Watergate: The Corruption of American Politics and the Fall of Richard Nixon

by Fred Emery

True story of the Political corruption of the Nixon era presidency.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, American History, Journalism, Biography, Presidents

712 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Christopher Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fred Emery's Watergate offers a comprehensive narrative history of the scandal which drove Richard Nixon from office. This book was written in conjunction with the BBC/Discovery documentary from 1994 (which Emery narrated) and it's to Emery's credit that it's far more than merely a companion volume. Emery does a commendable job laying out how the Nixon White House indulged in morally dubious, even criminal behavior almost from the moment it took office; within months of the inauguration, Nixon's men had already hired Jack Caulfield to perform espionage against Democrats. This escalated, of course, into the Huston Plan, the Plumbers, spying on antiwar activists, the dirty tricks during the '72 campaign and, of course, the most famous burglary in history. Emery revisits the usual cast of creeps and characters (Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Dean, Colson, Liddy, etc.) with lively but effective portraits that make it easy to follow what's going on, no matter how convoluted, and to understand the pervasive air of paranoia and pettiness which drove Nixon to destruction. Emery is, perhaps, more invested than one would like in the contrast between Nixon the Statesman and Nixon the Crook (evinced by the opening chapter which, cinema-like, intercuts his Moscow summit with a burglary by Liddy and Co.) but, in fairness, he was writing in the early '90s when this was the standard view of the man. The book's main contribution to the Watergate debate is showing that John Mitchell, the disgraced Attorney General-turned-campaign manager, offered to plead guilty for ordering the break-in in exchange for prosecutors dropping an investigation into Nixon's conduct (which was, of course, denied); whether this is a genuine confession or a loyal underling trying to exonerate his boss is left to the imagination. Even so, Emery leaves no doubt of the President's responsibility for the "White House horrors," providing a highly readable portrait of a scandal that's never ceased to be relevant or fascinating.

[Mark Oconnor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of the Watergate conspiracy starting from the very beginning and moving deftly through the notorious pre-planning stages of C.R.E.E.P. in Mitchell's office where Liddy unearthed his infamous Project Gemstone to the break-in at Lewis J. Fielding's office to the Watergate break-in and subsequent cover-up and it's orchestration from the inner chambers of the White House. Compelling and detail-oriented but also crisp and readable. This was the first book on Watergate I picked up and is still the definitive, go-to tome for the uninitiated.

[Kannonhall · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book by Emery actuallyt took a long time to read. I began in July and just finished the third week of October. The reason being is not because I am a slow reader, but because the language information was very much above my reading level. This book is definatley for advanced readers. The book begins with Nixon's political life leading up to Watergate. It an an extremely useful resource because it gives you a clear understanding of everyone who is mentioned in the book. You could very well begin reading this book with absolutley no prior knowledge. The climax of the book how Nixon reacts to the watergate scandal. It provides multiple perspectives that are very resourceful if you are doing any sort of research paper. The book ends with brief aftermath of the Watergate Scandal. I would not recomend this book only because of the level of dificulty. Unless of course you are doing a repot on Watergate such as I, then in that case please do read this book. I liked how unbiased I felt it was and how detailed oriented it was. I disliked how dificult it was for me to comprehend.

[Daniel Silliman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough. Very thorough. This is the definitive account of Watergate and also what lead to Watergate, how people responded to Watergate, the resulting scandal and how it brought down a president. Emery occasionally get lost in the thicket of names, dates, and conflicting accounts, taking the reader with him. But for anyone who wants not just the forest but all the trees, this is the book.

