Jack’s Books: Best Read of 2022
Readers of the Jack’s Books (at ktsa.com) blog know it’s about the widest variety of books and not just, or even mostly, new ones.
But one title stands out as book-of-the-year: “The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, The Cold War and The World On The Brink” (Dutton) by William Inboden.
More than just a biography of the 40th president, this is a compelling read. The author is analyzing: Reagan’s political career and the trajectory he was on with the 1980s climax of the Cold War, how Reagan’s personal and religious convictions have been under-appreciated, his underrated diplomatic skills and who in his circle helped or hindered the making of the peace.
At the same time, it’s no hagiography. Reagan made mistakes, read some people and events wrong and Inboden doesn’t spare him.
A truly great man doesn’t need an apologist or airbrushing. “The Peacemaker” is both the book and the the accolade Ronald Reagan richly deserves.
