Letter From America By Alistair Cooke: The Reagan Years (1981-1988)

Secretary of State Shultz returns from arms limitation talks which have the ring of a top-notch game of political chess. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

President Reagan visits the US's big neighbour to the north while anger rages over America's production of acid rain. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

The case of US marine Clayton Lonetree accused of espionage in Moscow reminds Cooke of how electronic surveillance was feared at the founding of the UN in 1945.

Gorbachev's new era of glasnost could foster better Soviet-US understanding. The sound quality on this recording is variable/poor. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

Beleaguered Reagan holds his first press conference for months on the thorny subject of Iran-Contra. The sound quality on this recording is variable/poor. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

Has President Reagan redeemed himself in the eyes of the public after taking responsibility for the arms for hostages deal made with Iran?

Western economies are heading for another crash, warns economics professor Kenneth Galbraith - but not everyone agrees that the good times are too good to be true. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

Way of life ends as dairy farmers take up federal buy-out to cut excess milk production. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

A problem solved - perhaps the 76-year-old president is suffering from short-term memory loss. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

Citizen Clint - the Carmel mayor who has not yet resorted to a tough-guy act. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

Reagan describes press as 'sharks' while polls show Americans changing attitudes towards White House. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

As closed Senate meetings look at covert activities, it's time to work to avoid a crippled presidency. The sound quality on this recording is variable/poor. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

No mention of politics in the president's Thanksgiving address - despite it being the main item on most news menus. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

America reacts to revelations of a US arms for hostages deal with Iran. Arbitrageur Ivan Boesky admits insider trading on Wall Street and is fined $100 million.

Sharp criticism from both sides as president comes clean about arms deal to Iran amid hostage negotiations. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

Reagan may get a bumpy ride in his last two years as Senate goes to the Democrats in off-year elections. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

Exuberant in the face of defeat, the Boston Red Sox lose the World Series but hold a splendid wake. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

Politicians - and the rest of us - work only out of self-interest, says Nobel prize-winning economist. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

President Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev's disarmament summit in Reykjavik ends in failure after Reagan's refusal to abandon the Strategic Defence Initiative.

Remembering three great men who resigned high office on points of principle. This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.