A Certain Idea of America: Selected Writings

by Peggy Noonan

From Pulitzer-prize winning Wall Street Journal columnist and New York Times bestselling author Peggy Noonan, a masterclass in how to see and love America.

For a quarter century, Peggy Noonan has been thinking aloud about America in her much-loved Wall Street Journal column. In this new collection of her essential recent work, Noonan demonstrates the erudition, wisdom and humor that have made her one of America’s most admired writers.

She calls balls and strikes on the political shenanigans of recent leaders and she honors the integrity of great Americans, ranging from Billy Graham to the heroes of 9/11.  A thinker who never allows her tenderness to slip into sentimentality, she writes with clear-eyed urgency about the internal and external dangers facing our republic. She sometimes writes with indignation, but above all she writes with love— and an enduring faith that America can be its best self, that its ideals are worth protecting,  and that beauty and heroism can be found in our neighbors, in our history,  and in ourselves. This book is a celebration of what America has been, is, and can be.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Politics, Essays, American History, Journalism, Current Affairs

351 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2024

About the author

Peggy Noonan is an author of seven books on politics, religion and culture, a weekly columnist for The Wall Street Journal, and was a Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan. She is considered a political conservative.

Reviews

[David Steck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently saw Peggy Noonan interviewed in conversation with Leslie Stahl in New York City, and found her well -balanced, patriotic, and sober. Underlying themes of American exceptionalism, doing right, acting like an adult, and service to a higher cause are core to how she views the world. She writes with clarity – and always with an opinion – but strives to see and elicit our better angels. These essays/opinion pieces are a worthy representation of her voluminous writings and of her worldview.
Recommended.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When my hold at the library came up for this book, I almost decided to postpone reading it. I can’t much stand to read political or cultural editorials these days. As luck would have it, this book was exactly what I needed. Peggy’s column in the WSJ is one of my favorites. She really has her finger on the pulse of what is going on with American politics and culture these days. What a great book.

[James Hennessy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always respected Peggy Noonan’s insight and perspective on politics and other opinions. This book based on more recent columns was good, some preachy, some that did not age well, some that did. Of course she was not a fan of Trump’s first term but I felt she dwelled more on his personality then what was accomplished before Covid arrived but she does this in a civil way that I believe is the essence of her writings.

[Michelle Roca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I fear it just wasn’t for me! I respect Peggy Noonan’s depth of historical knowledge, but I cant get past the undertones of internalized misogyny found on every page. Ugh! No fun!

[Steve Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Certain Idea of America

Peggy Noonan’s collected of favorite columns is outstanding and that is not the least surprising. It is full of common sense and calls to reclaim expectations that would help us tremendously if followed. Alas, I they won’t be, but if they are to be, we need Peggy’s voice and more like hers.

[Anthony Millspaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I take issue with a number of her views, I don’t dismiss them and in many I find myself in total agreement. Her analysis of AI and social media? Spot on. Her analysis of the diminished role of the presidency, I would argue, did not begin with Bill Clinton’s peccadillos, but earlier to LBJ and Richard Nixon.

[Emmet Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serious, fun, and exactly as elegant as you'd expect from Peggy Noonan.

[Mike Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Like having a wise, educated grandmother explaining people and current events without all the drama and hype.

[Bradley Plausse · Rating 5 out of 5]

TLDR: I was getting strong Sherry-vibes throughout this book.

I was not expecting to love this book as much as I do. It totally scratched the itch I have for romantic patriotism (i.e. my favorite TV show is The West Wing). Noonan is the kind of writer who can write the simplest of sentences in a way that reads profound. Her prose is light and unpretentious, but still moving and persuasive. It’s exciting to think that all one needs is true (religious) moral clarity and really good writing technique and you too can be this effective. Her essay in praise of Taylor Swift made me well with tears, I read it to Anna and she did too- that alone earns five stars!

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hooked to this collection of essays because it started out with a profile of American greats whom I'd never paid much attention to: Billy Graham and Oscar Hammerstein.

