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Master of Deceit: J. Edgar Hoover and America in the Age of Lies
A fascinating and timely biography of J. Edgar Hoover from a Sibert Medalist.
"King, there is only one thing left for you to do. You know what it is. . . . You better take it before your filthy, abnormal, fraudulent self is bared to the nation."
Dr. Martin Luther King received this demand in an anonymous letter in 1964. He believed that the letter was telling him to commit suicide. Who wrote this anonymous letter? The FBI. And the man behind it all was J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI's first director. In this unsparing exploration of one of the most powerful Americans of the twentieth century, accomplished historian Marc Aronson unmasks the man behind the Bureau- his tangled family history and personal relationships; his own need for secrecy, deceit, and control; and the broad trends in American society that shaped his world. Hoover may have given America the security it wanted, but the secrets he knew gave him
— and the Bureau — all the power he wanted. Using photographs, cartoons, movie posters, and FBI transcripts, Master of Deceit gives readers the necessary evidence to make their own conclusions. Here is a book about the twentieth century that blazes with questions and insights about our choices in the twenty-first.
"King, there is only one thing left for you to do. You know what it is. . . . You better take it before your filthy, abnormal, fraudulent self is bared to the nation."
Dr. Martin Luther King received this demand in an anonymous letter in 1964. He believed that the letter was telling him to commit suicide. Who wrote this anonymous letter? The FBI. And the man behind it all was J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI's first director. In this unsparing exploration of one of the most powerful Americans of the twentieth century, accomplished historian Marc Aronson unmasks the man behind the Bureau- his tangled family history and personal relationships; his own need for secrecy, deceit, and control; and the broad trends in American society that shaped his world. Hoover may have given America the security it wanted, but the secrets he knew gave him
— and the Bureau — all the power he wanted. Using photographs, cartoons, movie posters, and FBI transcripts, Master of Deceit gives readers the necessary evidence to make their own conclusions. Here is a book about the twentieth century that blazes with questions and insights about our choices in the twenty-first.
230 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
70 people are currently reading
827 people want to read
About the author
Marc Aronson
53 books84 followersAronson has won many awards for his books for young readers and has a doctorate in American history. His lectures cover educational topics such as mysteries and controversies in American history, teenagers and their reading, the literary passions of boys, and always leave audiences asking for more.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/marcar...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/marcar...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
April 29, 2022
What the heck…….my review is not posted. Grrrrr!
October 11, 2017
Master of Deceit is a highly-detailed biography about an FBI Director named J. Edgar Hoover, written by Marc Aronson. The book unravels into not just a biography but deep descriptions of U.S. immigrant history, and the general growth of the FBI during that time.
Hoover is portrayed as the prime example of abusing governmental power, and he’s held his position in molding the FBI for over 40 years. Hoover was a mastermind of an empire of secrets modeled to terrify and silence anyone who he disliked, or anyone that spoke ill of him. The book does a great job in pointing out similarities between the US's anti-communist efforts and the current fight against terrorism. I genuinely enjoyed this book as it is controversial, there’s action, and plenty of twists and turns. In no way does it spoil plot points, but for example: one night, Bureau of Investigations agents swarmed the Union of Russian Workers, where a man was teaching a class. The agents pulled out a gun, beat the man, and pushed him down the stairs. The students were beat, and the classroom was torn to shreds. As to who this man is and why, you’ll find out whilst reading. This book shines light on dark areas of recent US history and I recommend a read.
My favorite part of the book has to do with how it’s written. The book reads as if you’re uncovering secret documents or are a detective solving a case. You get inside information, and the author’s insight onto almost all details.The book includes real photos of things that happened, which really lets the reader understand in-depth details on who this person really was. Other photos include aftermaths of bombings, which allows you to grasp the magnitude of the situation. The author also dedicates a rather detailed section as to how he researched and wrote the book, and the challenges that followed. A section titled “FEAR” is also included, noting how the author was actually scared to write the book because of the contents within.
Hoover is portrayed as the prime example of abusing governmental power, and he’s held his position in molding the FBI for over 40 years. Hoover was a mastermind of an empire of secrets modeled to terrify and silence anyone who he disliked, or anyone that spoke ill of him. The book does a great job in pointing out similarities between the US's anti-communist efforts and the current fight against terrorism. I genuinely enjoyed this book as it is controversial, there’s action, and plenty of twists and turns. In no way does it spoil plot points, but for example: one night, Bureau of Investigations agents swarmed the Union of Russian Workers, where a man was teaching a class. The agents pulled out a gun, beat the man, and pushed him down the stairs. The students were beat, and the classroom was torn to shreds. As to who this man is and why, you’ll find out whilst reading. This book shines light on dark areas of recent US history and I recommend a read.
