Q: What are the best books on Nixon?

[Khephra]

Other than "All the President's Men" of course.

[thebigidea]

1. geez, I was just going through amazon and powell's for Tricky Dick books

that "Arrogance of Power" one looks interesting.

I've been rereading FEAR AND LOATHING ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL '72 in bits and pieces all year... it all seems so horribly current.

[oustemnow]

6. agree on Fear and Loathing 72

I re-read it a couple of years ago, and the paralells (sps?) between then and now were chilling. Since this is probably the only book I've read about Nixon, I'd have to call it the best one IMO.

By the way, if you're inclined toward such reading material, HST has a pretty decent essay in the 50th Anniversary issue of Playboy.

[Zuni]

14. I love Hunter S. thompson

I have read Las Vegas, Kingdom of Fear and Fear and Loathing in America. They are all so interesting. What a unique man.

[Zuni]

2. Arrogance of Power

by Summers is good. If you want a real good book on the admin figures, get Kissiner in the Nixon White House by Seymour Hersh.

[mobuto]

3. The Arrogance of Power

by Anthony Summers.

If even 1/10 of what he prints is true, (my guess, from the extensive and labored research is that the actual accuracy is near 100%), then Richard Nixon was one of the most twisted and pathetic people who ever lived. Lots of juicy stories.

[salinen]

4. See spot run.

[alphafemale]

5. "Breach of Faith" (At least I think that's the title)

Dealing with current tyrants of late.

[Fenris]

7. Another vote for Theodore H. White's "Breach of Faith"

The best study of Nixon.

[Journeyman]

8. Nixon Agonistes. . .

Nixon Agonistes: The Crisis of the Self-Made Man

by Garry Wills

Originally published: 1978


Editorial Reviews

About the Author
Garry Wills, a distinguished historian and critic, is the author of numerous books, including Saint Augustine, Papal Sin, and the Pulitzer Prize–winning Lincoln at Gettysburg. He has won many other awards, among them two National Book Critics Circle Awards and the 1998 National Medal for the Humanities. A regular contributor to the New York Review of Books, he is an adjunct professor of history at Northwestern University. He lives in Evanston, Illinois.

Book Description
From one of America's most distinguished historians comes this classic analysis of Richard Nixon. By considering some of the president's opinions, Wills comes to the controversial conclusion that Nixon was actually a liberal. Both entertaining and essential, Nixon Agonistes captures a troubled leader and a struggling nation mired in a foolish Asian war, forfeiting the loyalty of its youth, puzzled by its own power, and looking to its cautious president for confidence. In the end, Nixon Agonistes reaches far beyond its assessment of the thirty-seventh president to become an incisive and provocative analysis of the American political machine.

[Khephra]

9. Thanks Everyone!

:hi:

[thebigidea]

10. ah ha, back to DEVO. Excellent.

which reminds me, that DVD finally came out!

MUST ADD TO ORDER. EVEN. THOUGH. I'VE SEEN IT ALL. A MILLION TIMES.... BEFORE...

except the Bruce Connor MONGOLOID short. I love his collages, definetely influenced my own style... real curious to see what he did with Devo.

[Khephra]

11. A devo dvd?

I haven't heard about that! Thanks for the heads up!

There's too much good stuff out for the holidays. Tenacious D, the Upright Citizen's Brigade, and now Devo! :-)

[thebigidea]

12. new David Cross DVD too!

[Khephra]

13. Dang!

And I'm broke now because I bought a Panasonic DVD recorder. You know, the one that Kevin Smith pushes?

[thebigidea]

15. that fiend! DVD burners are good fun, though.

Smith came from the same county as me... I see him around and admit to a burning jealousy.

Though not so much these days, I didn't really go nuts over his last coupla flix.

And Fletch? Er?! FLETCH?!