“What reached into Louis’s soul,” she added, “was Graham’s ability to reach into the individual, the person in front of him—of God being interested in him personally.” Louis had to come to terms with two huge things, the mystery of his suffering (why did this injustice happen?) and the mystery of his survival (so many others are gone). But you didn’t have to float on a raft and be tortured to suffer: “Everyone suffers. Louis was no different from anyone else in the tent that night.”

“There’s nothing wrong with sentiment because the things we’re sentimental about are the fundamental things in life: the birth of a child, the death of a child or of anybody, falling in love. I couldn’t be anything but sentimental about these basic things.”

“After you’re successful, whether you be a doctor or a lawyer or a librettist, there is a conspiracy that goes on in which you join—a conspiracy of the world to render you less effective by bestowing honors on you and taking you away from the job of curing people, or of pleading cases, or writing libretti and…putting you on committees.”

“He said, ‘Are you religious?’ And I said, ‘Well, I don’t belong to any church,’ and then he patted me on the back and he said, ‘Ah, you’re religious all right.’ And I went on feeling as if I’d been caught, and feeling that I was religious. He had discovered from the words of my songs that I had faith—faith in mankind, faith that there was something more powerful than mankind behind it all, and faith that in the long run good triumphs over evil. If that’s religion, I’m religious, and it is my definition of religion."

As the essays unfolded, Noonan came off as more old fashioned and preachy. I always appreciate hearing an alternative opinion, as she is famously Conservative and both Jeremy and Alex were intrigued that I was reading her essays, of all things — but I quickly lost interest in her political views. If this entire collection of essays were about people and literature, I would have rated it much higher.

Excerpts

“If there be a God, He will not ask me when I die (which may happen at any moment) whether I retained…Port Arthur, or even that conglomeration which is called the Russian Empire, which he did not confide to my care, but He will ask me what I have done with that life which He put at my disposal. He will ask if I have fulfilled his law and loved my fellow man.”

"To love life is to love God." His character is transformed. Once he waited to discover good qualities in people before caring for them. Now he loved them first, "and by loving people without cause he discovered indubitable causes for loving them."

Once there was a reigning personal style of public reticence about private pain. You didn't share it with everybody, and you didn't use it for advantage or as a weapon: I have known pain, you must bow before me. [...] The forces of modernity have washed away the old boundary between public and private.

Privacy isn't some relic of the pre-tech past, as I said once, it is connected to personhood. It has to do with intimate things-the inner workings of your head and heart, of your soul. You don't just give those things away. Your deepest thoughts and experiences are yours, held by you; they are part of your history. They are part of your dignity. You share them as a mark of trust. This is true intimacy, not phony intimacy but the real thing.

Most of the forces in the world are pushing toward exhibitionism and calling it honesty.

They are status monkeys creating success robots. […] If their child succeeds they were successful parents. If they were successful parents their status is enhanced in a serious way: Everyone respects successful parents! There is no one who doesn't! Magazine profiles of celebrities stress close families, happy children. If Billy gets into Yale his parents won the race. If he does not, well, maybe they were average parents

A few years ago I worked for a few months at an Ivy League school. I expected a lot of questions about politics, history, and literature. But that is not what the students were really interested in. What they were interested in—it was almost my first question, and it never abated-was networking. They wanted to know how you network.

There is a tone of "I am your moral teacher. Because you are incapable of sensitivity, I will help you, dumb farmer.
I will start with the language you speak." An odd thing is they always insist they're doing this in the name of kindness and large-spiritedness. And, yet, have you ever met them? They're not individually kind or large-spirited. They're more like messianic schoolmasters.

Of all the evils of politics, none were so great "as the dissolution of friendships." Rush then told Adams to forget what had separated them-explanations are required of lovers, he said, "but are never so between divided friends."