My favorite part of the book has to do with how it’s written. The book reads as if you’re uncovering secret documents or are a detective solving a case. You get inside information, and the author’s insight onto almost all details.The book includes real photos of things that happened, which really lets the reader understand in-depth details on who this person really was. Other photos include aftermaths of bombings, which allows you to grasp the magnitude of the situation. The author also dedicates a rather detailed section as to how he researched and wrote the book, and the challenges that followed. A section titled “FEAR” is also included, noting how the author was actually scared to write the book because of the contents within.
December 28, 2011
Highly provocative, Aronson discusses how J. Edgar Hoover is both a hero and anti-hero. The book is actually best summed up in Aronson's last words "I hope Masters of Deceit shows that we must always question both the heroes we favor and the enemies we hate. We must remain openminded, even when the shadow of fear freezes our hearts." Learning about the 1940s through the present from the creation of the FBI, to Hoover's life as the head of the FBI (including his creation of databases before their were computers) is fascinating. The intersection of Hoover's life, the Communist threats, and the fear of a nation is food for thought about how the United States reacted after 9/11 or to any perceived threat. The book takes the reader up to 9/11 and how the government rounded up people from Muslim countries or with Arabic sounding names. It also tells the tale of media and how media (or the people behind it) do control public thought and opinion if we let it, everything from Hoover's perceived homosexuality or well-groomed outfits to how a story of a captured fugitive actually occured.
Well worth reading.
Well worth reading.
January 16, 2018
I learned more about J. Edgar Hoover's intimidation of MLK from CHASING KING'S KILLER and (I believe) from the movie Selma. I had never learned this in school ... and I started to wonder more about J. Edgar Hoover.... so I looked to see if there was a YA biography on the topic.... and lo and behold, Marc Aronson wrote the book!
This book borders high school and adult historical analysis in a few ways. It's a terrific first read about J. Edgar Hoover, but not a best first read about 20th century U.S. politics. First, it assumes relative command of time and place, and general knowledge of World War II, communism, and the Red Scare. Second, it shifts through decades fairly quickly in order to go for full-out coverage and detail. Whereas most books take hundreds of pages to zoom from the Great Depression to Kent State, Aronson gets there in 200 pages, pictures included. It's effective, but it's a fast-paced ride.
Aronson also brings in a level of historical argument and analysis throughout this piece that new readers of history might not expect or know how to read for. He doesn't just leave it to "textbook" writing: he has a lens on history here, that democracy is perhaps about transparency almost than it is about doing the "right" thing.
Though this book was written in 2012, the parallels to our world today are chilling, including Hoover's coy relationship with the media, McCarthy's rise and fall, and the obsession with ousting the enemies lest our secrets become revealed.
This book borders high school and adult historical analysis in a few ways. It's a terrific first read about J. Edgar Hoover, but not a best first read about 20th century U.S. politics. First, it assumes relative command of time and place, and general knowledge of World War II, communism, and the Red Scare. Second, it shifts through decades fairly quickly in order to go for full-out coverage and detail. Whereas most books take hundreds of pages to zoom from the Great Depression to Kent State, Aronson gets there in 200 pages, pictures included. It's effective, but it's a fast-paced ride.
Aronson also brings in a level of historical argument and analysis throughout this piece that new readers of history might not expect or know how to read for. He doesn't just leave it to "textbook" writing: he has a lens on history here, that democracy is perhaps about transparency almost than it is about doing the "right" thing.
Though this book was written in 2012, the parallels to our world today are chilling, including Hoover's coy relationship with the media, McCarthy's rise and fall, and the obsession with ousting the enemies lest our secrets become revealed.
December 20, 2012
A timely book:
1. For it's content and the fact that it's even more relevant today with Obama expanding Bush's legal defense of warrantless wiretapping, the current controversy over gun laws along with the question of when does the right of gun ownership infringe upon the rights of non-gun owners, government forced illegal detention, and other issues that cite the safety of the American public as the rationale for the complete disregard for human rights.
2. With the new Common Core State Standards (adopted in 45 states and three territories)requiring that, "by graduation in 2014, 70 percent of books studied be nonfiction," teachers are scrambling for engaging well-written narrative nonfiction texts to incorporate in the curriculum. This book would be ideal for some high school and middle school classrooms.
Teachers should note the section “How I Researched and Wrote This Book," where Aronson talks about his intensive research process as well as the difference between primary and secondary sources and the importance they play in writing a historical narrative.
1. For it's content and the fact that it's even more relevant today with Obama expanding Bush's legal defense of warrantless wiretapping, the current controversy over gun laws along with the question of when does the right of gun ownership infringe upon the rights of non-gun owners, government forced illegal detention, and other issues that cite the safety of the American public as the rationale for the complete disregard for human rights.
2. With the new Common Core State Standards (adopted in 45 states and three territories)requiring that, "by graduation in 2014, 70 percent of books studied be nonfiction," teachers are scrambling for engaging well-written narrative nonfiction texts to incorporate in the curriculum. This book would be ideal for some high school and middle school classrooms.
