Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Deadmeat1471]

I'm looking for a book on him, for a very very very long time i've been meaning to read a book on this fellah. I think hes similar to Robert E. Lee in that his history has overshadowed his humanity and the real man is lost somewhat. The difference being hes been villified instead of adored.

Does anyone know of a good book on him? Preferably in as much detail as possible. I'm a history student so a 1000 + page book on this fellah wouldn't be a problem at all. In fact, that would probably be perfect.

[rarborman]

I dont know about books but evil presidents are just about all of them...

[Deadmeat1471]

*Oh I get what you mean.

[Stargrasper]

I'm not sure off hand, but Wikipedia has a page of books he's credited as authoring and books about him.  There's probably something there for you.

[Deadmeat1471]

I'm not sure off hand, but Wikipedia has a page of books he's credited as authoring and books about him.  There's probably something there for you.

I can use google myself, i'm asking for personal experience of a book that one of you might have read.

[nenjin]

Ironically, from the other thread, if you really want to read about JFK's life, public and private, read:

http://www.amazon.com/JFK-Unspeakable-Why-Died-Matters/dp/1570757550

Not what you were asking for, but given the other thread, I thought you might be interested.

[Deadmeat1471]

I've read more than enough about JFK, i'm a history student. It's basicly gospel to learn about JFK. I don't think theres anything new I could learn about the man.
It wouldn't be productive.

Nixon however I haven't read much on, especially his personal life. All I know about him is whats related to Vietnam and China.


Hm, maybe I will read his memoirs. Get the view of the man, I know most of the views against the man already as most people do. Still if anyone knows a good book, lets hear it.

[Grakelin]

Villified? That man definitely deserved to be called a crook.

[Deadmeat1471]

Villified? That man definitely deserved to be called a crook.

Villification for an action or set of actions means that information about him given is often with that tint. Same goes for the opposite. I want a objective view of the man, not a rage filled essay on how much he killed Cambodians.
I know the bad, it's known by everyone in common knowledge. I want to know the rest, good and bad, and there was some good!

Or alternatively, I want to read his side and compare it to the stuff we already kno, hence the memoirs idea.

[nenjin]

I want a objective view of the man, not a rage filled essay on how much he killed Cambodians.

Then you might have to settle for a rage-filled diatribe about how he tried to manipulate our elections and sabotage his competition.

I sort of kid, but seriously, if you're looking for a book that's going to focus more on the man than his (much maligned) actions in office you may really struggle. Even without what you perceive as a slant, most pieces will deal with that and most will not be flattering even if they are objective.

[Bouchart]

Hate to say it but any good biographies of Nixon will probably be written in about 50 years.  He's so polarizing that serious scholarly work won't be written about it until everyone who can remember his presidency is dead.

[nenjin]

Think Futurama will still be doing re-runs in 50 years?

[Deadmeat1471]

To be fair there are at least two things he did that were good and positive for all the world. It's not like he did NOTHING GOOD.
I know there are always books biased towards a subject, there's got to be a Nixon lover out there who wrote about him. Even if its Nixon himself 

I wan't his reasons for everything, because most of his actions, such as the Cambodian fiasco, he did have reasons for. Maybe wrong reasons, maybe ill judged, but he had real tangiable reasons for his actions.

What I get from popular commentary is 'he did it cuz hes evil'. It's not good enough really. To understand anything, you've got to ask the question, why did he doit? and have a serious look from the mans point of view.

Also, theres no defending watergate at all. But thats one action of many, and he did many things in his time.

I guess i've really answered my own question, I want to hear his side so I should read his memoirs.

Hate to say it but any good biographies of Nixon will probably be written in about 50 years.  He's so polarizing that serious scholarly work won't be written about it until everyone who can remember his presidency is dead.

I do see this, and I know sometimes I press buttons with Americans that I'm not used to discussing with. Being a Briton, no one really gets worked up if I question JFK's morality, but here there are swarms of Americans ready to raise the pitchforks. The same applies for Nixon in literature like you said i'd imagine.

For now though I think I should really read his words and compare it to the evidence myself, rather than waiting 50 years for a historian to do it for me 

Think Futurama will still be doing re-runs in 50 years?

I hope not. 

[Svarte Troner]

Why would you want to read about some lame president no one cares about when you could be reading about the most badass president ever?

[Deadmeat1471]

Why would you want to read about some lame president no one cares about when you could be reading about the most badass president ever?

Because like Roosevelt, Nixon presided through one of the most crucial parts of history. Add to that some of the most important people in history and he was part of the greatest scandle in american history.

This isn't enough?