Those “who shout the loudest about Americanism” are ignoring “some of the basic principles of Americanism,” including the right to hold unpopular beliefs and to independent thought. Exercising those rights “should not cost one single American citizen his reputation or his right to his livelihood, nor should he be in danger of losing his reputation or livelihood merely because he happens to know someone who holds unpopular beliefs. Who of us does not? Otherwise none of us could call our souls our own”

Uglification is rising and spreading as an artistic attitude, and it can’t be good for us. Because it speaks of self-hatred, and a society that hates itself, and hates life, won’t last. Because it gives those who are young nothing to love and feel soft about. Because we need beauty to keep our morale up.

Senators Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz. They are clever men, highly educated, well-credentialed, endlessly articulate. They see themselves as leading conservative lights, but in this drama they have proved themselves punks practicing punk politics. They are like people who know the value of nothing, who see no frailty around them, who inherited a great deal—an estate built by the work and wealth of others—and feel no responsibility for maintaining the foundation because Pop gave them a strong house, right? They are careless inheritors of a nation, an institution, a party that previous generations built at some cost.

"Two drifters off to see the world There's such a lot of world to see I'm nobody from nowhere but it's all out there waiting for me." You're not really American until you have a poignant sense of the bigness of things.

When a nation tears down its statues, it’s toppling more than brass and marble. It is in a way toppling itself—tearing down all the things, good, bad, and inadequate, that made it. Or, rather, everyone. Not all of what made America is good—does anyone even think this?—but why try to hide from that? [...] Edmund Burke famously said we have a duty to the past, the present, and the future. In the minds of the Tear-Downers only the present is important, and only their higher morality.

As a wound, the Roe v. Wade decision never healed, never could. Josh Prager, in his stupendous history of that decision, The Family Roe, noted the singular fact of this ruling: Other high court decisions that liberalized the social order—desegregation of schools, elimination of prayer in the schools, interracial marriage, gay marriage—were followed by public acceptance, even when the rulings were unpopular. Most came to have overwhelming support. But not Roe. That was the exception. It never stopped roiling America. Mr. Prager: “Opposition to Roe became more hostile after its issuance.” Why? Because all the other decisions were about how to live, and Roe was about death.

Based on thirty years of observing our tech leaders: They have a sense of responsibility to their vision and to their own genius, but not to people at large or the American people in particular. They always claim they're looking for better communication and greater joy between peoples when in the end it turns out they're looking for money and power. And they only see the sunny side of their inventions because they were raised in a sunny age, and can't imagine what darkness looks like, or that it comes.

Travel broadens but struggle deepens, and gives you unexpected insights.

“We groped after interpretations of [events], sometimes reversed lines of action based on earlier views, and hesitated before grasping what now seems obvious. Only slowly did it dawn upon us that the whole world structure and order that we had inherited from the nineteenth century was gone.”

Missed opportunities and achievements that slipped away. Alas, that is life. We cannot live our dreams.

When you’re young and starting out you imagine institutions are monoliths—big, impervious to your presence. Later, having spent time within, you know how human and flawed it all is, and how it’s saved each day by the wisdom and patience—the quiet heroism—of a few. Be one of the few.

[Drew · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ~

As a progressive, this was an interesting read. The book had been sent to me by a relative who said that it was a great way to understand conservative viewpoints/see where they’re coming from.

Due to political differences (Noogan after all was a speech writer for Reagan), there were many times where it felt like she was the stereotypical boomer complaining about the way things used to be and it felt out of touch with the way the world operates now a days. I also couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the points where she would complain about Big Tech or billionaires not investing in their communities, but then preach in support of free-market concepts that exacerbate the issues.

The pro’s of the book, in my opinion, were her deep love/knowledge of history (even when it was used in ways I disagreed with) and the amount of critical thinking this book inspired for me.

True to all books that are compilations of essays, some are better than others.

