. Throughout the book are quotes you’ll want to memorize from sources other than Reagan and a writing style that will captivate you if you’ve ever tried a hand at writing anything.
July 25, 2025
Wow! Peggy Noonan sure can write!
This political memoir of Noonan's time as speechwriter to Pres. Reagan and to Pres. Bush Sr during his successful campaign paints an oblique but interesting portrait of both men and dishing the dirt on many other characters from that time while giving the reader a glimpse of life as a speechwriter. It is a fun and engaging read. More than a few times, I reread passages just to savor the writing.
The book is relatively light on political insights, which is probably just as well, since it means that disagreements with policy don't intrude too often on the enjoyment of the book. Really just as well, since the policy positions that are mentioned (e.g., if only we had kept at the Vietnam War a little longer!) tended to rile me.
While light on policy specifics, it does portray Reagan as holding strong convictions that guided policy throughout his two terms. Strident anti-communism and deeply held religious convictions come through clearly.
Perhaps what struck me most was Noonan's adherence to a certain Ayn Rand-ian ethic that exults the superman (or in this case superwoman) whose individual talent and conviction, uncompromising in the face of criticism from lesser beings, allows them to make great contributions to society. There is a glee in combating committees and fighting against bureaucrats to preserve stylistic integrity. And, to be honest, a bit of glee in cutting down the "mice" who try to impose political orthodoxy, sometimes at the expense of a good turn of phrase. Atlas Shrugged comes to mind as does Taylor Caldwell's On Growing Up Tough. This doesn't at all detract from the joy of reading the book, but it does detract from my admiration for the author.
This political memoir of Noonan's time as speechwriter to Pres. Reagan and to Pres. Bush Sr during his successful campaign paints an oblique but interesting portrait of both men and dishing the dirt on many other characters from that time while giving the reader a glimpse of life as a speechwriter. It is a fun and engaging read. More than a few times, I reread passages just to savor the writing.
The book is relatively light on political insights, which is probably just as well, since it means that disagreements with policy don't intrude too often on the enjoyment of the book. Really just as well, since the policy positions that are mentioned (e.g., if only we had kept at the Vietnam War a little longer!) tended to rile me.
While light on policy specifics, it does portray Reagan as holding strong convictions that guided policy throughout his two terms. Strident anti-communism and deeply held religious convictions come through clearly.
Perhaps what struck me most was Noonan's adherence to a certain Ayn Rand-ian ethic that exults the superman (or in this case superwoman) whose individual talent and conviction, uncompromising in the face of criticism from lesser beings, allows them to make great contributions to society. There is a glee in combating committees and fighting against bureaucrats to preserve stylistic integrity. And, to be honest, a bit of glee in cutting down the "mice" who try to impose political orthodoxy, sometimes at the expense of a good turn of phrase. Atlas Shrugged comes to mind as does Taylor Caldwell's On Growing Up Tough. This doesn't at all detract from the joy of reading the book, but it does detract from my admiration for the author.
June 14, 2024
I was aware that speeches from state heads required a significant amount of work but Never imagined that it would need such a staggering amount of work and research besides the debates and discussion on what to keep and which phrase to use. An amazing read ✨
The speeches were so mind-blowing I had a hard time picking which ones to post on this review.
Take home message: A Woman wherever she might be, ends up with juggling work, family and workplace politics. Without a highly dependable and trustworthy support system it is going to be nearly impossible.
"Rhetoric is only a small stream off the river of American prose-but in terms of politics it is the ocean you sail or sink in. See those taxes you put on families? Cut that money, lower that amount, leave them more money for shoes and the mortgage and the vacations."
"One of the women who settled the hard gray shores of the East and summoned roses from the rocks."
"I guess I am plain as a post, but a post can be a pretty sturdy thing.
Sometimes the shrewdest thing to do is not be too skeptical, not be too "wise".
When you meet the rich in politics, tell them that when it comes to economic justice, growth is all, and growth doesn't come from noblesse oblige, thank you very much."
The speeches were so mind-blowing I had a hard time picking which ones to post on this review.
Take home message: A Woman wherever she might be, ends up with juggling work, family and workplace politics. Without a highly dependable and trustworthy support system it is going to be nearly impossible.
"Rhetoric is only a small stream off the river of American prose-but in terms of politics it is the ocean you sail or sink in. See those taxes you put on families? Cut that money, lower that amount, leave them more money for shoes and the mortgage and the vacations."
"One of the women who settled the hard gray shores of the East and summoned roses from the rocks."
"I guess I am plain as a post, but a post can be a pretty sturdy thing.
Sometimes the shrewdest thing to do is not be too skeptical, not be too "wise".
When you meet the rich in politics, tell them that when it comes to economic justice, growth is all, and growth doesn't come from noblesse oblige, thank you very much."