[TrumanCoyote · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only thing is it could've been 2 or 3 times longer. Kinda sketchy in places--and too centered on the White House. I thought there was going to be more about the hearings (and fabulous revelations). Also who was on the Enemies List, etc. I'm a little scared to be on the same planet with Liddy. I loved where they were thinking of fobbing the whole thing off on him and saying he was "just some poor, misguided kid who read too many comic books." He was a cartoon character in real life. And I didn't hear nearly enough about the hush money--dropoffs and so forth. But there was Segretti and the Pee-In and putting LSD in somebody's drink to discredit them--not to mention the houseboat full of hookers. There it was and it was all true (well, except what Nixon said). Emery really hit the nail on the head about the sordidness of the cover-up conversations being the really damning thing: it was right out of some B movie (you expected them to start talking about coppers and the heat at any moment). And just what would've happened if he'd decided to barricade himself in the White House with artillery?...yikes. (I also never knew that a president could pardon himself.) And of course: "Always remember: others may hate you, but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them back--and then you destroy yourself."

[Michael Linton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe this is the definitive Watergate book. Yes, it is VERY detailed oriented. It uses just about every book written about Watergate. It takes you from the beginning of Nixon's administration concerning the "horrors" up to the Watergate break-ins up to the final stages of his final departure which isn't written about too often. The author also points out when there are discrepancies and credits where they come from. There are still many questions that would probably never be answered because it's one man's word against the other. That's what makes Watergate so fascinating: trying to discover the truth based on the documentation, personalities, and the participants account and Emery brings it all altogether.

[Kenneth Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good history of the events that became known as Watergate. He relates the genesis of the plans for dirty tricks to ensure re-election in 1972. Closely allied to that effort was the effort to stop leaks of information to the press. This effort took added urgency with the release of what were called the Pentagon Papers. This lead to the formation of the plumbers unit to stop leaks and perform political espionage. This then led to the Watergate break in and subsequent cover-up. The two most amazing aspects of this whole situation are:(1) all the dirty tricks and bugging of the DNC were totally unnecessary as Nixon would have won the election without all this and (2) Nixon kept lying about events till the bitter end. Even the speech resigning as president was not truthful.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book a long time and am now reading it for the third time, in advance of the 50th anniversary of the break-in, next May and prompted by the recent death of Gordon Liddy. The research is immaculate and detailed and the approach to setting out the facts forensic, pointing up the conflicts between the various actors' accounts and appraising the most probable 'fact-find'. It's the forgotten details that surprise. How the police were mystified (and suspicious) when lawyers turned up in court the morning after the break-in- because the burglars had stayed quiet and not requested legal assistance. Or how the cover-up began almost immediately. It's a very recommendable book.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book left me sad, disillusioned, and wondering where the line is between fact and fiction in this version of Watergate. I conclude there is no absolute demarcation. I know there are many ways to tell this story and that everyone's truth is different and everyone's machinations are an underlying factor in the political game of high stakes. I'm left knowing, as I've always known, that we don't and won't have candidates worthy of the task and that there really are no public servants, just varying degrees of self-serving politicians who sometimes do something great.

[Russell Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent non-fiction tale of the Watergate Scandal, ideal for anyone who wants a full rounded view of the whole scandal without the 'outrage' of 'Woodstein' and their ilk !!!

[Trina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contained such an incredible amount of detail that it was, in parts, difficult to follow. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who isn't already very interested in Watergate.

[Mike Medeiros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a complete Nixon obsessive, this 26 year old book was the most thorough account of the events surrounding Watergate I have read. And this was my 13th Nixon or related book.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holy Smokes. In summary: corruption, tyranny, and power struggles. There is a belief in the American population. It goes something like this: since evolution is real, we as people are evolving spiritually, emotionally, sexually, mentally, etc. This seems innocent enough, except that the naivete of this assumption has caused people to trust politicians in general and people like Hillary Clinton specifically when they should not be trusted, assume that no evil can be done by us evolved individuals who are clearly much more advanced than the cave man, and rush to condemn the innocent because of our fear, while trusting the news sources before they actually earn the trust. What we should be asking is: what's in it for them? Are we honestly so naive to think that they just love truth, no questions asked? Those who do not know history unfortunately not only repeat it, but allow it to be repeated by others, such as Trump. Many people do not realize the following: Nixon was republican. the democrats started Vietnam. The FBI and the CIA have a history, and it's not good. The government tries to control and monitor you. These simple facts blow most of my generation away, because they are too trusting in government for the sake of security. I fear they will learn too late that you can never trust politicians, their fancy rhetoric, their smiling lies, or their flashy suits. As far as this book is concerned, dry, very detailed, and a little long. However, everything you would want to know about Watergate is in here.

