Why is it so hard to capture Ronald Reagan on the page?

Jeff Chessel will join us to talk about H.W. Brands' new biography, Reagan the Life.

He is a tough, tough character to wrap your mind around.

He represents a lot of contradictions.

Beneath this very pleasant veneer that acknowledges no contradictions, that acknowledges no struggle.

Everyone knows about Jonas Salk's great achievement, but who is the man behind the polio

vaccine?

Charlotte DeCroses Jacobs will tell us about her biography, Jonas Salk, a life.

This kind of international idol who smiles, shown from every newspaper and magazine,

when I was growing up, didn't live happily ever after.

Alexander Altar will let us know what's going on in the publishing world. Greg Cole's has

bestseller news, and something new. We're letting our listeners weigh in. This week, readers have

a few questions for us editors here at the Book Review. We'll offer some answers.

This is Inside the New York Times Book Review. I'm Pamela Paul.

Jeff Chessel joins us now. His most recent book is Supreme Power, Franklin Roosevelt versus

the Supreme Court. And this week in the Book Review, he reviews H.W. Brands' new biography

of Ronald Reagan. Hi, Jeff.

Hi, how are you?

I'm good. So this biography, it's the first major biography of Reagan, you say, in more than a decade.

Why do you think that is?

Well, I think that Reagan is certainly without question a sort of continuing fascination,

and maybe even more when you look at the regard with which he's held by most conservatives,

...