Nancy was impossibly misunderstood in her time. This book sheds the perfect light on an imperfect women who lived, thrived and did more behind the scenes than ANYONE realized in impossibly imperfect circumstances. Required reading for anyone interested in a well-rounded look at life in a political fishbowl.

Many thanks go to Sheila Tate, Random House, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. Extremely biased recounting of Nancy Reagan's stint as First Lady in the early '80s. I was about ten years old. All I remember about her is her "Just Say No" program against drug use. And that's about all the author could focus one as well. Tate was Nancy’s press secretary for the first four years. These years are known for high levels of criticism and bad press for Nancy. She had a bad reputation for spending. According to Tate, that was completely unfounded. Examples are given. In these pages Nancy is also described as warm, funny, giving, etc-all words I’ve never heard used to describe her. One term I am aware of is protective and that was quite apparent from the stories told.<br />All in all this reminded me of a memoir type book told from a highly subjective angle to influence opinion. Snippets of a life no substance

I read Lady in Red An Intimate Portrait of Nancy Reagan by SheilaTate from Crown Publishing Crown Forum to learn more about Nancy Reagan's time in the White House. I was not a fan of the Reagan's policies or politics and hoped to gain a better understanding of this chapter in U.S. history but I was a bit disappointed. The book is well written but slightly skewed by Sheila Gate's affection for Mrs. Reagan. No doubt she could be difficult to work with and image was her primary goal and that was pretty much glazed over. Sadly nothing new was learned. Finding about the true Nancy Reagan was not the focus. I appreciate the authors well written book but was looking for more honesty, less First Lady fluff. Despite that it was an interesting book.
Thank you NetGalley, Sheila Tate and Crown Publishing for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this inside look into the life of First Lady Nancy Regan. It was written very well and I learned a lot about this First Lady I didn't know. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about this captivating woman.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Very good book on the life of Nancy Reagan. Nothing really new in this book but well written nonetheless. Would recommend to anyone that wishes to know about this lady. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

Interesting and well written intimate portrait of Nancy Regan. I enjoyed reading this book. I learned so much about the Lady in Red Nancy Regan. As a journalist I related to the author's experiences and liked hearing about the behind the scenes elements. This book will appeal to many and is recommended.

Sheila Tate was a loyal and professional member of Nancy Reagan's staff and she has continued to honor her employer in this gracious and complementary book about the first lady. Tate's style is personal and eminently readable.

If there is anything critical to say about the book, it is that the author is generous to a fault. Her respect and affection for Mrs. Reagan is demonstrated on every page. In the end, the book would be more fun if it was just a wee bit more "dishy."

This book was written by Mrs. Reagan's personal secretary and offered insight into the personal and professional aspects of her life. Many believe that Nancy was a cold woman, but this book gives plenty of evidence that she was compassionate and genuinely wanted to make a positive impact.

I've always been a fan of the Reagans, but didn't really know that much about Nancy aside from the fact that she appeared fiercely loyal to her husband. That opinion proved absolutely true according to the author who was press secretary to First Lady Nancy Reagan. I loved reading about her other passions in life, and hearing some good news to balance the often negative that the media portrayed of her. If you loved the Regan era, you'll enjoy this book.

As a new college grad at the advent of the Reagan administration, I was not a fan of their politics and policy. I bought into the entire narrative about Nancy Reagan and only began to appreciate her grit and class as I matured. Sheila Tate brings you into her and Nancy's daily world in a way that is emotional, respectful, chatty but not gossipy. She draws on her years as the First Lady's publicist and then later as a cherished friend. It's a glimpse into the life of a complicated woman who had much more depth and grace than she was given credit for during the best years of her life. The trivial details of petty grievances, wealthy friendships, and her penchant for designers fashions took media precedence over her service to the needy and contribution to the war on drugs. Ms. Tate while clearly a big fan of Mrs. Reagan does hint at her employers sometimes imperious and demanding nature, but also gives insight into her loyalty, sense of humor, dedication to country and class. Her devotion to Ronnie was unquestionable and perhaps unequalled. While far from a gritty biography, it's an enjoyable and enlightening read about one of our history's most enduring and should've been endearing First Ladies.

This is a loving memoir about First Lady Nancy Reagan written by her personal Press Secretary, Sheila Tate. One fact that clearly shines through is that Ms. Tate loves and admires Nancy Reagan. There are many wonderful insider anecdotes that comprise this book. Far from the opinion of some that Nancy Reagan was cold-hearted, this tome reveals Mrs. Reagan to be a loyal friend who can keep secrets and dispense compassion generously where needed. Ms.Tate was about as close an insider as you could get to her subject, having been Mrs. Reagan's chosen press secretary just prior to Ronald Reagan taking office as President in 1981. She was privy to many special, poignant and humorous moments, both during her tenure in the White House and while a private citizen...as their friendship endured through the decades.

