Book cover for Last Act: The Final Years and Emerging Legacy of Ronald Reagan by Craig Shirley

Last Act

The Final Years and Emerging Legacy of Ronald Reagan

2015 Released
496 Pages
8-9 Hours
Paperback Unavailable
Hardback Unavailable
Thomas NelsonISBN 9781595555359

His name in American politics is more cited than any other president. Both the Republican and Democratic parties are radically different today, mainly as a result of Ronald Reagan and the force of his ideas. No twentieth century president shaped the American political landscape so profoundly.

Craig Shirley’s Last Act is the important final chapter in the life of Reagan that no one has thus far covered. It’s the kind of book that widens our understanding of American history and of the presidency and the men who occupied it. To tell Reagan’s story, Craig has secured the complete, exclusive, and enthusiastic support of the Reagan Foundation and Library and spent considerable time there reviewing sealed files and confidential information.

Cast in a grand and compelling narrative style, Last Act contains interesting and heretofore untold anecdotes about Reagan, Mrs. Reagan, their pleasure at retirement, the onslaught of the awful Alzheimer’s and how he and Mrs. Reagan dealt with the diagnosis, the slow demise, the extensive plans for a state funeral, the outpouring from the nation, which stunned the political establishment, the Reagan legacy, and how his shadow looms more and more over the Republican Party, Washington, the culture of America, and the world.

Craig Shirley

Craig Shirley is a widely known and respected historian having written many books, papers, and opeds including six books on Ronald as well as the authorized biography of Newt Gingrich. He has owned and operated an influential marketing firm in our nation's capital for many years. Shirley has lectured extensively on the life and presidency of Ronald Reagan at the Reagan Library, the FDR library, the Reagan Ranch and taught classes about Reagan at the University of Virginia, and Eureka College-- Reagan's alma mater. He has also written two books on WWII including the New York Times bestseller, December 1941. Shirley has written the only definitive biographer of Mary Ball Washington for which he was awarded the People's Choice Award from the Library of Virginia.

Together with his wife Zorine, they live at Ben Lomond, a three-hundred-year-old Georgian manor house in rural Virginia and their summer home, Trickle Down Point. Mrs. Shirley edits all Craig's writing and is the past president of the Essex County Museum. They both worked for President Reagan. Together they enjoy sailing on their boat Eleanor. Craig is a decorated contract agent for the CIA. The London Times calls Shirley one of the best Reagan biographers.

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