The President, the Pope, and the Prime Minister: Three Who Changed the World Book

Well written and interesting, this book is the story of three great leaders: Thatcher, Reagan, and John Paul II. Written by an former editor at National Review, the story of the the Big Three is told through a decidedly conservative point of view, which I am fine with since so much in the field of history is infected by Marxism and Progressivism these days. Essentially, Reagan, Thatcher (who died just a few days ago) and the Pope were courageous, optimistic, and firm. They were clear in their convictions, willing to stand up for what they believed in, and formed by a deeply Christian worldview. Perfect? Of course not; no leader is perfect. But were they pretty damn good? Yes they were.

I remember many of the events in this book, but hazily, as though through a glass darkly (to steal a phrase). I was very young during the 80s, but I do recall most of the big events this book chronicles. Equally interesting to me was the survey of the 1970s, which were a horrible decade of rising crime rates, inflation, stagnation, and cultural malaise. It's no wonder that someone like Reagan appealed to the majority of Americans. My first impression of him, when I was ten years old, was the thought that he could keep me safe. I hung on to that belief all the way through my high school graduation, when President Reagan left office. I think, for many in my generation, we feel about Reagan the way our parents felt about John F. Kennedy: we just loved him, despite his flaws and failings. I remember being a college freshman in a world history class and having my professor become absolutely apoplectic about Reagan. That was in 1987. He still engenders the same Pavlovian response for liberals today. That's part of why I love him so.

One very interesting point in this book was about the behavior of one Edward M. Kennedy toward the Soviet Union. I knew that he, like so many who shared his politics going all the way back the the Russian Revolution, was naive about the USSR, but I had no idea how he actively worked to undermine the President while Reagan negotiated with Gorbachev. Pathetic, and not the least bit surprising.

So a good book about the great events of a few decades past. Most histories about this time period are written from a liberal point of view. It was refreshing to read something positive about the successes of conservatism for a change.