October 20, 2025
So interesting to read as an account of a president and presidency of which I was only vaguely aware. The press has constantly talked about the impact of Reagan on the country and the Republican party, especially since Trump's rise, and it was informative to learn more about it from a contemporary account. It was also helpful to read about what it used to mean to be a conservative, and helped me understand my uncle's political opinions better. Although her writing style was a little stream-of-consciousness and hard to follow sometimes (ironic for a professional speech writer), it was worth reading.
PS. Her punctuation use is appallingly bad. I assume this is because she writes for listeners, rather than readers.
PS. Her punctuation use is appallingly bad. I assume this is because she writes for listeners, rather than readers.
September 19, 2019
On the hundredth anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth comes the twentieth-anniversary edition of Peggy Noonan’s critically acclaimed bestseller What I Saw at the Revolution, for which she provides a new Preface that demonstrates this book’s timeless relevance. As a special assistant to the president, Noonan worked with Ronald Reagan—and with Vice President George H. W. Bush—on some of their most memorable speeches. Noonan shows us the world behind the words, and her sharp, vivid portraits of President Reagan and a host of Washington’s movers and shakers are
December 18, 2024
Even Noonan cannot describe Reagan insightfully — I guess with Reagan there’s not much to be insightful about. He seemed like a lonely man, always yearning to please, and tragically good at it, like Clinton, though unlike Clinton, also decent.
Noonan compliments Bush 41 with the easy confidence of someone who knows she’s liked back. With Reagan she’s not so sure.
One line staggered me: at one point, Noonan is thinking about marrying a man, and her friend asks, “Do you love him?,” and she replies, “I love many things about him,” which means, of course, no, but I can’t bear to admit it.
Noonan compliments Bush 41 with the easy confidence of someone who knows she’s liked back. With Reagan she’s not so sure.
One line staggered me: at one point, Noonan is thinking about marrying a man, and her friend asks, “Do you love him?,” and she replies, “I love many things about him,” which means, of course, no, but I can’t bear to admit it.
February 16, 2025
This is long been on my list of books to read – I’m glad I finally did. Greatly enjoy Peggy‘s writing style, insights, and humanity throughout all her observations and retelling of her experiences coordinating in her speech, writing position for Presidents Reagan and Bush. I very vividly remember several of the speeches which I now know where her handiwork, namely Reagan’s speech after the challenger, disaster and Bush’s acceptance speech at the 1988 republican convention(“ 1000 points of light”). Well done, Ms. Noonan- thanks for all the great insights on the Reagan years and White House.
October 14, 2023
Back in the early eighties, when Peggy Noonan was a true conservative, her dream was to become a speech writer for President Reagan. It all worked out for her, and she spent two years in the White House putting together Reagan’s speeches. (She refused to write for Nancy.) She chronicles major events of the time, such as the Challenger explosion, and what she wrote for the President to say to America. It’s all very well done, and a good read.
July 5, 2025
It’s practical to believe in something, because the people can tell.
Under no circumstances do we have to hand it to the Reagan or Bush administrations, but Peggy Noonan’s writing on writing is gorgeous. Her discussion of her own adoption of conservatism during her college years echoes shifts among the electorate today. Ultimately just a really masterful user of language despite her politics.
Under no circumstances do we have to hand it to the Reagan or Bush administrations, but Peggy Noonan’s writing on writing is gorgeous. Her discussion of her own adoption of conservatism during her college years echoes shifts among the electorate today. Ultimately just a really masterful user of language despite her politics.
March 16, 2020
Peggy was a speechwriter for Presidents Reagan and Bush. I will buck the general adulation for this book. A bit too much "stream of consciousness" writing for me. I would have expected more from someone who writes rather well for the Wall Street Journal. That being said I plan to read her book about Pope John Paul II when the libraries reopen.
April 1, 2020
An intimate look at how the sausage was made in Reagan’s Administration and in particular his speechwriting shop over the final years. This book is equal parts score settling (her descriptions of “the mice” cracked me up), writing reflections, and random life observations from Noonan’s personal life. Overall, a very fun read from one of the best in the game over the past few decades.
September 6, 2021
Not dates but still excellent after all of those years. My inscription on the inside cover reveal I bought it Ash Wednesday 1990. You don't have to be a Reagan admirer to enjoy this nostalgic trip back to the 1980's. Reading of Don Regan, Ollie North, and Nancy and Maureen Reagan you will probably come away with some empathy if not sympathy for the man.
December 2, 2018
I have to give it two stars for being able to finish it, as well as getting some insight into someone on the right's worldview and whatnot, but I can't possibly forgive someone for painting Reagan to be anything but a monster, so.
March 9, 2025
Beware the politically obsessed. They are often bright and interesting, but they have something missing in their natures; there is a hole, an empty place, and they use politics to fill it up. It leaves them somehow misshapen.
August 24, 2025
Being a Reagan fan, I enjoyed the stories and insight into the Reagan White House. That said, there was somewhat too much criticism of some of the author’s colleagues. An unexpected positive of the book were the stories of the author’s time with George Bush.
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