Presidential Biographies discussion

What's the best Richard Nixon biography?

What's the best Nixon biography?

Gordon wrote: "What's the best Nixon biography?"

Gordon -- I just saw this discussion thread. I don't know if you're still looking for a Nixon biography, but I've seen a couple that look interesting and that seem to get good reviews. Richard Nixon and His America by Herbert S. Parmet is a general book on Nixon. A couple of books that focus on specific aspects of his career are The Contender, Richard Nixon: The Congress Years, 1946-1952 by Irwin F. Gellman which focuses on his time in Congress and The Presidency of Richard Nixon by Melvin Small, part of the University of Kansas American Presidents series which tends to focus on policy decisions and specific events of each presidency. I hope that helps! I'm still working my way up to Nixon. With a friend, I'm reading a biography on each president from the beginning, and we're only up to Hayes right now.

It amazes me that given all the books about Nixon, there is still not a "standard biography" that has been accepted. I decided to read "President Nixon: Alone in the White House" based upon reviews and I thought it was excellent. It covers his presidency only, however, not his life. I sincerely hope we get a major new Nixon biography soon.

There are some very well regarded biographies, but they just happen to be enormous multi-volume things. The thing with Nixon is that there is just sooooo much out there, and such a need to view him in terms of the massively complex times in which he was active, that I think people have neglected the idea of short bios in favor of enormous, career-making biographical epics.

I heartily recommend that everyone stays away from Conrad Black's book. Nixon's memoirs are rumored to be some of the best.

Why do you "recommend that everyone stays away from Conrad Black's book"? I was considering reading it, and I'd love to know your thoughts before I do.

Yep, I bought the Conrad Black and I figure it takes a crook to understand a crook, so it will be good. We'll see.

I just read Being Nixon by Evan Thomas. It's a very entertaining book. It tries to get into Nixon's mind and way of thinking. It was a real page-turner which is a quality I find in few presidential biographies.

New evidence of Nixon's treachery in October 1968. I can't wait to read Irwin F. Gellman's explanation.

Gordon wrote: "What's the best Nixon biography?"

Actually, Oliver Stone's annotated script for Nixon, ( Nixon ) is a well-researched and reasonably sympathetic overview of RMN's life.

What about RN: The Memoirs of Richard Nixon? Have not read it, but might be worth a try. I read a book he wrote post-Watergate, In the Arena: A Memoir of Victory, Defeat, and Renewal, and it was enlightening and interesting.

The Arrogance of Power: The Secret World of Richard Nixon by Anthony Summers another one to consider.

Tom wrote: "I just read Being Nixon by Evan Thomas. It's a very entertaining book. It tries to get into Nixon's mind and way of thinking. It was a real page-turner which is a quality I find in few presidential..."

I agree with Tom. Being Nixon: A Man Divided was really good.

The new biography of Nixon by John Farrell sounds really good: getting good reviews, the author has won a Pulitzer, and it covers Nixon's whole life. Anyone have an opinion about it? I'm debating between it and Evan Thomas's book.

Eric wrote: "The new biography of Nixon by John Farrell sounds really good: getting good reviews, the author has won a Pulitzer, and it covers Nixon's whole life. Anyone have an opinion about it?..."

It's good, but I think Irwin F. Gellman's books--although hagiographic--are more comprehensive ( The Contender: Richard Nixon, the Congress Years, 1946-1952 and The President and the Apprentice: Eisenhower and Nixon, 1952-1961 ). Gellman doesn't deal much with Nixon's early life, and his works have only covered Dick's political career up to 1960. I understand he is currently working on a book about Nixon and Kennedy. Should be interesting.

I just finished Farrell's biography of Nixon and despite some flaws, liked it a lot. Started Thomas's book this morning and it's already clear it takes a different approach - less a cradle-to-grave biography assessing his legacy and more an effort to get inside Nixon's head and figure out what made him tick.

Both are fascinating and potentially useful perspectives...just a question of what you're ultimately looking for in a Nixon bio.