[Matthew Desmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems like a lot of people are interested in Watergate these days. For some reason. Anyway, this book was published in conjunction with the twentieth anniversary of the events, so it's now two decades old. But it's still a marvelously lucid and readable take on the Greatest Story Ever Told. Emery really cuts through the weeds that had grown up around the whole subject, due to the mountain of sensationalistic accounts and self-serving memoirs that existed. I'd read a ton of Watergate stuff over the years, but never really felt I had the whole story straight in my head, from beginning to end, until now. There are more scholarly works out there, but this is an invaluable entry point for the general reader.

[Daniel Svoboda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am fascinated by Nixon as his background has many similarities to mine: working class person who worked into a position of prestige. The book showcases how Nixon's resentment of the Eastern establishment plus his paranoia led him to mean and nasty tricks. This flaw showcased how a nothingburger that could have been nipped easily turned into something out of control that consumed his presidency.

[Joe Minnock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the best one volume history of Watergate. Most of the history of Watergate focuses on Nixon and his personality and the legal and political maneuvering thereafter. This work dives into a detailed history of the crime, how it was done, who paid for it, and then also covers the criminal trials and political events.

[KR · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great, detailed account of what lead up to Watergate and the cover-up that followed. The only downsides with the book are, if this is your first time digging into Watergate, the book is a little overwhelming with all of the names, and a better list of chachacters and a flowchart to show relationships would've been helpful.

[RAIMUNDO PINTO · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the definitive dossier on the biggest corruption and dishonor scandal in American political history. Presented through the perspectives of all parties involved, and with a rigorous commitment to impartiality, this in-depth report offers the most comprehensive account to date. Read with confidence.

[Rylea · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was absolutely amazing, Fred Emery illuminates improbable events and dramatic errors that happened through out the watergate. This is my first political system type of book and I definitely wanna read more.

[Janny G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow, the drama that is so long ago remains deeply gripping. This is a thorough book, that dives deep into the heart of Watergate, which is that people in power can be as duplicitous, selfish, and amoral even though we are entrusting them with our country.

[Ali Varallo · Rating 5 out of 5]

So detailed.

An intense, exhausting deep-dive into Watergate and all of the players. It wore me out but it was worth it.

[Craigtator · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picture Doctor Evil hiring the criminals from Home Alone to break into an office and then using the Dumb and Dumber guys to cover it up. That’s Watergate.

[Michael Marchin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the finest books I’ve ever read. So very well written. It was riveting.

[Nicholas Sandars · Rating 4 out of 5]

An in-depth, fascinating history of the Watergate scandal. Shed light on many aspects I was unaware of.

[Mick Meyers · Rating 3 out of 5]

A worthy entry about Watergate,I just found it a bit too scholastic.by that I didn't want it to conform to the over dramatic or conspiracy theorists books available.

[Douglas Graney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good God! Corruption from start to end. If you dont want to read all 400+ pages just go to the photo section. All you need to know is there.

[Sarah Elliott]

Some inelegantly-written and awkward passages. Overall, though, a solid overview.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Portions of this book were more readable and interesting than others due to the derailed writing, number of players involved, and many moving parts of the story, so I did quite a bit of skimming. I am glad I read the book, however.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes. Nixon was nuts. That's why he's the funnest President to read about. Also, he was mean. And surrounded by criminals. Sound familiar? Fred Emery, a former editor at The Times of London, gives a distinctly British perspective on a distinctly American President. It's tragedy and it's comedy and it's America, and it's important to know how corrupt and dark the story really was.

NC

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was great because it humanized the whole terrible mess that Watergate was, (which still reverberates in the American psyche). It was confusing at times because there was such a long list of people who were actually involved in the events of Watergate. I think along with this book and All the President's Men, I have a much better understanding of history of Watergate.