Teachers should note the section “How I Researched and Wrote This Book," where Aronson talks about his intensive research process as well as the difference between primary and secondary sources and the importance they play in writing a historical narrative.
January 11, 2013
Aronson’s portrait of J. Edgar Hoover during his 40 year reign as the head of the FBI was riveting and to quote the author, “scary.” I didn’t really know much about Hoover and I was sickened by his tactics. Hoover blackmailed “everyone” by keeping secret files; he poisoned his staff with his directives and took advantage of his position whenever he felt the inclination. There was meticulous period research but this did not read like a history book but a superb thriller you can’t put down. This period in US history was certainly tainted with the likes of J. Edgar Hoover and Joseph MacCarthy. As I rooted for those “few” who took on J. Edgar Hoover with right and might; I cried for the many like the Rosenbergs, the Scottsboro Boys and Martin Luther King. Illustrated and Includes bibliographical references (p. 198-219) and index. Highly recommended for high school students.
October 25, 2020
The text of this book was written for intelligent high schoolers, the notes and critical apparatus for their teachers. Although a essentially a biography of the founder and head of the F.B.I. contemporary issues regarding security vs. liberty, issues particularly relevant since 9-11, are addressed throughout.
Unlike other biographies of Hoover that I've read, this one is not entirely negative, nor is the author attracted to the wilder speculations about his personal life. Instead, there is an occasional stepping back from the narrative to consider the arguments against and justifications for Director Hoover's actions. Aronson does, however, come down in favor of the 'liberty' side of the equation, regarding Hoover as an extremist.
The title of this book is significant, Hoover having put his name to a book entitled 'Masters of Deceit'.
Unlike other biographies of Hoover that I've read, this one is not entirely negative, nor is the author attracted to the wilder speculations about his personal life. Instead, there is an occasional stepping back from the narrative to consider the arguments against and justifications for Director Hoover's actions. Aronson does, however, come down in favor of the 'liberty' side of the equation, regarding Hoover as an extremist.
The title of this book is significant, Hoover having put his name to a book entitled 'Masters of Deceit'.
December 1, 2011
A probing, insightful examination of the life and career of a notorious and complicated individual. Aronson does an excellent job of separating the facts from the myths about Hoover. He astutely draws parallels between past and present events, and raises many provocative and challenging questions for readers to consider. Hoover emerges from this book as a tragic character, one whose insatiable craving for power and control led to corrupt and lawless acts undermining his accomplishments in crime fighting and national security.
January 27, 2023
Informative-ish
Gives a good overview of modern American history. Kinda glosses over all the MLK Jr. stuff but does mention it. Author can seem to take a one sided argument against Hoover at times but then walks it back
Gives a good overview of modern American history. Kinda glosses over all the MLK Jr. stuff but does mention it. Author can seem to take a one sided argument against Hoover at times but then walks it back
December 14, 2011
Richie's Picks: MASTER OF DECEIT: J. EDGAR HOOVER AND AMERICA IN THE AGE OF LIES by Marc Aronson, Candlewick, April 2012, 240p., ISBN: 978-0-7636-5619-5
"Saturday night I was downtown,
Working for the FBI."
-- A. Clarke, R. Cook, R. Greenaway, "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress"
"FBI agents mastered the art of the 'black-bag job,' which meant breaking into the office of a person or organization to plant a microphone or to rifle through notebooks, diaries, and calendars. These undercover actions violated the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, which protects against 'unreasonable searches.' As a result, they were recorded into a file titled Do Not File. That way, if an inquisitive outsider asked for damaging files, they would not exist. How could investigators ask for something they had no way of knowing about? Some illegal acts were described in files that were destroyed every six months, but an 'executive summary' of the now-missing files was kept separately, in a Confidential File. There was even a third level of file: the Personal and Confidential files that Hoover's loyal secretary hurried to shred just after he died."
After reading MASTER OF DECEIT, I realize that J. Edgar Hoover was every bit as bad as I'd always imagined he was in terms of skirting laws, ignoring Americans' constitutional rights, and operating a powerful, unchecked network.
And yet, I also realize now that Hoover was, in large part, as right as he always imagined he was about the threat to America posed by Communism, including from some American-born Communists. It was a threat far more serious than I'd ever understood.
Being that Aronson makes the connection between, on one hand, the widespread fear of Communism and Hoover's actions a half-century ago and, on the other hand, today's widespread fear of Muslims, along with related national security decisions that need to be made, the revelations in this book will give pause to some of those who (like me) reflexively brush off fears of Muslims as being patently wrong-headed and xenophobic.
In preparing to read a book about the guy who essentially created the FBI and then ran it from the days of my mother's toddlerhood in the Roaring Twenties until the Nixonian days when I was in high school, I had no idea that, in addition to Hoover, I would learn far more from this amazing read than I ever knew before about such diverse people, places, and things as Josef Stalin, Walter Winchell, The Stork Club, John Dillinger, Margaret Chase Smith, and the movie Spartacus. In the process of learning all of this great twentieth century American history, I sometimes learned some bad stuff about some good guys and some good stuff about some bad guys.