The best line in the book was as a nation, “we demand to be respected, but we don’t act respectable.” I agree, yet the irony there from a Reagan speech writer whose administration bombed countries, introduced drugs into poor and marginalized communities and made the rich richer through Trickle Down economics, is not lost on me.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book allowed me to find common ground with someone of the opposite political beliefs. I didn’t always agree with what she was saying but there were points that we were on the same page. If you want to read a sane persons view of politics, that leans more to the right, this was worth the read. There is no love lost on her with liberals so you can’t be sensitive to the criticism. Some are very fair points, others are more of an older generation mindset.

[Writemoves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peggy Noonan is one of the very few Republicans with whom I feel I could sit down and have a civil conversation about politics, history, and current events. My belief is affirmed after reading her book, A Certain Idea of America: Selected Writings, a collection of recent commentaries on politics, personalities, culture, and contemporary issues. Her writing is measured, thoughtful, and often insightful.

For instance, in a column written in 2019, Noonan offered advice to Joe Biden, attempting to dissuade him from running for president in 2020. Her words, in hindsight, appear not only as good counsel but also as prophetic given Biden's mixed success as president:

"Your very strength – that you enjoy talking to both sides, that deep in your heart you see no one as deplorable – will be your weakness. You aren't enough of a warrior. You're sweet, you're weak, you're half daffy. You're meh.”

Noonan stands as an outlier within the Republican Party. Her style of writing seeks to inform, inspire, and not inflame. She is no supporter of Trump. Even her criticism of Trump’s antics and leadership is measured—acerbic yet never descending into vitriol.

One passage in particular may encapsulate her sharp perspective on America’s present and future trajectory:

"In time, we'll see you lose something when you go post-heroic. Colorful characters will make things more divided, not less. They'll entertain, but not ennoble. And the world will think less of us – America has become a clownish, unserious country with clownish, unserious leaders – which will have an impact on our ability to influence events.”

This observation feels prescient and poignant, capturing a sense of national disquiet. Unfortunately, not enough Americans shared this view during the last election. Perhaps Noonan could have lent her rhetorical skills to Kamala Harris and the Democrats to sharpen their messaging.

While I don’t agree with all her views—for instance, I’m not as enamored with Billy Graham or Ronald Reagan as she is—I respect her opinions. Her prose is engaging, and the short commentaries, originally published in The Wall Street Journal, make for an easy yet thought-provoking read.

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

Peggy Noonan’s A Certain Idea of America purports to be a thoughtful meditation on the nation's character and soul, but it ultimately reads like a collection of dated grievances and carefully curated blind spots. Noonan, once a sharp political observer and eloquent speechwriter, now seems caught in a time warp—still fighting the Clinton culture wars of the 1990s while tiptoeing around the uncomfortable truths of her own political camp.

The fixation on Bill and Hillary Clinton borders on obsessive. Every chapter seems to find an excuse to rehash well-worn criticisms of their ambition, duplicity, and cultural impact, despite the fact that the political world has long since moved on. This animosity toward the Clintons has become Noonan’s rhetorical crutch, one that undermines her credibility as an impartial commentator. She wields her disdain like a badge of honor, but it feels less like insight and more like a distraction—a way to deflect from more pressing, contemporary failings within the conservative movement.

The most glaring omission in this book, however, is Noonan’s unwillingness to seriously reckon with what her Republican Party has become under Donald Trump. Her criticism of Trump and the MAGA takeover is muted, hesitant, and riddled with euphemism. It’s as if she’s writing with a red pen hovering over her shoulder—an invisible editorial line drawn by Rupert Murdoch, her employer at The Wall Street Journal, who continues to cut her generous paychecks. Noonan seems more interested in preserving her status within elite conservative circles than offering the kind of unflinching analysis this moment demands.

For a book that claims to champion American ideals, A Certain Idea of America is curiously short on courage. Noonan romanticizes Reagan-era conservatism, indulges in nostalgia, and skirts around the moral collapse that has overtaken her political allies. It’s not just disappointing—it’s cowardly.

In the end, Noonan doesn’t offer a new idea of America. She offers an old one, embalmed in denial and cloaked in partisan selectivity.

