Elucidating

This is the story of Watergate. Retold again. One would think, enough already. Yet, after reading this book, this retelling is distinct and worth a read. Watergate, A New History, by Garrett M. Graff, and narrated by Jacques Roy, gives all the history, meaning it lays out the chronological story and interlaces each participant’s individual retell from their own tell-all stories. We get to see that remembrance and blames are, will differ from participant to participant. That is an interesting aspect of this work but not what makes it great.

This book is a reality check. Our leaders and I guess every nation’s leader, are humans having their unique frailties, which guide them into rational or stupid moves. The Nixon team was not very impressive. Many more stupid moves than rational. Nothing strategic for sure. If that was not enough the team was without moral character, and in fact, fatted in only moral turpitude.

What makes this publication a good work of art, is the preciseness of the retelling. Surprisingly, never leaving one with the feeling of too many tiny facts, it provides fact, after fact, after fact, inter-weaving into a retelling of that which has been many times told. That’s the book’s format, and suspiciously it works out very nicely. All in all this work of history is surprisingly captivating even though I living through it all (and daily reading the Wahington Post and New York Times, through it all, this new version intrigues me even today.

8 people found this helpful

An Excellent Account Of An American Scandal

I’ve been rather obsessed with Richard Nixon for quite awhile and unable to articulate or understand why. His politics disgust me, his personality repels me, and the effects he had on the American body-politic were so malignant we’re still feeling them today. However, any appraisal of Richard Nixon has to concede that he was an undeniably great and effective politician. His skill with diplomacy and foreign policy set the stage for him to become one of America’s great statesman and presidents. But the petty, grasping, paranoid man that was so often evident in Nixon’s interviews couldn’t help self-sabotaging and his entire legacy became bound to a presidential downfall so epic we discuss and study it to this day.
Watergate: A New History by Garrett M. Graff is the latest and feels like the most thorough account of the scandal since Woodward and Bernstein. While modern Americans might be a little “scandal’d out” and need no reminders our government is corrupt, the author keeps the unfolding (but familiar) scandal engrossing. The full scope of Watergate is analyzed, from its participants to the political landscape of the time. Yet, while the pace can sometimes feel glacial, the well-researched history and increasing tension of the encroaching scandal as it inches closer and closer to the White House is just as compelling now as the first time I learned about it. What I found particularly interesting in this book that I hadn’t really heard about in others is Nixon’s increasingly fraught and unpleasant clashes with his staff and those around him as Watergate unfolded. The Nixon White House during its last days has a very sad, tense, almost dangerous atmosphere that was just so compelling to learn about. We rarely get to study or discuss the physical, psychological, and social strain these moments in history had on the people who lived them. It’s also fascinating to see how insecurity, spite, and power-lust can drive someone to both greatness and infamy.
In conclusion, I enjoyed Watergate: A New History quite a lot. It’s thorough, exhaustive, engaging, well-researched, and strangely tragic. If you enjoyed it as much as I did and are looking for similar titles check out One Man Against The World by Tim Weiner, All The President’s Men by Woodward and Bernstein as well as Bernstein’s solo account, “The Final Days”, or The Fall Of Richard Nixon by Tom Brokaw.

2 people found this helpful

Well referenced historical account

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the retelling of this sad chapter in US history which was rich in details and references. I particularly enjoyed the footnotes explaining discrepancies in the accounts of the various participants. There was very clear narration contributing to a historical account that was easy to follow. Frankly, a must read given today’s political climate.

good but not very good

A good overall description of the complete Watergate saga. Just a pity that his personal biases, such as his jealousy of Bernstein and Woodward and his covert admiration of Nixon, shone through a bit too often.

Best book on Watergate! Period

This is a complete, no opinionated, fantastic account of the entire Watergate affair. The story is put together well and the reader was one of the best I have experienced.

Everyone should read or hear this book

Impressively researched. Well read. A respectful author’s voice - respectful of the importance of this narrative as well as its complexity, required detail, and still unknown elements. The readers voice respects listeners-remaining calm and clear as, at least this reader, felt again shock, fear, rage, and sadness in response to the story. I defended the criminal president throughout my highschool years (1973-77). Then, to pass the summer before college I read every book written by the other criminals and those tasked with prosecuting them, and Pres. Ford’s insufficient explanation. It took little time to learn the terrible truths and realize the still unpunished depth and breadth of N’s mendacity and contempt for the people, nation, law, democracy, presidency, and really anyone but himself and everything except money & a certain kind of power. I refused to help him recover financially and read for free as much of his lie filled memoir. In graduate school, I wrote an excellent critical analysis of his ridiculous and so revealing of the man resignation speech-not cathartic but such fun! This excellent work allowed me to learn new things, refresh what I had learned across the years, and to begin to wonder how we allowed IMPOTUS to rise with this history so many voters lived. Nostalgia? Amnesia? Both characterized the redemptive comments at RMN death. So many things done by RMN were done gleefully by IMPOTUS. And nearly no GOP stood for the nation-nearly none honored their oath. Lessons of history. Anyway-listen.

Excellent

Excellent book that fully gives us the full story of Watergate. Great analyst of all the players involvement. A must read for history buffs.

Fresh, thorough, compelling

I lived through Watergate as a college student. This book has thoroughly chronicled and with new insights gained from the intervening years, given me a complete picture of what can be known about Watergate. It's told in an entertaining and sometimes even humorous style, but it also with thorough attention gives gives the reader a look at all the players and all their actions It gives the best conclusions available with the history that is known. The footnotes are entertaining and helpful. All in all, a great read!

Great book!

I am one of those people who lived through, never fully understanding the full impact of Watergate. I lived this book.

Pretty thorough

I've read a lot on Watergate and this book told me things I didn't know.