I am also blown away by the information literacy lessons that are central to Aronson's essay in the back matter, "How I Researched and Wrote This Book:"
"...As you can see, the field of researching and writing about Hoover and the Cold War is constantly shifting and changing. That makes for an exciting opportunity: take a small selection of books from different periods, line them up, and see how they treat similar events. That offers a quick, and powerful, lesson in the fact that who we are and the interests before us today influence what we see in the past. This does not mean the past is entirely invented and up to us to shape as we like. To be a historian, you must be fair to the evidence, willing to be proven wrong, and open to criticism. We may come to different conclusions, but we have to play by the same rules."
In the essay, Aronson goes on to recount how, after all the necessary work of gaining more general knowledge of his subjects was complete, his subsequent mining of primary source materials led him to the kind of "aha!" moment that we all hope students will come to experience in their research assignments.
J. Edgar Hoover was quite a character and, in many ways, quite a mystery. Like all of us, he had issues to deal with that he brought to his decision-making from his childhood and adolescence. For most of us, it is only the people around us in our daily lives who get stuck dealing with our "stuff."
But, as we see all to clearly in MASTER OF DECEIT, when someone like Hoover (or some dictator du jour) is handed (or usurps) a ridiculous amount of power -- when the checks and balances and protections written into a constitution are subverted in the name of law and order and keeping us safe -- then we are all dealing with that one person's "stuff" and we are all less safe for it.
This is a truly notable read.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderatorhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
"Saturday night I was downtown,
Working for the FBI."
-- A. Clarke, R. Cook, R. Greenaway, "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress"
"FBI agents mastered the art of the 'black-bag job,' which meant breaking into the office of a person or organization to plant a microphone or to rifle through notebooks, diaries, and calendars. These undercover actions violated the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, which protects against 'unreasonable searches.' As a result, they were recorded into a file titled Do Not File. That way, if an inquisitive outsider asked for damaging files, they would not exist. How could investigators ask for something they had no way of knowing about? Some illegal acts were described in files that were destroyed every six months, but an 'executive summary' of the now-missing files was kept separately, in a Confidential File. There was even a third level of file: the Personal and Confidential files that Hoover's loyal secretary hurried to shred just after he died."
After reading MASTER OF DECEIT, I realize that J. Edgar Hoover was every bit as bad as I'd always imagined he was in terms of skirting laws, ignoring Americans' constitutional rights, and operating a powerful, unchecked network.
And yet, I also realize now that Hoover was, in large part, as right as he always imagined he was about the threat to America posed by Communism, including from some American-born Communists. It was a threat far more serious than I'd ever understood.
Being that Aronson makes the connection between, on one hand, the widespread fear of Communism and Hoover's actions a half-century ago and, on the other hand, today's widespread fear of Muslims, along with related national security decisions that need to be made, the revelations in this book will give pause to some of those who (like me) reflexively brush off fears of Muslims as being patently wrong-headed and xenophobic.
In preparing to read a book about the guy who essentially created the FBI and then ran it from the days of my mother's toddlerhood in the Roaring Twenties until the Nixonian days when I was in high school, I had no idea that, in addition to Hoover, I would learn far more from this amazing read than I ever knew before about such diverse people, places, and things as Josef Stalin, Walter Winchell, The Stork Club, John Dillinger, Margaret Chase Smith, and the movie Spartacus. In the process of learning all of this great twentieth century American history, I sometimes learned some bad stuff about some good guys and some good stuff about some bad guys.
I am also blown away by the information literacy lessons that are central to Aronson's essay in the back matter, "How I Researched and Wrote This Book:"
"...As you can see, the field of researching and writing about Hoover and the Cold War is constantly shifting and changing. That makes for an exciting opportunity: take a small selection of books from different periods, line them up, and see how they treat similar events. That offers a quick, and powerful, lesson in the fact that who we are and the interests before us today influence what we see in the past. This does not mean the past is entirely invented and up to us to shape as we like. To be a historian, you must be fair to the evidence, willing to be proven wrong, and open to criticism. We may come to different conclusions, but we have to play by the same rules."
In the essay, Aronson goes on to recount how, after all the necessary work of gaining more general knowledge of his subjects was complete, his subsequent mining of primary source materials led him to the kind of "aha!" moment that we all hope students will come to experience in their research assignments.
J. Edgar Hoover was quite a character and, in many ways, quite a mystery. Like all of us, he had issues to deal with that he brought to his decision-making from his childhood and adolescence. For most of us, it is only the people around us in our daily lives who get stuck dealing with our "stuff."
