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samuelblakey's review against another edition
3.0
This was a good, easy read, giving a few details of Watergate from the perspective of the White House press. At times, it felt as though Brokaw went out of his way to try and connect the scandal surrounding Nixon to the scandal surrounding Trump, which I found unnecessary. It whetted my appetite for more historical literature.
graff_fuller's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
Wow, reading this book in this day in age (mid-August 2021)...after the debacle of POTUS Donald Trump and the January 6th storming of the Capitol Building...reading the incendent that lead to the Fall of Richard Nixon...I could see SO many parallels. It is actually frightning.
I was raised very conservative, and my Da always said that history would treat President Nixon fairer than his own time in Office (and shortly there after). Well, that definitely will not happen in my lifetime, nor ever.
The things that he did, were criminal. Call it like you see it. Irrefutable evidence was gathered of wrong doing...some even in his own voice damning himself.
Cut to this last president. I got to the point that I blocked every, I mean EVERY mention of his name and derogatory nicknames on my Social Media apps. I would have voted for the Donkey of the Democratic party INSTEAD of allowing THAT man a minute more in Office. What a blight on this country. Ugh. Words really cannot contain my frustration in his adminastration, and the idiots that to this day still fight for him. Unbelievable. Something from President Snow in the Hunger Games.
Well, reading this book has put a number of things into perspective. One, the country acted in the best interest of the people and actually removed Nixon from Office. It saddens me that in our time, we have not learned from previous lessons...and allowed an egomaniac to ride out his days (actually viewing it as a victory)...to the point that he tried to have a coup to stay in Office.
So, I can say that Richard Nixon is a better man than Donald Trump EVER was. Misguided and wrong, doing criminal things while in Office, but at least he walked away...when the country said to go.
I was young when these things were happening (being born in 1966), but so many of the names that were mentioned in this book were household names that effected the course of this country.
Should you read this book? Well, it is biased...for sure, but I do believe that Tom Brokaw is fairly fair. Actually more fair than I would be if I had to write a book of the Fall of Donald Trump (that's for sure).
There are probably many of sources that would be a LOT more interesting and would go into depth of what EXACTLY he (Nixon) did wrong, but for my head, this book touched on what I really wanted to know...and drew a line and described the events as they happened. It's a fairly good account through the eyes (and recollection) of a reporter of that time.
I'm glad that I read it.
Wow, reading this book in this day in age (mid-August 2021)...after the debacle of POTUS Donald Trump and the January 6th storming of the Capitol Building...reading the incendent that lead to the Fall of Richard Nixon...I could see SO many parallels. It is actually frightning.
I was raised very conservative, and my Da always said that history would treat President Nixon fairer than his own time in Office (and shortly there after). Well, that definitely will not happen in my lifetime, nor ever.
The things that he did, were criminal. Call it like you see it. Irrefutable evidence was gathered of wrong doing...some even in his own voice damning himself.
Cut to this last president. I got to the point that I blocked every, I mean EVERY mention of his name and derogatory nicknames on my Social Media apps. I would have voted for the Donkey of the Democratic party INSTEAD of allowing THAT man a minute more in Office. What a blight on this country. Ugh. Words really cannot contain my frustration in his adminastration, and the idiots that to this day still fight for him. Unbelievable. Something from President Snow in the Hunger Games.
Well, reading this book has put a number of things into perspective. One, the country acted in the best interest of the people and actually removed Nixon from Office. It saddens me that in our time, we have not learned from previous lessons...and allowed an egomaniac to ride out his days (actually viewing it as a victory)...to the point that he tried to have a coup to stay in Office.
So, I can say that Richard Nixon is a better man than Donald Trump EVER was. Misguided and wrong, doing criminal things while in Office, but at least he walked away...when the country said to go.
I was young when these things were happening (being born in 1966), but so many of the names that were mentioned in this book were household names that effected the course of this country.
Should you read this book? Well, it is biased...for sure, but I do believe that Tom Brokaw is fairly fair. Actually more fair than I would be if I had to write a book of the Fall of Donald Trump (that's for sure).
There are probably many of sources that would be a LOT more interesting and would go into depth of what EXACTLY he (Nixon) did wrong, but for my head, this book touched on what I really wanted to know...and drew a line and described the events as they happened. It's a fairly good account through the eyes (and recollection) of a reporter of that time.
I'm glad that I read it.
kenfreeman's review
3.0
Interesting perspective on a fascinating time in our nation's history. I was a bit annoyed by Brokaw's choice to take pot shots at the Trump administration in the course of the book. While some of the connections drawn between Nixon and Trump were clear and worthy of comment, others ("Look at this article I found below the fold of the NY Times while researching this book....") were low blows that I found far below the dignity of the author.
When discussing Nixon's administration, I found Brokaw's writing to be insightful and unbiased, relying merely on the facts as understood with a contemporary eye.
When discussing Nixon's administration, I found Brokaw's writing to be insightful and unbiased, relying merely on the facts as understood with a contemporary eye.
chickflix's review against another edition
2.0
I don't read much about American politics in general, but I saw this pop up in my library app and gave it a shot. It didn't really give me any information that I didn't already know about. It just recounted Nixon's presidency. Pretty forgettable.
squidbag's review against another edition
3.0
More memoir than history, comes off as a little disjointed. Still entertaining, insightful, and useful, though: the best chronicler of the Greatest Generation spins yarns about his time in the Watergate press pool; one gets the sense that this is what it would be like having a few drinks with Brokaw and getting him to open up about his time around the Nixon administration. Anecdotes about D.C. elite in the 70s abound, the background chaos of the event is detailed. Enjoyable, but not what I'd call essential.
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