America 250 · 1980–1992
The Reagan Era
The conservative turn that defined American politics for forty years.
From Reagan's first inauguration through the LA riots — the tax cuts, the Soviet collapse, AIDS, Iran-Contra, the savings-and-loan crisis, the first Gulf War, the rise of cable news. The decade conservatives won and liberals are still arguing about why.
Presidents who served
Histories
And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic
Randy Shilts · 1987
Shilts on the first years of the AIDS epidemic — the political indifference, the public-health failure, the cost.
Lives
Reagan: The Life
H.W. Brands · 2015
The best comprehensive modern one-volume — respect without hagiography.
Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush
Jon Meacham · 2015
Definitive with full access to Bush and his diaries — the end of an older Republican tradition.
On screen
Wall Street
Oliver Stone · 1987
Stone's Wall Street — Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko. The film that named the era against its will.
Common questions
What is the best book to read about the AIDS epidemic during The Reagan Era?
The essential text regarding this subject is And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts. It provides a comprehensive account of the political and social climate surrounding the crisis throughout the 1980s.
Which film provides a definitive look at the financial culture of The Reagan Era?
The 1987 film Wall Street is the recommended screen treatment for understanding the economic atmosphere of the period. It captures the rise of corporate greed and the financial dynamics that characterized the decade.
How long did The Reagan Era last according to this canon?
The Reagan Era is defined as the period between 1980 and 1992. This timeframe encompasses major events including the Soviet collapse, the Iran-Contra affair, the savings-and-loan crisis, and the first Gulf War.
Why does The Reagan Era matter for modern American politics?
The Reagan Era represents the conservative turn that defined American politics for forty years. It remains a significant period of study because it established the policies and cultural shifts that liberals and conservatives continue to debate today.
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