- Hardcover: 688 pages
- Publisher: W&N (11 Sep 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0575062436
- ISBN-13: 978-0575062436
- Product Dimensions: 24.1 x 16.5 x 5.1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
500,128 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #12 in Books > Biography > Political > United States > Nixon, Richard
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Anthony Summers is the past master of scandal, the man who brought you Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe and that unforgettable (alleged) eyewitness account of J Edgar Hoover in a flouncy black dress. The Arrogance of Power, certainly is one racy read. Summers depicts a Nixon stoned out of his mind on Seconal, single-malt Scotch, Dilantin, speed, and clinical paranoia, pummelling his wife, Pat (who was rumoured to have once been rescued by the Secret Service from nearly drunkenly drowning in a bathtub). Summers' Nixon apparently took Mickey Cohen Mob money to fund his anti-Semitic, salacious smear campaign against Helen Gahagan Douglas to get his Senate start; framed Alger Hiss with a fake typewriter; traded gold for POWs with Vietcong; and issued orders to bomb Damascus and Jordan and nuke Vietnam and Korea (orders that were ignored until Nixon sobered up in the morning). His favourite limousine was the SS100X that JFK died in. Nixon's shrink reportedly also treated Rita Hayworth, spoke like Dr Strangelove, and used "Pavlovian technique" to "brainwash Nixon into becoming a better person." No luck.
Summers' Nixon favoured the Greek generals who tortured pro-democracy types, and took a bribe from Göring's pal Nicolae Malaxa, who, thanks to Nixon, traded his Romanian mansion (in which thousands of Jews were tortured and killed) for a posh Manhattan apartment. Summers' most fascinating stuff concerns the Howard Hughes/Castro/Watergate connection. Did Nixon order CIA/Mafia plots to kill Castro? Did the Castro plot get JFK killed, as Haldeman suspected? Was the Watergate break-in (one of perhaps 100 Nixon break-ins) intended to seize information about Nixon's Hughes loans and Castro plots?
Summers tries to assess his massive data while he's presenting it, and he doesn't credit every wild tale equally. Still, without him, I would never have heard about Castro's alleged ex-girlfriend, "the Mata Hari of the Caribbean," hired by future Watergate burglars to re-seduce Castro and slip two poison pills in his coffee. But she hid the pills in her cold-cream jar, and when she took them out in their Havana Hilton bathroom, they'd melted. Besides, her close encounter with the leader left her "torn by feelings of love." The Arrogance of Power won't give you this feeling. --Tim Appelo
Product Description
The biographer of Hoover and Marilyn Monroe turns his skills to the complex story of Richard Nixon, and offers an intimate portrait of the man - and major new revelations. Drawing on the fruits of years of meticulous research (including the three hundred and fifty hours of Watergate era recordings released since 1996) and over 700 interviews, Summers reveals the bizarre behaviour that Nixon frequently displayed, his physical abuse of his wife, his embroilment with organised crime, and his procurement of vast sums of money. He makes numerous revisions of the received wisdom about Watergate, and, most serious of all, damning revelations about Nixon and Vietnam. He also offers a devastating psychological portrait, revealing that Nixon was not only a chronic and compulsive liar, he was also plagued by jealousy and paranoia, repressed emotions and psychological inadequacy. Finally, Absolute Power is a great read: Summers has an extraordinary ability to turn tens and thousands of documents into well-paced, atmospheric narrative.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb biography of controversial politician,
By Mr. Tristan Martin (Hertfordshire, UK) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: The Arrogance of Power: The Secret World of Richard Nixon (Hardcover)
If the second half of the twentieth century can be described as the 'age of Nixon', then Oxford historian Anthony Summers has written quite possibly the definitive portrait of the decades-defining politician.
If you think you knew Nixon, think again: Summers paints a picture of a venal and deeply corrupt individual, plagued by doubts and self-loathing; yet this Nixon is also absolutely human and capable of political brilliance. This depiction of Richard Millhouse Nixon is no cardboard caricature but a recognisable and conflicted person who could have achieved something exceptional if he had chosen a different path but ended up self-destructing in an inferno of pills, booze, paranoia and subversion, ultimately falling on his sword rather than revealing what he knew about the workings of the secret state, the deep political structure. He was enabled in this function by those who surrounded him and acted as gatekeepers to the king, Bob Haldeman, John Erlichman and Henry Kissinger, people who, rather than attempting to restrain and moderate, indulged Nixon's worst aspects and darker side. There is an exceptional amount of material that Summers has compiled here but, as with his other books, he writes deftly and never swamps the reader with detail at the expense of narrative clarity. The illegal political maneuvering that Nixon and Kissinger conspired in, to sabotage Lyndon B. Johnson's peace initiative with the South Vietnamese by promising them a better deal once he was elected, thereby undermining LBJ's deal and needlessly prolonging the suffering (on both sides) of the Vietnam war, is meticulously documented, as is just about everything else: Nixon's rise to power, his relationship with John F. Kennedy, J. Edgar Hoover, his relationship with the intelligence apparatus, Texan oil men, the numerous black-bag jobs (possibly hundreds), Watergate being the most infamous, and the Mafia. Ideologues might criticise this book for being a scandalising, sensationalist dirt-digging expose but the facts are plain enough, thoroughly sourced and researched and speak for themselves. If you relish a good biography or simply want to understand one of the key U.S. politicians of recent decades, then this is the book you need to buy. Once you have finished this, watch Oliver Stone's, "Nixon" - a great film that was made before this book was released (buy the U.S. import and get a much better package: an extended director's cust with roughly 28 minutes extra footage, plus an hour long interview with Stone).
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Nixon haters will love this book - but lacks balance,
By
This review is from: The Arrogance of Power: The Secret World of Richard Nixon (Hardcover)
Summers central thesis appears to be that the downfall of Nixon was in fact simply the culmination of a lifetime of lies, deceit and intrigue. He interprets events throughout his life from this perspective and this is both the fascination of this book and its ultimate weakness. Summers presents a through and well researched semi-chronological trip through Nixon's life and has uncovered a number of previously unreported incidents - for example the circumstances around Nixon's dramatic return to Washington to indict Hiss was fascinating. The author's style is easy and flows freely. Summers has meticulously cross referenced and noted sources but these do not interrupt the narrative. This book will provide a huge collection of anecdotes and information to support those who already believe that Nixon was in essence fundamentally corrupt. Where the book and Summers missed an opportunity was in bringing to his research and thought an element of objectivity that would have added weight to his central argument. The constant and unrelenting analysis of every event in the most negative way calls into question the arrogance of the author rather than Nixon. Those who are prepared to give Nixon the benefit of at least some doubt may find the constant carping annoying. Essentially you will either love or hate this book, but that will depend on your existing views of Nixon.
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A poorly written hatchet job.,
By
This review is from: The Arrogance of Power: Secret World of Richard Nixon: The Secret World of Richard Nixon (Hardcover)
This book is tabloid-style gossip dressed up as political biography. Most of the 'revelations' have been seen before. Also, Summers appears unable (or unwilling) to give Nixon credit for anything. This is as bad as Seymour Hersh's book on Kennedy.
Anyone wanting single-volume works on Nixon should buy the books by Richard Reeves and/or Melvin Small, both of which are excellent.
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