Pat Nixon: The Untold Story

by Julie Nixon Eisenhower

From the pen of her daughter comes the fascinating biography of a truly remarkable First Lady: Pat Nixon.

From the beginning of her relationship with a young California lawyer that she later followed to the White House through the horrors of the Vietnam era and Watergate, this portrait of Pat Nixon’s life is a loving tale of the gallant woman millions admired.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Politics, Presidents, Biography Memoir

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Carol Bakker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot reading this book, first of all respect for Pat Nixon. “Overcoming adversity” is such an exhausted cliché. But how does one describe the circumstances wherein a girl—13 years old—nurses and loses her mother to cancer, then in the space of five years nurses and buries her dad; works full time to help one, then another brother go to college; enters USC at age 22 and graduates cum laude three years later after working multiple jobs?

Here’s what impressed me about Pat:

♥ Her family adored her. Her brothers, her husband, her daughters, her sons-in-law, her grandchildren. That is a major accomplishment when you have lived life in the public eye and needed to be absent from family often. Yes, this is a sympathetic biography.

♥ She reached out to people. Her default mode with crowds was to shake hands, look in the eyes: connect. It’s one thing to connect with supporters, but she pursued detractors and protesters, often disarming them with a smile. She was a cool cucumber in life-threatening situations.

♥ Discipline and duty directed her steps. Campaigning is grueling: sometimes three solo appearances during the day and an evening with her husband. Entertaining dignitaries non-stop. She never shrank from what needed to be done.

♥ She sought *and found* beauty. Flowers, colors, fashion, design.

♥ She traveled to all fifty states and over fifty countries of the world.

♥ She read. In her later years, sometimes five substantial books a week.

♥ She was a creative grandma. She played “shoe store” with her granddaughter. They lined *all* of Pat’s shoes up; her granddaughter was the sales person and Pat would ‘shop’ and try on shoes. Oh, how I want to do this with my Aria when she’s older.

♥ Her signature phrase was “Onward and upward.”

I found Pat Nixon’s funeral online…and watched the whole thing. One of the earlier songs was Vaughn Williams’ For All the Saints, a song I decided at age 17 I wanted at my funeral. Billy Graham spoke about death, describing it as five things:
— a coronation
— a cessation from labor
— a departure
— a transition, and
— an exodus or “going out”

[Leslie Goddard · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best part of this book is the early part, exploring the young Pat Ryan’s tragedy-filled childhood. It’s hard not to develop a deep appreciation for all that she overcame and to understand her intense to desire to avoid confrontations in her later life. But as the book continued, Pat began to recede farther and farther into the shadows as Julie focuses more and more on defending her father and lambasting his critics, especially the press, which she speaks of in language dripping with righteous indignation. After a while, I felt like I wasn’t reading a biography of Pat Nixon but a “Julie Nixon Defends her Father” treatise. I sympathize with Julie’s desire to redeem her father (and to protect her mother’s privacy), but it’s disappointing to read a “biography” where the purported subject of the biography is a shadowy background figure.

[Cambaier42gmail.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not a Nixon fan and did remember Pat as "plastic Pat." But this loving, yet historical, treatise by daughter Julie clarifies and balances in ways that could only be done by a family member. She pulls no punches, clearly showing her distaste for the media and for Democrats. But her insider's view of both her mother and her father add much to a review of the times in which they served. You saw the difference between his time as vice president, then as president. You felt the pain they felt with Viet Nam, and with Watergate. You shared Pat's rage at the unfair treatment her husband often got during his years of service.
A very good, well done book. While not an easy read, certainly an intense one. I am sorry it's over. I have a new respect for Pat, and a new sympathy for Richard. I do believe they tried their best to do their best, always following a strong sense of doing "what's right."
I'm honestly still not sure about Watergate though I do think, in their multitudinous travels, they both were outstandingly successful in their diplomatic efforts for this country.

[Jennifer Nanek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book I've had on my shelf for many years and once I finally started reading it it took me a long time to finish. But I certainly enjoyed reading it. I enjoyed reading a lot about Pat Nixon's early life growing up and her struggles as a young person. I also enjoyed reading the details about her life and what she did in the White House most of which I didn't know anything about. Obviously the story is going to be a bit biased as it's written by her daughter. But you can see the love and protectiveness within that family.