But, as we see all to clearly in MASTER OF DECEIT, when someone like Hoover (or some dictator du jour) is handed (or usurps) a ridiculous amount of power -- when the checks and balances and protections written into a constitution are subverted in the name of law and order and keeping us safe -- then we are all dealing with that one person's "stuff" and we are all less safe for it.
This is a truly notable read.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderatorhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
July 15, 2012
I'll be shocked if this doesn't win the Siebert or the YALSA excellence in nonfiction award or both next January. I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about history, although I'll admit that my focus does not tend to be American history. However, I learnt so much in this book about a substantial part of 20th century history! There is a bit of a focus almost inevitably, on the McCarthy era, but all of Hoover's life is examined. It is incredibly even handed in its aproach, noting things that liberals won't be so happy about....there WAS a substantial amount of spying, just as Hoover and McCarthy maintained, just not where they pointed their fingers (see Venona)....as well as giving his opinion but noting most historians agree...that Hoover did NOT have a homosexual relationship with Tolson but probably was afraid he may have had latent homosexual tendencies. Having stated such controversial points, among others, Aronson makes it quite clear that he strongly felt that Hoover was a catastrophe for 20th cenury United States. He notes the irony that it was Hoover's refusal to disobey the law for Nixon that lead to his eventual posthumous downfall. BTW it was Hoover's refusal that led Nixon to the Watergate Hotel invasion since he couldn't get the illegal information he wanted through Hoover. I feel it only fair to note that I had the great pleasure of a lovely conversation with Mr. Aronson and got my copy of this book beautifully autographed by him. Nonetheless, I think I would feel this enthusiastic even if I hadn't so enjoyed my conversation with him. This book fills a need in the library collection, which has very little on such an important person. I also thought him fairly brave to note that really, this book is about fear and the reaction to fear. He notes the illegal things that have taken place since 9/11 and includes the clearest explanation I've seen on just what waterboarding is, pointing out that this is worse than anything Hoover did, since Hoover never resorted to torture of people. I want to grab people and tell them they HAVE to take time to read this fascinating, valuable book. ASAP!
December 17, 2012
J. Edgar Hoover,was a man who wanted to be powerful, perfect and at the top. Marc Aronson lays out Hoover’s twisted rise to eventually head the Federal Bureau of Investigation. J. Edgar knew how to manipulate people and the media and he used this skill to his advantage. One of Hoover’s first tasks was to bring down the notorious John Dillinger, except someone else managed to beat him to it, but that didn’t stop Hoover from making sure the Bureau ended up getting all the credit. After taking on gangsters Hoover took on Communism and it seemed that he had the goods on everyone. Master of Deceit unveils what extremes Hoover went to stay on top and it also draws parallels between events during Hoovers reign and the current day. It’s a thought provoking and eye opening read for those (like me) who know little about Hoover and the time period in which he clawed his way to the top.
July 5, 2012
In a complex book best-suited to high school students (and even adults!), Aronson describes how the FBI rose to power under J. Edgar Hoover. I think the book's focus on the bureau, and less on Hoover makes this best for the crime section and not the biography section of most libraries. I really appreciated the author's clear opinion that Hoover's ends did NOT justify his means, even if there were more Soviet spies than we would like to acknowledge. The author also refers the reader to specific films that can elaborate on the subject (like George Clooney's "Good Night and Good Luck"). A great book for history fans, and those preparing for debates. Photos add interest and expand on the text, and there are source notes and an in-depth list of sources.
July 13, 2015
Interesting and thought provoking. Some of the asides aimed at making it appealing to teenage readers are a tad annoying to the general reader, but excellent annotated endnotes point that general reader in the direction of further reading.
September 22, 2012
I liked many things about this book, but had some reservations, which I describe here: http://crossreferencing.wordpress.com...
May 18, 2023
I mean, I liked the fact and secrets about America. It just wasn't like, energizing energy for me. Lol, I just like action things and was force to read literary non-fiction at school. It would be an awesome book for someone who likes the genre.
Anyway a "standard" reveiw:
I read Master of Deceit, a pretty good piece of literary nonfiction. In this book, the author tells the story of J. Edgar Hoover, but also shares information about all of America's secret's and part of history. I didn't really read much because I often got bored, but I read enough to understand it's main focus. I really enjoyed the scary or dark parts.
Sometimes I found myself skimming the informational parts to get to the next part. I said this already but action or dark storiesof fiction are more of my taste. Some of the informational parts can be very detailed and it just bores me, though, I'm a million percent sure hundreds of people enjoy this genre.
One argument that occurred in the book was between the rumored homosexuality of J. Edgar, it made me laugh because it kinda caught me off guard. Though he probably was not gay, I wouldn't judge him.. men. Anyway, this brought up rumors that other people, such as presidents, were gay. I know this era probably was extremely new to gays, but StOp bEinG hOmoPhObes gUyssSs.
At first I thought this would be a book about murder and crime, wich, it kinda was but not the kid I was hoping for. The book is very good. I ended up liking the certain parts because, the homosexual arguments were entertaining, and it talked about russian spies and dumb americans a little bit too.
