Dutch: A Memoir - sort of. It's not really a memoir, and it's not really a biography. So then, what is it? It is more of a work by Edmund Morris that should be called Edmund Morris: A Life Story with Aspects of Ronald Reagan. It is important to note that many aspects of the - memoir - are fictional in nature. Despite the fact that it was an authorized "biography" by Ronald Reagan, his portrayal in the book is mostly fictional.
The book follows the story of Edmund Morris, as a boy from the hometown of Ronald Reagan. Aspects of his personality were changed to fit the book, as well as aspects of the other characters. Since he grew up with Reagan, he remains close to him for life - as a friend. Morris more or less "keeps tabs" on Reagan, watching him grow up as an actor, and eventually becoming the fortieth President of the United States of America.
The name "Dutch" in the title of the book is referred to when Morris goes to a 1926 football game. After he asks about someone on the field, an onlooker says that it is Dutch Reagan. By seeing this, Morris gains a newer respect for Reagan as a person, and continues to realize that he is good with everything.
Morris continues to live a somewhat average life, and interacts with the people around him, including Reagan. In some points of the book, the endnotes of the page claim that people interacting with Reagan were fictional, which doesn't make much sense in a biography. Many of the events that occur in the book are indeed fictional, and they are described in a first-person point of view from Morris.
Dutch can be a confusing read, especially if you are expecting something else out of it. Because Dutch was Reagan's football title, many people expect it to focus on football, but it tends to follow the life of Morris. The book, in essence, isn't about Ronald Reagan, but a man that knew Ronald Reagan.
