Reagan’s War Stories examines the relationship between Ronald Reagan, the public, and popular culture. From an overview of Reagan’s youth and the pulp fiction he consumed, we get a sense of the future president’s good/evil outlook. Carrying that over into Reagan’s reading and choices as president, Griffin situates narrative at the center of Reagan’s political formation and leadership providing a compelling account of both Reagan’s life, his presidency, and a lens into non-traditional strategy formulation. Reagan treated fictional portrayals seriously, believing they shaped public views and offered valid ways to think through geo-political issues. Showing how Reagan used narrative as both a consumer and a communicator, Griffin notes Reagan identified with certain stories and how they shaped him as a political leader influencing his approach to complex issues. When handled deftly, incorporating fiction created a common language across the administration and provided a way to convey messages to the masses in a memorable fashion.

Benjamin Griffin is a US Army officer who earned his PhD in history from the University of Texas. He teaches in the Department of History at the United States Military Academy and resides at West Point with his family.

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