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peggy Noonan’s “A Certain Idea of America: Selected Writings” is a masterful collection that captures the essence of her celebrated career as a columnist and commentator. Known for her elegant prose and reflective tone, Noonan weaves together essays on politics, culture, history, and human nature with a distinct voice that is both contemplative and incisive. The book reflects Noonan’s deep love for America, not in a sentimental way, but through clear-eyed observations of its virtues and flaws. She tells stories of historical figures like Ulysses S. Grant and Margaret Chase Smith to illustrate timeless principles such as integrity and courage. These anecdotes are not only engaging but also serve as moral lessons, inviting readers to reflect on the values that define the nation. Noonan’s writing shines when she addresses contemporary issues, offering commentary on topics like the #MeToo movement, COVID-19, and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. Her critiques of modern leadership—both Republican and Democratic—are sharp yet measured, avoiding the vitriol often found in political discourse. For instance, her advice to Joe Biden in 2019, warning of his potential weaknesses as a leader, reads as both prescient and poignant in hindsight. What sets this collection apart is Noonan’s ability to balance moral clarity with nuance. Her essays are imbued with an instinct for the epic, making virtue feel heroic while exposing the pitfalls of vice. Yet, she also acknowledges the complexity of human nature and the limitations of her own perspective, leaving room for readers to form their own judgments. While some may find her admiration for figures like Ronald Reagan or Billy Graham overly idealized, her prose remains undeniably compelling. “A Certain Idea of America” is not just a celebration of the country’s ideals but a call to preserve them amid modern challenges. It is a thought-provoking read for anyone seeking wisdom in uncertain times.

[Colin Michaelis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peggy Noonan, speechwriter for Ronald Reagan, and long-time editorial writer for the WSJ, has pulled together a selection of her editorials into this collection. And they are so very good, varied, conservative and principled. They talk about America, culture, politics and history. In fact, it is her strong grasp of history and historical figures that gives her writing depth. And she writes so beautifully - with humor at times and sternness at others.

Her topics and chapters vary greatly and span a number of years. It was chilling to read an essay written early in 2020 when we were trying to work out whether this COVID thing was going to be a thing or not. And many great essays about our history, that include quotes like:

"We are a people that has experienced something epic together. We were given this brilliant, beautiful thing, this new arrangement, a political invention based on the astounding assumption that we are all equal, that where you start doesn’t dictate where you wind up. We’ve kept it going, father to son, mother to daughter, down the generations, inspired by the excellence, and in spite of the heartbreak. Whatever was happening, depression or war, we held high the meaning and forged forward. We’ve protected the Constitution."

Two fun chapters that are juxtaposed in a section called "It Appears He Didn't Take My Advice" are titled "If Biden Runs, They'll Tear Him Up", and "Imagine a Sane Donald Trump", respectively. In true editorial style, she doesn't hesitate to call out people's faults when necessary, like calling Matt Gaetz "that famous idiot" and reflecting on "the president's last unhingement."

The book is filled with sound values and wisdom, like:

“A gentleman is good to women because he has his own dignity and sees theirs. He takes opportunities to show them respect.”

I really enjoyed the audio version of this book read by Hillary Huber.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t look up Peggy Noonan before listening to this. I had never even heard of her. I’ve been looking up Pulitzer Prize winning books and people, just out of curiosity. I wanted to listen as a fellow American, with a critically thinking mind to whatever it was she had to say and to let her say it, no matter if I agreed, or disagreed. I listened to the whole thing, agreed with some things- sometimes strongly, disagreed with others- sometimes strongly. However, her goal in assembling these essays was because she was an American. She loves America. Calls it a miracle. As a conservative American who has lived overseas for a long time, and am not obsessed with politics, so therefore I tend to stay out of American echo chambers of news broadcasts, my views of my homeland have sort of naturally been that of the rest of the globe- I’ve been looking in on America from the outside and don’t always like what I see. So this book gave me a ‘dose’ of America that I needed. Peggy Noonan definitely has a way of looking at things, but by the end of it, whether I agreed or not, I felt more American. More hopeful of America and her potential.
I especially loved the two bits about the female Senator from Maine and agree with her two assessments of what the Clinton presidency did to the American people. She talks about a lot of things- Lincoln, Trump, Biden, Taylor Swift, AI, Afghanistan, Covid, manners, liberals, conservatives etc. but all of it she does with a distinctly American voice and love of America, so, I listened and came out on the other side loving America just a bit more too.