...
I did this for a schools assignment lol....
Anyway a "standard" reveiw:
I read Master of Deceit, a pretty good piece of literary nonfiction. In this book, the author tells the story of J. Edgar Hoover, but also shares information about all of America's secret's and part of history. I didn't really read much because I often got bored, but I read enough to understand it's main focus. I really enjoyed the scary or dark parts.
Sometimes I found myself skimming the informational parts to get to the next part. I said this already but action or dark storiesof fiction are more of my taste. Some of the informational parts can be very detailed and it just bores me, though, I'm a million percent sure hundreds of people enjoy this genre.
One argument that occurred in the book was between the rumored homosexuality of J. Edgar, it made me laugh because it kinda caught me off guard. Though he probably was not gay, I wouldn't judge him.. men. Anyway, this brought up rumors that other people, such as presidents, were gay. I know this era probably was extremely new to gays, but StOp bEinG hOmoPhObes gUyssSs.
At first I thought this would be a book about murder and crime, wich, it kinda was but not the kid I was hoping for. The book is very good. I ended up liking the certain parts because, the homosexual arguments were entertaining, and it talked about russian spies and dumb americans a little bit too.
...
I did this for a schools assignment lol....
February 12, 2021
Begins with “NOTHING IN THIS BOOK MATTERS UNTIL You Care About Communism ” - historical disrruption eras. I actually remember so much of what Aronson writes even in grade school with "Duck & Cover," so it must be through movies and adults talking about WW I & II that I know about Communism. Reading this book reminds me of the people who were utterly paranoid and extreme that I only heard about and never personlly knew or saw. Most people just want to live their lives the best they can and in peace with freedom to be who they are. Many still recall their childhoods in the 50’s as the innocent “good old days” of moral character as a priority. (While I remember that along with "family secrets" of many things we talk openly about now.) The only “fear” I’ve felt was from extremism of any kind, including hate. Now fear, along with hate, is back, NOT of Communism (a word not spoken anymore, which is amazing considering foreign relations), but now it's with Covid-19, media, and more … again being used for control, which is what we used to call Communistic, and know China to be. Cancelling Capitism won't change human nature and the human need to be free.
Only in America (?) are some people designated as other than simply Americans. No one calls whites "European Whites" so isn't that an obvious place to start - Everyone glad to be AMERICANS.
Only in America (?) are some people designated as other than simply Americans. No one calls whites "European Whites" so isn't that an obvious place to start - Everyone glad to be AMERICANS.
April 9, 2020
Master of Deceit by Marc Aronson was definitely heading toward 3.5, maybe 4 stars until I got to the Epilogue. Terrific finish and, as I understand this book is directed at younger readers, hopefully many will take in the wise words. I’d imagine if you’ve already read a bit about J. Edgar Hoover, there will be no startling insights (although far too many other books concentrate on his alleged homosexuality which Aronson deflects early in the piece). What primarily comes out of Aronson’s book is that Hoover was a steaming pile of cow droppings – a narcissist and racist – but he did reflect the thinking of so many of his time and, unfortunately, the thoughts of many today. To pinch a line from the book : “Hoover gave us the security we wanted” and “showed us the price of feeling safe”. My favourite line in the book: “Hoover chose to fight for the world he knew, not the world that was taking shape”. What he did to Martin Luther King and, by extension, Stanley Levison, was detestable but one part is reminiscent of the Salem witch trials and again proof we’re on the wrong side of history. After bugging Levison’s office “it yielded nothing of interest, but they took the silence to mean that Levison was exceptionally devious”. In other words, if he didn’t drown, he was witch!
June 29, 2021
This book is all over the map. It’s actually less about Hoover and more about the historical events and controversies that surrounded him and the FBI. Many topics are covered, but none in depth, making this book a useful survey for students conducting background research prior to choosing a topic for a deeper dive (in fact, Aronson makes several suggestions in his informative Notes section). Unfortunately, I have yet to meet the student who would conduct such thoughtful reading and research. The book is diminished by photo captions that make claims not supported by the image (e.g., demonstrating manly determination,” “complete and immobile certainty”). Despite the author’s repeated comparisons between Hoover and journalist John Reed, this abundantly illustrated book contains no images of Reed, with whom today’s young readers are likely unfamiliar. Curiously, though, there was room for a two-page “photo dossier” questioning Hoover’s race, the captions for which are cringe-worthy, more so since Aronson’s notes describe the theory behind claims of a mixed-race lineage as “problematic.”
June 4, 2018
The questions Aronson poses are perhaps even more relevant today than they were at the time of this writing. Here he has provided a well-researched, detailed look at the life of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI’s beginning. Interwoven with tales of the Cold War, Watergate, and the Civil Rights Movement, Aronson provides critical insight into our nation’s history. As always, Aronson practically forces the reader to engage in critical thinking. Recommended.