Another flaw that I see, very common in biographies, is that she references names and events as significant but I have absolutely no idea who they are or what they mean. The author is presuming everybody reading the book remembers the Nixon era. However some of us are too young. Biographers need to keep this in mind when telling their stories.

I very much enjoyed the book I learned a lot.

[Joseph J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent telling of the life of a beloved mother by a loyal daughter. While a defense of her father during Watergate, Mrs. Eisenhower offers truthful insights into the pain of political defeat-1962 California Governor's race-and the traumatic effect on a family. Also, we see loneliness even in the White House, with Pat Nixon dancing alone in a darkened upstairs hall after a state dinner, or standing in her bedroom doorway, alone, as Watergate reaches a crisis, basically out of the loop. This can be re read again, especially after the excellent C-Span series on first ladies recently re-aired.

[Liz Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

She raised her brothers and wanted independence. Nixon wore her down with his persistence that she marry him, and then she was always linked to him instead of being seen in her own light. I read this to see if she loved him and I am convinced by the author, her daughter, that she did. The author also argued that her father had never done anything wrong. I find this loyal and sweet, but I don't think she ever saw his dark side, which was there. I listened to this book which was narrated by the author's daughter, Jenny Eisenhower. That was interesting. I would recommend reading it. I do admire Pat Nixon, but I also feel sorry for her lot in life.

[Mary E. Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely and tireless!

I so enjoyed reading about Mrs. Nixon. I appreciate the life she led of being supportive and strong for her husband and the American people. I am amazed at what she had to go through and appalled at a media and public that would lie and believe lies about her and the president. Thank you to the Nixons' for the desire to help the country, which they did greatly, and to Julie for writing this book!

[Gina Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book by the President's daughter. I had always admired Mrs. Nixon and this book did not disappoint. It also gave me another view of President Nixon (post Watergate) despite the Author's bias. I grew up watching the hearings and enough time has passed for me to reflect and look back. I'm ready to examine different viewpoints on the Nixon Presidency.

[Cathy Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! And somewhat fasinating as this book gives a different perspective on the Nixon's, not only as political people, but parents and humans. The couple and how they balance and the real life observations from a child... very good book and oh the history and how it affected them and US and how it parallels what's happening now. I mean, read it if only for that.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A biography written by a daughter is of course going to present a certain view. There isn’t anything wrong with that as long as it is understood and kept in mind while one reads. That being said, the author has a unique perspective and opportunity to view life in and after the White House.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting to read about the Nixon's early years together, Vietnam War, Watergate, issues in Washington (establishment-press), etc..

[Amy Stanton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and well written. I learned a lot of history.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very long read but interesting and a good history lesson.

[The History Mom]

Love reading about Pat Nixon in her daughter's words. It is a highly readable, personal biography about a fascinating yet unknown First Lady.

[Celine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book! I was a young kid when Nixon was President and so a lot of what Julie wrote about brought back a lot of what I remembered seeing in the news. It was a wonderful depiction of her Mother who was a really nice First Lady, and often overlooked by the media. Julie's account of her Mom and her Dad tell a story that a lot of us never knew the whole truth about. It was very well-written. I enjoyed reading it.

[Chris Schaffer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Besides some insight into her early years with RN and the Vice Presidency, it was really bad. Too often it veered into a defense of the RN presidency, obviously with much of the defense centered around Watergate. If the real story of Pat N is basically anything beyond the frosty exterior she projected as First Lady and Second Lady, with some stories to illustrate her feelings toward things..then maybe the book is revealing. But to me it pretty much was a dud.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I began reading this book as a result of watching the CSPAN series on First Ladies. I learned that Pat Nixon was a reserved, hard-working, and smart woman who rose to the occasion of being First Lady. I recommend this book to everyone who wants to learn more about Patricia Nixon. It's a story very different than what the Press reported in the 1970's, when Nixon was President.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very informative and enjoyable book. It brought many things to light that I was unaware of.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a bio of her mother by Julie Nixon Eisenhower. How juicy would it be? Depressing, actually.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book and was so interested in her journey with her husband and their campaigns, White House, and family life. She did so much that added to the decor and elegance as well as historical paintings to the White House that I had never known about. Lovely book.