Reagan Speaks

Library Journal

Erickson brings the unique perspective of an English professor to the study of Reagan's political communication, arguing that through the use of ``idealistic inspiration or cynical manipulation,'' the president has become the most persuasive contemporary political speaker. A wealth of sample speeches illustrates Reagan's rhetorical tools: couching anecdotes in universal, nonverifiable terms; personifying the struggle between the American good and Soviet evil; according his political ideals apocalyptic dimensions to create a sense of urgency; and characterizing the 20th century as a crusade between faith and intellect. Reagan's rhetorical facility is attributed to the successful manipulation of the consubstantiation processin which audiences see the speaker as a projection of themselves. This provocative study is recommended for political science and speech collections. Karl Helicher, Wolfsohn Memorial Lib., King of Prussia, Pa.