I finished Michael Deaver’s book, A Different Drummer: My Thirty Years with Ronald Reagan, a couple of weeks ago and I’ve been meaning to write a little review here.  The bottom line is that I absolutely loved this book.  Now, admittedly, I love almost anything that deals with presidential history AND Ronald Reagan is one of my favorite topics too so I may be biased but I think just about anyone interested in character and leadership would enjoy this book too.

Deaver worked closely with Reagan for over thirty years and this behind-the-scenes look at the man from the days before his was governor through his White House years and beyond is eye-opening in so many ways. 

There are a lot of myths out there about Reagan.  He has been accused of having a limited intellect.  It has also been said that he had a detached, lazy approach to leadership.  This book, as well as the wonderful Reagan Diaries, debunks these myths and reveals a thinking man that was constantly reading and learning.  It also reveals an amazing leader and that knew how to get the best out of the people that worked for him. 

Interestingly, even though Jimmy Carter is considered to be one of the most intelligent men that’s ever held the office, he’s also considered one of least effective because of his tendency to micro-manage.  Reagan, on the other hand, was one of our most effective presidents because he knew how to lead AND he knew how to pick the right people to lead with him.

Again, this was a fascinating book and I recommend it to anyone that wants to get a closer look at this great leader.