Bob Woodward





Bob Woodward

Author profile


born
in Geneva, Illinois, The United States
March 26, 1943

gender
male

website

genre


About this author

Robert "Bob" Upshur Woodward is an assistant managing editor of The Washington Post. While an investigative reporter for that newspaper, Woodward, working with fellow reporter Carl Bernstein, helped uncover the Watergate scandal that led to U.S. President Richard Nixon's resignation. Woodward has written 12 best-selling non-fiction books and has twice contributed reporting to efforts that collectively earned the Post and its National Reporting staff a Pulitzer Prize.


Average rating: 3.88 · 32,544 ratings · 2,081 reviews · 23 distinct works · Similar authors
Obama's Wars
3.61 of 5 stars 3.61 avg rating — 2,382 ratings — published 2010 — 16 editions
The Brethren: Inside the Su...
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State of Denial
3.71 of 5 stars 3.71 avg rating — 2,024 ratings — published 2006 — 23 editions
Plan of Attack
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3.5 of 5 stars 3.50 avg rating — 1,779 ratings — published 2004 — 20 editions
Bush at War
3.4 of 5 stars 3.40 avg rating — 1,672 ratings — published 2002 — 20 editions
The Price of Politics
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Bush at War (4 books)
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Interviews

October 2009, Bob Woodward
" Quick Start SS: How would you describe your life in only 8 words? BW: Thirty-eight years with newspapers; fifteen books. SS: What is your motto or maxim? BW: All good work is done in defiance of management. Get more on Bob Woodward at SimonandSchuste..." ...More

more interviews »

“...Obama said, 'I welcome debate among my team, but I won't tolerate division.”
Bob Woodward, Obama's Wars

“Sometimes,doing nothing is the best reaction.”
Bob Woodward, Obama's Wars

“During an hour-long conversation mid-flight, he laid out his theory of the war. First, Jones said, the United States could not lose the war or be seen as losing the war.

'If we're not successful here,' Jones said, 'you'll have a staging base for global terrorism all over the world. People will say the terrorists won. And you'll see expressions of these kinds of things in Africa, South America, you name it. Any developing country is going to say, this is the way we beat [the United States], and we're going to have a bigger problem.' A setback or loss for the United States would be 'a tremendous boost for jihadist extremists, fundamentalists all over the world' and provide 'a global infusion of morale and energy, and these people don't need much.'

Jones went on, using the kind of rhetoric that Obama had shied away from, 'It's certainly a clash of civilizations. It's a clash of religions. It's a clash of almost concepts of how to live.' The conflict is that deep, he said. 'So I think if you don't succeed in Afghanistan, you will be fighting in more places.

'Second, if we don't succeed here, organizations like NATO, by association the European Union, and the United Nations might be relegated to the dustbin of history.'

Third, 'I say, be careful you don't over-Americanize the war. I know that we're going to do a large part of it,' but it was essential to get active, increased participation by the other 41 nations, get their buy-in and make them feel they have ownership in the outcome.

Fourth, he said that there had been way too much emphasis on the military, almost an overmilitarization of the war. The key to leaving a somewhat stable Afghanistan in a reasonable time frame was improving governance and the rule of law, in order to reduce corruption. There also needed to be economic development and more participation by the Afghan security forces.

It sounded like a good case, but I wondered if everyone on the American side had the same understanding of our goals. What was meant by victory? For that matter, what constituted not losing? And when might that happen? Could there be a deadline?”
Bob Woodward, Obama's Wars

Polls

46669
William Jefferson Clinton

This poll will examine the choices for the William Jefferson Clinton reading selection which will be the next President covered in the Presidential Series. The order for the Presidents selected was determined by the group membership.

This selection will begin on June 13th and will continue for three - four months - depending upon the length of the selection.

This discussion will be led by Bryan. Bryan has an extraordinary background and will be a great moderator to lead this discussion. He has assumed the responsibilities for the Presidential Series reads and will be leading these book discussions.

We have added all of the books nominated on the William Jefferson Clinton thread and a few others. However, if you do not see your favorite book on this list; then just comment or pop me a note and I will immediately add it to this poll.

You can always change your vote at any time; so nothing is lost. Some of the Clinton books deal with only a certain period of his life, some may be multi-volume (if that is ever the case - I always add both separately), some deal with other topics too; some are all encompassing, others deal with specific events in Clinton's life or presidency and others are by the man, himself and some are about Hillary.

Before making your selection, please try to look up your choice and make sure it really is a book you are interested in; do not be lured in by the title. Also, check out the author and what others have said about the book before you (reviewers who you trust). Then of course, make your selection.

Bentley

 
  18 votes, 25.7%

 
  14 votes, 20.0%

 
  7 votes, 10.0%

 
  6 votes, 8.6%

 
  6 votes, 8.6%

 
  5 votes, 7.1%

 
  3 votes, 4.3%

 
  2 votes, 2.9%

 
  2 votes, 2.9%

 
  2 votes, 2.9%

 
  2 votes, 2.9%

 
  1 vote, 1.4%

 
  1 vote, 1.4%

 
  1 vote, 1.4%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

 
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