Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good but not a comprehensive history of the Nixon administration, 7 Aug 2007
I was really looking forward to reading this as I particularly liked `Flawed Giant' about the Johnson administration - having finished and enjoyed it, I'm also slightly disappointed. Most of the foreign policy issues faced by Nixon and Kissinger are covered in detail, but there is practically no coverage of domestic political issues. Nixon himself had no interest in `building outhouses in Peoria' but this does not necessarily mean that it should have been omitted from `Partners in Power'. For example, toward the end of the book we are told `...Schlesinger, who replaced Laird as Secretary of Defence,......" without even an explanation of why Laird was replaced.
Other gripes include the remarkably scant coverage of the role of Spiro Agnew, who is mentioned briefly on only four or five occasions, and the inadequate coverage of the effects of Nixon's bombing of Cambodia and the means by which N&K illegally sought to cover it up. I also felt that more direct quotes, which are readily available, would have brought more life to the content.
However, Dallek does provide in-depth coverage of Vietnam, Yom Kippur War, OPEC crises and détente with the PRC and USSR, and the writing style easily maintains interest. The best aspect of the book (and to be fair the main objective) is the portrayal of the relationship between the president and his national security advisor. Startling similarities become apparent, and the author provides a particularly interesting analysis of the inner drivers motivating each man.
Overall, this is a very well written and enjoyable account of some aspects of the Nixon presidency and an intriguing study on the use and abuse of executive power. Kissinger was right when he said in 1968 `that man is not fit to be president'.
|
|
|
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining, authoritative and illuminating, 30 Oct 2007
Dallek's book is not intended to be a comprehensive history of Nixon's administration. Rather he sets out to map the contours of one of the most interesting, impactful and controversial political relationships of the 20th century. He does this lucidly, balancing his portraits of the two men with the historical moment that defined them and they themselves defined. He draws on a range of sources and delivers many fascinating stories as well as some new insight and conclusions. Recommended.
|
|
|
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Walkthrough of Nixon/Kissinger approach to foreign policy, 7 April 2008
Robert Dallek's book is a well written, well structured walk-through the Nixon and Kissinger years - and it focuses heavily on their Foreign Policy analysis and execution - primarily because thats what Nixon and Kissinger thought would define their reign.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. Its easy to read and assuming you want to learn how/why Nixon/Kissinger did what they did, then this is a good way to do it.
((( But briefly my reaction on what I learnt**. Frankly I was shocked by the way the in which personal emotion, prejudice and opinions would so heavily influence the decisions that Nixon and Kissinger took. From Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Bangladesh, China, Chile - these 2 men let let their prejudices, in many instances, overcome the rational analysis to make decisions that negatively impacted countries and millions of people. Maybe I am just naive but where does morality come into governing? Its through laws right? But laws dont seem to apply to anyone you brand as your enemy - and simply branding them your enemy is too black and white - thats schoolyard behavior. The battles between Kissinger at the NSA and Rogers at the State Department defy belief. Nixon demonstrated poor leadership by allowing his lieutenants to war with each other in this way.)))
Anyway, thank you to Robert Dallek for writing this book and exposing how leaders govern and make decisions that impact us directly. I have probably reacted too strongly about Nixon/Kissinger themselves rather than focus on the book itself. ** But please note - thats my interpretation of what I have read, and not necessarily Mr Dalleks. **
I am sure you will have your own interpretation.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
by Robert Dallek
by Robert Dallek
by Doris Kearns Goodwin
by Alastair Campbell
by Antony Beevor
With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is). 
Amazon Home