[Russell Atkinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Noonan, a former speechwriter for Ronald Reagan, is a conservative Republican, but not a MAGA one. If the GOP was still where she is, I would probably still be a Republican. But it isn't, and I'm not, and Noonan recognizes Trump for what he is. She doesn't mince words about either party or politicians of any stripe, in fact. She's very good at criticizing people. This is a collection of those criticisms and other musings, all of which appeared in the Wall Street Journal in her regular column there.

She writes well enough and I agree with much, maybe most, of what she says in the book. But there are some significant problems with it. It is highly repetitive. It is preachy. It is out of chronological order, so in some cases she has declared some things to be certain that turn out not to occur later. At times she seems prescient and other times foolish. I read this for my book club. It got boring so fast that I wouldn't have read past the first third had I not felt obligated to complete it. As a reading experience Noonan is better absorbed in weekly or monthly articles, not all crammed together like this.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no one else in the world who writes this well and says SO much. This compilation of Noonan's opinion pieces from the Wall Street Journal over the past 25 years is so thoughtful, honest, and reflective of the compelling history we have lived through in this century. The author's
knowledge and understanding of American history adds significantly to her discourse. Spend some time with each entry in the book. Start by reflecting on the date at the top of the page, which indicates the publishing date. Think about what was going on at the time, then dive into Noonan's reflections on those times and issues. Even if you are a subscriber to the WSJ and have read her columns regularly, you will still be better for having read each of these columns again.

I would like to think that I see the world with such clarity as Peggy Noonan does, but truly, I do not. And even when I do not agree with her view of something, I still find her words to be powerful and worthy of consideration. We should all love America as she does.

[Jen Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I began listening to this audiobook I did not like it at all. I did not agree with most of the authors political views and took issue with some of her statements.

In a surprising twist, somewhere along the way (and by the end of the book), I highly enjoyed reading it!

While I do not agree with a lot of her views on certain political figures and subjects/laws, I found her voice captivating and intriguing. I found myself agreeing with much of her summary of the diminishing make-up of America, democracy and the presidency. The clown-like view America portrays to the rest of the world and the fact that we Americans need to wake-up, grow-up and get our butts in gear to preserve our great country (my words, not Peggy’s).

This book consists of a collection of essays but flowed seamlessly despite the nonlinear timeline. It opened my mind up to the ideals of the “other side” and gave me a deeper understanding of the opposite political view. I appreciate that the discussion was not just praise but also acknowledgment of the flaws of political figures and views.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who admires Noonan's writing, I found this book to be an extraordinary reflection of her unique perspective on the intersection of history, culture, and politics. Noonan’s eloquence shines through in every piece, whether she’s reflecting on the Reagan years, exploring the state of American democracy, or examining the nuances of political discourse. Her ability to capture the essence of an era, while simultaneously offering a deeply personal lens through which to view the American experience, is unmatched. What makes this collection particularly powerful is her capacity to balance intellectual analysis with the warmth of personal reflection, making complex political ideas accessible without sacrificing depth. For fans of her work, A Certain Idea of America will not disappoint.

[Lady Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of Peggy Noonan’s best published writings showcases exactly what makes her such a respected voice—her thoughtfulness, eloquence, and deep understanding of American life.

What I appreciated most was the classiness and moderation in her opinions. Ms. Noonan embraces the sacred middle ground that so few seem willing to take these days. She doesn’t pander to extremes or fuel outrage; instead, she offers perspective, nuance, and a sense of history that feels rare in today’s discourse.

