The Triumph of Nancy Reagan by Karen Tumulty

A Washington Post Notable Book The definitive biography of the fiercely vigilant and politically astute First Lady who shaped one of the most consequential presidencies of the 20th century: Nancy Reagan. The made-in-Hollywood marriage of Ronald and Nancy Reagan is more than a love story-it's the partnership that made him president. Of the pair, Nancy was the one with the sharper instincts about people, the superior radar for trouble, and the keen sense of how to secure his place in history. The only person in the world to whom Ronald Reagan felt truly close, Nancy understood how to foster his strengths and compensate for his weaknesses. Neither timid nor apologetic about wielding her power, Nancy Reagan made herself a place in history. But that confidence took years to develop. Nancy's traumatic early childhood instilled in her a lifelong anxiety and a craving for security. Born into a broken marriage, she spent seven years yearning for the absent mother who abandoned her to pursue an acting career. When she met Ronnie, who had a difficult upbringing of his own, the two fractured halves became whole. And as Ronnie turned from acting to politics, she did too, helping build the scaffolding of his rise and cultivating the wealthy and powerful figures who would help pave his way. Not only was Nancy crucial in shaping Ronald's White House team and in softening her husband's rhetoric, she became an unseen force pushing her husband toward what she saw as his grandest purpose-to shake his image as a warmonger and leave behind a more peaceful world. This book explores the multifaceted character of Nancy Reagan and reveals new details surrounding the tumultuous presidency. The Washington Post columnist Karen Tumulty spent four years interviewing the people who knew this couple best and draws on overlooked archives, letters, memoirs, and White House records, compiling the most extensive biography of Nancy Reagan yet. From the AIDS epidemic to tensions with the Soviets and the war on drugs, this book shows how Nancy Reagan became one of the most influential First Ladies of the century. Editorial Reviews *01/25/2021 Washington Post columnist Tumulty debuts with an astute reassessment of former first lady Nancy Reagan (1921-2016), a woman who "America never quite figured out." Born Anne Francis Robbins in New York City, Nancy "was the product of a broken marriage" who spent ages two to eight in the care of relatives while her actor mother traveled for work. After her mother's remarriage to neurosurgeon Loyal Davis, Nancy took her stepfather's last name and trained as a nurse's aide before landing her first stage acting role thanks to a family friend. She moved to Hollywood in 1949 and, according to Tumulty, quickly set her sights on newly divorced actor Ronald Reagan as a future husband. Adopting an episodic approach to Nancy's White House years, Tumulty highlights the "ghastly scene" that awaited the first lady at the hospital after the president was shot in 1980, and her role in running the "rescue operation" that prevented the Iran-Contra scandal from upending Reagan's second term. Tumulty touches on dark family dynamics, including the impact of Nancy's "anxiety and insecurity" on her children, but the book's greatest strength is the nuanced, in-depth portrayal of the Reagans' relationship and Nancy's fierce stewardship of her husband's political goals. The result is a complex and engrossing portrait of one of the 20th century's most quietly influential political figures. Agent: Gail Ross, Ross Yoon Literary. (Apr.) - Publishers Weekly "Washington Post columnist Tumulty debuts with an astute reassessment of former first lady Nancy Reagan, a woman who "America never quite figured out." ... The book's greatest strength is the nuanced, in-depth portrayal of the Reagans' relationship and Nancy's fierce stewardship of her husband's political goals. The result is a complex and engrossing portrait of one of the 20th century's most quietly influential political figures." -- Publisher's Weekly (starred review) "Luminous... The definitive biography of the woman who drove her husband's presidential ambitions--a shoo-in for the silver screen." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Recounts every known detail of this driven, complicated woman's life... Chapters detail how Nancy persistently assisted and manipulated her husband's political career, and explore her reputation as a kingmaker who exerted profound influence over matters large and small, increasingly so as her husband succumbed to Alzheimer's... Expect high demand." -- Booklist (starred review) "In this riveting, beautifully written portrait, Nancy Reagan assumes her rightful place as her husband's most powerful and influential advisor. A masterful storyteller, Tumulty captures our interest and our emotions from beginning to end. This work will remain the gold standard of books on First Ladies for generations to come."-- Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Leadership "Nancy Reagan was the most influential and complex First Lady of our time. She was guided not by ideology or her own agenda but by one thing: what was best for her husband. With great reporting and insight, Tumulty shows how she shaped his image and his presidency." - Walter Isaacson, New York Times bestselling author of The Code Breaker "Tumulty has given us a compelling and illuminating portrait of the woman who never faltered in her love for--and protection of--Ronald Reagan. An engaging addition to the literature of the consequential Age of Reagan." --Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Truth is Marching On "A brilliant and incandescent biography of one of America's most influential first ladies. Every chapter shines with fresh vignettes, historical insights, unabashed intimacy, and delightful storytelling. Nancy Reagan always exuded a fierce and clear-eyed pragmatism that got important things accomplished for American democracy. The love story between Ronnie and Nancy is pure magic." --Douglas Brinkley, Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and professor of history at Rice University and editor of The Reagan Diaries "Tumulty manages to disclose so much that we didn't know about her personal demons and her remarkable role as Ronald Reagan's crucial partner. This is the definitive biography of a woman at the center of American politics for a generation." --Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief and author of The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty "Penetrating ... Readers of this remarkable book will realize how much Ronald Reagan needed Nancy Reagan. He could not have been president without her." - Lou Cannon, author of Governor Reagan and President Reagan "The wonderful Karen Tumulty has brought us a shrewd and fascinating portrait, with new revelations and insights, of a glittering and complex figure who was one of the most consequential women in American history."--Michael Beschloss, New York Times bestselling author of Presidents of War - From the Publisher 03/12/2021 Tumulty, an award-winning Washington Post journalist, debuts with a well-written account of the life of Nancy Reagan (born Anne Frances Robbins). It begins with her childhood in New York as the only child of Edie Luckett, a successful actress, and Kenneth Robbins, a car salesman. Her early life was difficult, as her mother traveled to pursue acting jobs, leaving Anne in the care of an aunt in Maryland--and also leaving Anne in search of a permanent mother figure. Tumulty takes care when recounting her subject's transformation into actress "Nancy Davis" (Anne took her stepfather's last name) and ultimately "Nancy Reagan," after she fell for and married the young studio star Ronald Reagan. In Tumulty's telling, Nancy was key to her husband's success both political and private, acting as a detail-focused adviser who managed Ronald's public persona, from his entry into politics through his years with Alzheimer's Disease. Packed with detail, the book cites personal interviews with Nancy throughout the years, as well as a host of published sources. VERDICT A thoroughly researched, evenhanded treatment of the most loyal and most important of Ronald Reagan's influencers; likely to be popular in both subject collections and public libraries --Edwin Burgess, Kansas City, KS - Library Journal *2021-02-10 A deep dive into the life of Nancy Reagan (1921-2016). In a luminous and exhaustive biography, Washington Post political columnist Tumulty chronicles the private life and political influence of Ronald Reagan's wife. Drawing on interviews with surviving figures from the Reagan years, including George Shultz and James A. Baker, the author vividly captures the personality and impact of theChicago Gold Coast debutante who became a Hollywood star and then first lady. Tumulty shows us a shrewd, savvy woman. "Hers was the power that comes with intimacy," writes the author. "The first lady was the essential disinterested observer of the ideological battles and power struggles that went on in the White House, because she had but one preoccupation: Ronald Reagan's well-being and success." She was tasked with running the household and keeping up the family's clean, conservative image: "Ronnie...left all the difficult and contentious parts of parenting to Nancy." Fostering a strong interest in astrology, she insisted that her husband's schedule, including dates and even desirability of visits from foreign leaders, align with the readings of San Francisco astrologer Joan Quigley. Tumulty's riveting narrative transcends such oddities as she leads us through the White House years, with colorful portraits of all of the relevant political players as well as the Reagan children. The author's chapter on the AIDS crisis is a gem, as she clearly portrays the neglect by the White House, the complexity of the Reagans' view of homosexuality, and the engagement of Surgeon General C. Everett Koop to anchor the administration's belated response. Another standout section follows the grim tale of the Iran-Contra scandal, culminating in the Tower report and Reagan's public apology. Tumulty also assesses some tell-all books from departing staffers as well as Nancy's own memoir, My Turn (1989). Through it all, Nancy maintained her abiding love for her husband. After his death, she would see visions of him at night. The definitive biography of the woman who drove her husband's presidential ambitions--a shoo-in for the silver screen. - Kirkus Reviews