March 10, 2021
Photos: check
Cartoons: check
Ads: check
Spin: check
"We cannot know how we will react to the next crisis - but we can learn by revisiting, and reliving, the last one." (from the prologue)
pg 13: "Hoover controlled the story: you only learned what he wanted you to know."
pg 131: "The Age of Fear"
pg 161: "Hoover chose to fight for the world he knew, not the world that was taking shape."
Cartoons: check
Ads: check
Spin: check
"We cannot know how we will react to the next crisis - but we can learn by revisiting, and reliving, the last one." (from the prologue)
pg 13: "Hoover controlled the story: you only learned what he wanted you to know."
pg 131: "The Age of Fear"
pg 161: "Hoover chose to fight for the world he knew, not the world that was taking shape."
January 11, 2021
In amazing and gripping detail, Aronson chronicles the ascent of the determined J. Edgar Hoover to Director of the Bureau of Investigation in 1924 and his continued reign for the next four decades. As an adolescent Hoover excelled at debate and was a gifted performer, “always selling the story he wanted you to believe” (p. 13). These skills would benefit him as he built the agency that came to be known as the FBI and tirelessly pursued citizens and non-citizens suspected of subversive activities.
Hoover socialized in a tight knit group of colleagues and wealthy patrons. He did not mix with other races or ethnic groups, he feared homosexuals, and he endeavored to sustain the image of the United States as prominent, Christian and white. He engaged in consistent publicity to make the Bureau look heroic, the protector of the citizens, posing in pictures with celebrities and marketing movies and books about the courageous work of the agency. He used his power to ruin the reputations of agency employees who disagreed with him and, at one point, he was influential enough to discourage a publisher from publishing the work of an author suspected of Communist thinking.
Early on and throughout much of his career, Hoover’s main war was against the spread of Communism. While many of us grew up thinking Communism was “bad” and capitalism was “good,” Aronson dispels this thinking by unveiling the appeal of Communism to laborers who suffered poor working conditions with inadequate wages and to minorities who suffered discrimination and unfair prosecution in the justice system. He does not stop there, though; instead he also reveals how the implementation of Communism can go awry, infringing on freedom of speech and other civil rights. What becomes clear to the reader is the need, regardless of whether we agree or not, to have discussions and remain open-minded.
Hoover would have none of this, though. “Everywhere he went, he spread the message. Be afraid. Be on guard. Spies lurk all around. The FBI is your protector, for only we see everything; only we can outspy the spies (p. 87).” Hoover and his agents engaged in egregious activities in the name of protecting the nation – using illegal wiretaps, feeding lies to politicians like Joseph McCarthy, and even suggesting suicide in cryptic notes to activists like Martin Luther King, Jr.
Hoover’s weapon of fear began to lose its power, though, when people like Dr. King chose not to be afraid and when the media and politicians began to engage the justice system in investigations of FBI files. In the 60’s, the mood of the country began to shift and politicians and leaders like the brothers Robert and John F. Kennedy pushed the FBI to enforce laws regarding desegregation and to investigate the complex networks of organized crime. Fear would not work to resolve these problems. Despite this, Hoover kept a blind eye to what really needed to be done to move the country forward and keep its citizens safe. Aronson points out that, in a sense, the agency became what it had worked so long to fight against – a force that worked in the dark, many times illegally, and served to cause divisiveness and unrest. While Hoover died just weeks before the Watergate incident and is believed to have not been involved, the investigation afterwards revealed the corruption and illegal activity of the agency he had spent a lifetime building.
In the last few pages of the book, Aronson explicitly names two lessons to be learned from Hoover’s story: “Fear allows secrecy in the name of defense. And that which is hidden grows malignant.” He applies these lessons to a discussion of the Patriot Act, implemented in response to September 11, 2001, and the government’s ability to round up Muslims, some of them American citizens and transport them to foreign countries to be questioned and even tortured. Implying that what has happened in the aftermath of 9/11 is much worse than anything Hoover did, Aronson makes the case that the pursuit of protecting democracy without destroying it cannot be a flawless journey. As a result, we must practice open-mindedness to ideas we may or may not agree with “even when the shadow of fear freezes our hearts” (p. 198).
Not to be skipped are Aronson’s notes about how he researched and wrote the book. As a historian, he engaged in extensive reading of books about Hoover and the Cold War with an eye to how historians have changed their perspectives over the last several decades. Then he analyzed a wealth of primary source documents, many available on the FBI Freedom of Information Internet site. When he began to write the book, he had to overcome his own fear, having grown up in this period with childhood friends whose parents lost their jobs because of their leftist, liberal thinking. Being fully aware that history is more complicated than who was right and who was wrong, he also had to overcome the temptation to just write about Hoover and others like Joseph McCarthy from the victims’ point of view. In the end, Aronson wrote a great deal more than what was included in the book, seeking to make sense for his readers of so much information. The result is a story that adolescents will find thought provoking when considering current dilemmas in the tension between citizens’ rights and national security.