In a time when public conversation often feels divisive and reactionary, Ms. Noonan’s writing is a reminder that it’s possible to engage with ideas thoughtfully and respectfully. Whether or not you agree with her on everything, she’s a writer worth reading.

[Christopher Fouche · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the thing I might appreciate most about Peggy Noonan's writing is her dignity. There is a dignity to the way she writes, and (I assume) a dignity to the way she carries herself. In a world that gleefully sacrifices its dignity, her prescription is, simply, keep your head about you. Act like a grown-up. Use your brain. Most of all, keep your head high, and always hold on to your dignity. In the fever of a childish, shameless world, this message hits like a blast of bracing cool air.

Oh, and it probably goes without saying, but her command of the language is so fun to read. An absolute master at work.

[Dan Schaeberle · Rating 1 out of 5]

FINALLY, I am finished this atrocious book. My wife asks me why I continue to read bad books and I tell her it’s in my OCD to finish a book I have started.
Anyway, this book was terrible. Maybe Peggy should change her first name to “Karen” because all she does is lecture the reader with her writing. A lot of it is negative and critical.
She takes shots at President Trump every chance she gets yet I thought she was supposed to be more conservative being a former speech writer to President Reagan. Pick a side Peggy bc there is nothing more annoying than a RINO.
Save yourself the trouble and don’t read this book.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As you might expect with a collection of 80 essays, some I really liked, some I disagreed with, and some I felt should not have been included as the topic was too trivial. I liked that the author started the book with a tribute to well-known Americans (includes a story of Nixon we often forget about).

The essays are current, from the past decade, with references to the past that help you see the thread of history. Almost all of them will make you pause and think. The author is conservative but what we refer to today as a Reagan Republican. My political views land squarely left of that but I found it thought-provoking and at times educational.

Recommended.

[Joseph Hilden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms Noonan just hit a walk-off home run with selected writing opinions. She covers numerous important historical events over many years. We first remember her as President Reagan's speech writer but she has evolved into a sensible, thoughtful American brimming with common sense. Our country is in such need of people who are willing to compromise for the common good of our nation. My hope is that all Americans read this book. Hopefully schools will have their students read and discuss this collection. This book is a giant step forward to restoring our unique Democracy . THANK YOU MS NOONAN

[Clayton Conifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite conservative commentators. She is far more independent than partisan and is often charitable to those who disagree with her and also critical of her own side when it warrants critique . Her essays were thought provoking, elegant and sometimes funny. Even when I disagree, I enjoyed reading her perspective. Glad to have read this book and enjoyed my time with the great Peggy Noonan! Her calls for class, decency, respect and honor all while being honest ,are much needed during these tumultuous days.

[Bill Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are times when this book can be, if not soaring, at minimum, elevated. Noonan certainly is massively literate and a gifted writer. But to call this a “book” is a misnomer. It’s not even really a collection of essays. It’s rather, a collection of her columns. On that level, there’s an element of the commercial in these works. Whether Noonan is able to soar remains unanswered (from this book at least).

This book lived on my kitchen table for a couple months. It was perfect with oatmeal. A really good appetizer but certainly not the main course.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t subscribe to the WSJ and haven’t read most of Noonan’s columns over the years, so this collection of her writing was an interesting and refreshing review of her opinions over the last 25 years. I have seen her often on television talk shows and news shows, so I already knew her style. She is honest and often acerbic, sparing no criticism of public figures. Her pragmatic approach to common problems is approachable and clearly communicated.

[Joni Greenwell Bycroft · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminded me of me that I'm a Patriot. I'm proud to be an American. And, with work, we're going to be OK. She's selected 80 essays previously published in the Wall Street Journal and organized them under 7 headings from "Let us Now Praise Famous Men", to "On America", and finally to "We can Handle it." These columns run 1 1/2 pages to 4 pages long, and make for some very comforting reading before bed. I recommend it.