Some of the notable subjects covered are Mrs. Reagan's successful "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign, how she intervened on multiple occasions to help children who needed organ transplants, her sound instincts in "sizing-up" people, and being the strongest advocate, partner and protector to her husband.

A fact I found particularly remarkable (in light of the sharp political divide these days) is that Nancy Reagan counted numerous devoted and loving friends among both Democrats and Republicans. A common refrain among her many friends quoted in this book is that the thing they miss the most is just hearing her voice on the phone as well as her hearty laugh. She just loved to call people all the time and keep in touch.

There were many buried treasures brought to light in this book such as her thoughts on how to keep love alive, personal letters, and many insider stories tinged with both humor and tenderness. One particularly unfortunate story was how Nancy sent a personal note to a certain First Lady-to-be offering the benefit her experience. Shamefully, this person never responded, and Mrs. Reagan had no use for her after that.

In final summation, for me, reading this book was an uplifting experience. Yes, there were laughs...because the Reagans both had a great sense of humor. There was a lot of love in that marriage, and also a lot of heart-tugging moments shared by friends and employees. My eyes shone with tears on multiple occasions, as this was a very special book about a very special lady.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing, Crown Forum for the digital galley of this book.

The subtitle of this book indicated an intimate portrait of Nancy Reagan but I don't think Sheila Tate followed through on that to the extent I had hoped. Ms. Tate was closely associated with Nancy Reagan from 1981 to 1984 as her press secretary during the first term of Ronal Reagan's presidency. After that period of time Ms. Tate moved on with her career and was not as aware of what was taking place in the public and private life of Nancy Reagan. Ms. Tate did maintain friendly relations with Ms. Reagan but the years after Tate left the White House staff are not covered as closely in this book as I had thought they would be.

Sheila Tate has provided an opportunity for readers to understand the problems faced by Nancy Reagan as she was endeavoring to take on the monumental task of being the First Lady. Things often didn't go smoothly in the beginning so reading about some of the ways Ms. Reagan began to put her own personality stamp on that position makes interesting reading. As someone who was aware of the problems facing Ms. Reagan and knowing some of the mistakes she initially made, this book was an opportunity to look behind the scenes and to understand just how serious she was about her Just Say No to drugs campaign. Many people evidently underestimated the fervor with which Ms. Reagan chose that message to promote during her time in the political limelight. I was very glad to see that my perception of her interest in that cause was correct and to read about her successes with the work she did in that area.

I think perhaps this book might be of more interest to readers who were not dialed in to the political landscape of our country during the years of Ms. Reagan's time in Washington, D. C. What I had hoped to learn more about were the years when the Reagan's left the glare of public life. I didn't find much in this book about those years.

I remember well this first lady and felt she was not pictured accurately by the press. The author was her aide and friend, and describes the Nancy Reagan she knew behind the scenes. She writes a lovely tribute.

I enjoyed learning more about Nancy Reagan and some of her "behind-the-scenes" views into her life and preferences. The book is a nice collection of memories, stories, and thoughts by those who worked closest with her. The writing was a little basic, but the story gets across well.

Before reading Lady in Red, my impression of Nancy Reagan wasn’t the best. I decided to read this new book to see what someone close to her had to say.
In the early years of the Reagan administration, the media faulted her for the White House décor, new china, and loaned clothes. She appeared to be insensitive and selfish in tough economic times. That is what had flavored my impression.
Her Just Say No campaign against drugs did wonders for her image. As legal counsel Fred Fielding said, she was a demanding and formidable force, opinionated to be sure, but not the Dragon Lady as portrayed. She was also very focused and loved using her position to help people.
I found it interesting that, despite having been an actress and governor’s wife, she came to Washington unsure of herself, and only as time passed, she relaxed into her role as First Lady.
Interesting tidbit: Frank Sinatra approved the entertainment of state dinners because of his significant clout with a range of entertainers.
I recommend this book for a fresh, appealing look at Nancy Reagan.

Lady in Red is a wonderful book about a First Lady that people either don't know or don't know about like she really was. Sheila Tate's account of her years as Nancy Reagan's press secretary is engrossing and entertaining like few others. Read this one and be prepared to be thoroughly entertained.

This is definitely a must add to your collection. This book is phenomenal. I was blown away. Our First Ladies suffer from an image that people craft for her.
This book brought me back to my childhood as Sheila Tate, former Reagan East Wing employee, and a friend of Nancy Reagan, opened a door to a Nancy Reagan that those who don't know her may never have seen.
The Lady is Red, is a must read, about a patriot, a strong woman, who loved both her country and her husband.

This book is very eye opening for anyone born in my generation or after. I was born in 1979 so I have some memories of the Regan white house and I learned about it in school just like everyone else. This book opens up the back doors and it tells you not just about Nancy Regan but about moving into the White House and fighting the press and their image of who they thought that she was and you are lead on the journey as she becomes the strong woman that we all know. This book was great one of the better written of its kind I have read lately and I would recommend it to all my friends.