Hoover socialized in a tight knit group of colleagues and wealthy patrons. He did not mix with other races or ethnic groups, he feared homosexuals, and he endeavored to sustain the image of the United States as prominent, Christian and white. He engaged in consistent publicity to make the Bureau look heroic, the protector of the citizens, posing in pictures with celebrities and marketing movies and books about the courageous work of the agency. He used his power to ruin the reputations of agency employees who disagreed with him and, at one point, he was influential enough to discourage a publisher from publishing the work of an author suspected of Communist thinking.
Early on and throughout much of his career, Hoover’s main war was against the spread of Communism. While many of us grew up thinking Communism was “bad” and capitalism was “good,” Aronson dispels this thinking by unveiling the appeal of Communism to laborers who suffered poor working conditions with inadequate wages and to minorities who suffered discrimination and unfair prosecution in the justice system. He does not stop there, though; instead he also reveals how the implementation of Communism can go awry, infringing on freedom of speech and other civil rights. What becomes clear to the reader is the need, regardless of whether we agree or not, to have discussions and remain open-minded.
Hoover would have none of this, though. “Everywhere he went, he spread the message. Be afraid. Be on guard. Spies lurk all around. The FBI is your protector, for only we see everything; only we can outspy the spies (p. 87).” Hoover and his agents engaged in egregious activities in the name of protecting the nation – using illegal wiretaps, feeding lies to politicians like Joseph McCarthy, and even suggesting suicide in cryptic notes to activists like Martin Luther King, Jr.
Hoover’s weapon of fear began to lose its power, though, when people like Dr. King chose not to be afraid and when the media and politicians began to engage the justice system in investigations of FBI files. In the 60’s, the mood of the country began to shift and politicians and leaders like the brothers Robert and John F. Kennedy pushed the FBI to enforce laws regarding desegregation and to investigate the complex networks of organized crime. Fear would not work to resolve these problems. Despite this, Hoover kept a blind eye to what really needed to be done to move the country forward and keep its citizens safe. Aronson points out that, in a sense, the agency became what it had worked so long to fight against – a force that worked in the dark, many times illegally, and served to cause divisiveness and unrest. While Hoover died just weeks before the Watergate incident and is believed to have not been involved, the investigation afterwards revealed the corruption and illegal activity of the agency he had spent a lifetime building.
In the last few pages of the book, Aronson explicitly names two lessons to be learned from Hoover’s story: “Fear allows secrecy in the name of defense. And that which is hidden grows malignant.” He applies these lessons to a discussion of the Patriot Act, implemented in response to September 11, 2001, and the government’s ability to round up Muslims, some of them American citizens and transport them to foreign countries to be questioned and even tortured. Implying that what has happened in the aftermath of 9/11 is much worse than anything Hoover did, Aronson makes the case that the pursuit of protecting democracy without destroying it cannot be a flawless journey. As a result, we must practice open-mindedness to ideas we may or may not agree with “even when the shadow of fear freezes our hearts” (p. 198).
Not to be skipped are Aronson’s notes about how he researched and wrote the book. As a historian, he engaged in extensive reading of books about Hoover and the Cold War with an eye to how historians have changed their perspectives over the last several decades. Then he analyzed a wealth of primary source documents, many available on the FBI Freedom of Information Internet site. When he began to write the book, he had to overcome his own fear, having grown up in this period with childhood friends whose parents lost their jobs because of their leftist, liberal thinking. Being fully aware that history is more complicated than who was right and who was wrong, he also had to overcome the temptation to just write about Hoover and others like Joseph McCarthy from the victims’ point of view. In the end, Aronson wrote a great deal more than what was included in the book, seeking to make sense for his readers of so much information. The result is a story that adolescents will find thought provoking when considering current dilemmas in the tension between citizens’ rights and national security.
March 19, 2019
I could not get enough of this book. A wonderful history of both JEH and the FBI, even has a moral to the story. Parts of the book came off a preachy but still worked well with the overall message of the book.
April 23, 2023
Sloppy research and poorly focused. Would not recommend. Doesn't have info correlating with the case of Dr. King's murder. Overly opinionated, considering the lack of investigational capacity. See Dr. William Peppers work instead
March 19, 2017
Feeling anxious about the government? Power corrupts.
July 4, 2017
Rather didactic but interesting overview. Writing was about 8th grade level.
March 15, 2020
Good, but still a little boring because it’s nonfiction.
July 7, 2021
Not a subject I thought I would be interested in, but the book was recommended to me and so I tried it. Loved it from the first!
Read
April 12, 2022Strikes me as more like a propaganda thing. Although from the "left" end of the spectrum?
Read
October 23, 2022I'm not a fan of the narrator of this audiobook, but the book itself is incredibly well done.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews