brandinh's review against another edition
4.0
The questions Aronson poses are perhaps even more relevant today than they were at the time of this writing. Here he has provided a well-researched, detailed look at the life of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI’s beginning. Interwoven with tales of the Cold War, Watergate, and the Civil Rights Movement, Aronson provides critical insight into our nation’s history. As always, Aronson practically forces the reader to engage in critical thinking. Recommended.
nerfherder86's review against another edition
5.0
I didn't think a book about J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI and the Cold War would interest me so much, but I found this book fascinating and hard to put down. Written for the high school level and up, it details in a fascinating, thoroughly researched and objective way the lives of Hoover and many peripheral historical figures throughout the 60+ years the book covers, how Hoover built the FBI into a huge organization, how he kept files on everyone remotely suspicious of various crimes or just dissenting thoughts. Beginning with the shocking blackmail letter sent to Martin Luther King Jr. that threatened him to commit suicide, you know you are going to be reading a lot of controversial things in this book. The overriding theme is secrecy, how people have used it to control information, and obtain power over others. The author deftly covers both liberal and conservative viewpoints when discussing American history, and talks about the attractions of Communism as well as its detractions to explain why Americans might have been drawn to it early on. He also ties events of the past to the present (mentions how our government's actions post-9/11 were very similar to those back in the 1930's, when the FBI was rounding up immigrants simply because they were foreign), and discusses how the real danger to security is in not remaining open-minded and in not being willing to admit our mistakes and to rush to judgment about others. I think the real value of this book is in the author's notes and bibliography at the end; he writes a interesting essay about his work on the book and his fears while writing it, and in the works cited list he doesn't just cite the source of a quotation, but also gives a little overview of the books he read and which ones would be most useful to students doing further research on certain topics. I found that fascinating, to get a glimpse into how much work goes into the research for a book like this, and I liked how it sets the example for students that you can't just read one book, even a supposedly objective and factual nonfiction book, about a topic, and know the whole story. Good writing and an informed opinion requires lots of research and reading. But all that seriousness aside, this is a fascinating read! The writing style is clear and concise and it is well-illustrated with not just photos but some of Hoover's early FBI charts, and posters from G-Men movies and early FBI popular propaganda. I liked the frequent asides referring readers to a particular film for a particular subject or person--for example, in the chapter discussing the rise of the American Communist Party and John Reed, it is suggested that readers watch the film "Reds"--which I thought was a great way to engage students and encourage further interest. All of Hoover's life is discussed, as it all ties in with how inextricably linked he was to his work at the FBI, including current research and conclusions on his possible homosexuality and racism, etc. Again, Aronson is fairly objective and gives his reasons for his conclusions, always citing his sources. An excellent book for anyone interested in American history.
rebeccaaaaaa's review against another edition
A biography of the FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover and his political machinations. Aronson contextualizes and situates everything, with a tone that varies in its formality.
One characteristic of YA nonfiction that this biography does very well is contextualizing. I’m terrible at history and as a teen generally enjoyed adult nonfiction, but found history/politics related things very off-putting because it felt like there was a lot of assumed knowledge that I didn’t have. This is really almost a history of the time/politics/communism/rights and not just a biography. However, something about the tone I would have found condescending as a teen I think – there’s a lot of editorializing. It is very engaging though and would appeal to some reluctant readers. I could see using it in a 7-10 grade classroom (English, history, or debate) as well.
One characteristic of YA nonfiction that this biography does very well is contextualizing. I’m terrible at history and as a teen generally enjoyed adult nonfiction, but found history/politics related things very off-putting because it felt like there was a lot of assumed knowledge that I didn’t have. This is really almost a history of the time/politics/communism/rights and not just a biography. However, something about the tone I would have found condescending as a teen I think – there’s a lot of editorializing. It is very engaging though and would appeal to some reluctant readers. I could see using it in a 7-10 grade classroom (English, history, or debate) as well.
hrmason's review against another edition
4.0
Good overview of Hoover. Aronson does a good job of highlighting the aspects/rumors of his sexuality without going so too into depth. Likewise, he doesn't gloss over them either since homosexuality was a huge issue in his career. Not sure how many kids know enough about him that would pick this up, but many would be interested after they read it.
thebookvault's review against another edition
5.0
Feeling anxious about the government? Power corrupts.
singinglight's review
4.0
I also read Marc Aronsen’s Master of Deceit, a teen biography of J. Edgar Hoover. Aronsen is a master of narrative fiction, and I thought the way he tried to show two sides to every story was great. For interested teens, this could be a really good discussion book. I did catch some bias on his part, which he addresses more explicitly in the afterword. I didn’t actually know much about J. Edgar Hoover before reading this, but I now I feel quite well informed.
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