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Richard M. Nixon: A Life in Full

Conrad Black

4.04 · Rating details · 2,199 ratings · 42 reviews

The acclaimed biographer of Franklin Delano Roosevelt takes on Richard Nixon in the first full biography in a generation, bringing a unique perspective to the life and politics of one of Americas most controversial public figures

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Paperback, 1168 pages

Published November 11th 2008 by PublicAffairs (first published May 22nd 2007)

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May 01, 2012 Jeremy Perron rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Conrad Black's biography of President Richard Nixon is an incredible book. We tend to look at people, things, and events retroactively basing the past on the affairs and knowledge of the present. This is especially true with President Richard Nixon, the only president in U.S. History to have resigned his office and leave in absolute disgrace. Even presidents who are overwhelmingly voted out of office do not leave so tainted. Yet, Nixon was not incompetent; in fact, he was extremely intelligent a ...more

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Jan 20, 2018 Steve rated it liked it · review of another edition

https://bestpresidentialbios.com/2018...

Conrad Black’s “Richard Nixon: A Life in Full” was published in 2007 and is the longest one-volume Nixon biography in my library. Black is a former newspaper magnate and the author of “FDR: Champion of Freedom.” In 2007 he was convicted of obstruction of justice and mail fraud in connection with his Canadian media business.

This well-researched biography of Richard Nixon is comprehensive and extremely thorough. But with 1,059 pages of text it is not for the ...more

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Jun 09, 2018 Christopher Saunders rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-reads, richard-nixon

For much of its length, Conrad Black's exhaustingly detailed biography of Richard Nixon exceeded my expectations. One wouldn't expect a nuanced political history from Black, the right-wing publisher and convicted felon, yet he does a good job tackling this monumentally flawed figure. Black shows admirable skill placing Nixon's career within the greater sweep of American politics, providing nuanced looks at Nixon's early career as a Red-baiter (pointing out that as savage as his congressional and ...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Jim Puskas rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: politics, biography

A highly readable, extremely well-researched account of the persona and career of one of the most controversial figures to appear on the world stage in the past half-century. Black provides a non-judgmental examination of events while pulling no punches. Surely Nixon's story is one of the great tragedies of modern times: a man of tremendous talent who overcame adversity to accomplish great things but in the end was destroyed by his own inner demons that drove him to desperate and disastrous acts ...more

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May 25, 2014 Czarny Pies rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Americans

Recommended to Czarny by: Robert Barber

Shelves: american-history

Richard M. Nixon: A life in Full is a fine book by a fine scholar whose stretch in the stoney lonesome allows him to write about Richard Nixon with great compassion. All people who lived through the Nixon impeachment process need to read this fabulous biography which sets the record straight on a great American president. Nixon was a hard working and thoroughly researched every issue. He was god fearing, progressive and extremely careful in foreign affairs. The great tragedy as Black points out Richard M. Nixon: A life in Full is a fine book by a fine scholar whose stretch in the stoney lonesome allows him to write about Richard Nixon with great compassion. All people who lived through the Nixon impeachment process need to read this fabulous biography which sets the record straight on a great American president. Nixon was a hard working and thoroughly researched every issue. He was god fearing, progressive and extremely careful in foreign affairs. The great tragedy as Black points out was that his employees sang like Canaries.

This book puts to rest several mythes about Nixon and the Republicans who have been branded as war mongers despite the fact that it was the Democrats not the Republicans who recklessly led America into a war that could not be won. Black describes how Nixon did a fact-finding tour in IndoChina while the French were still trying to suppress the Vietnamese rebels. He returned to Washington with the conclusion that the French still thought that they had a chance to win but believed that within months the war would be lost. Hence, America should intervene rapidly or not all. Eisenhower explained to Nixon that America's top priority was containing communism behind the Rhine River and concluded that America should stay out. This would suggest that Nixon would have been highly unlikely to escalate the war in Vietnam as Kennedy and Johnson did had he won the 1960 election. This goes against the preposterous notion that Kennedy would have kept America out had he not been assassinated. One can never know what might have happened had things been different, but clearly Nixon was more strongly predisposed against intervening in Vietnam than Kennedy ever was.

Black also points out that Nixon was strongly in favour of civil rights for Afro-Americans. Given that he had been brought up a Quaker it would have been highly surprising for him to have had any other position. It was essentially the Quakers in England and the US who carried the weight the abolitionist fight from the 1780s to the 1830s.

Black wants the Republicans to return to their tradition of being progressive. If they do not move back into centre he does not believe that they can be successful for any prolonged period. I hope that I am not alone in agreeing with him.

Many parts of Black's judgements will be easily accepted by the reader. His establishing diplomatic relations with China was a highly positive initiative. He did in fact extract United States from Vietnam and his government was centrist not rightist.

On the question of Watergate, some readers will be less easily persuaded by Black. He asserts that there is no reason to believe that Nixon knew about the Watergate burglary before hand. Most would agree that there is no evidence to link him to the event until after it happened. However, in the absence of proof some still suspect that Nixon was aware beforehand. I personally feel that Black is right to insist that Nixon knew nothing beforehand.

The question then becomes whether or not it was right to try to impeach Nixon for covering up rather than for ordering the burglary. Black thinks not. Irangate was a greater scandal but in that incident the participants chose to take the blame on themselves and made no effort to push it into the Oval Office. During Watergate however Nixon's staffers sang like canaries trying to save their own skins rather than thinking of the greater good. Black is unable to contain his disgust at such treachery.

I urge you to draw your own conclusions. Black deserves to be praised for this exhaustively researched work that largely rehabilitates a fine President.

...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Mikey B. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, united-states

A compelling biography of Richard Nixon. Conrad Black’s overall thesis or summation is that Nixon paid too high a price for the Watergate fiasco and should be remembered as a President with many accomplishments. To some extent history is starting to mend the Presidency of Nixon. I also feel that Nixon was a scapegoat for Vietnam and the turmoil of the 1960’s. Watergate may have been more of an attack on the “Presidency” than just on Nixon himself. Also Conrad Black has pointed out (probably corr A compelling biography of Richard Nixon. Conrad Black’s overall thesis or summation is that Nixon paid too high a price for the Watergate fiasco and should be remembered as a President with many accomplishments. To some extent history is starting to mend the Presidency of Nixon. I also feel that Nixon was a scapegoat for Vietnam and the turmoil of the 1960’s. Watergate may have been more of an attack on the “Presidency” than just on Nixon himself. Also Conrad Black has pointed out (probably correctly) that the power of the Presidency was emasculated by Watergate.

However Nixon was far from perfect. He would let his emotions get the better of him, particularly with the press. During the McCarthy era Nixon was a very vocal part of the red-baiting process – neither Eisenhower nor Truman humiliated himself on this sordid issue.

As Mr. Black points out, Nixon made no attempt, when the initial Watergate burglary revelations came out, to remove from office those responsible – at this early stage it could have been done with little damage to the Presidency. But as the lies and deceptions mounted Nixon drew closer to the center of a web and lost whatever possibilities he had to extricate himself. He also lost his integrity. The press became relentless in its attacks. Unlike other Presidents (Roosevelt or Reagan) Nixon could never win the admiration of the media. The U.S. press can be flaky – note the over-emphasis it gives to several mundane issues – the O.J. Simpson trial, celebrities...

Also Mr. Black discusses the “Christian crusader complex” that surfaces embarrassingly in American society. This too played no insignificant part in the onslaught on the Presidency. Any word uttered by the President was now put under a microscope and blown up by pundits even if it had nothing to do with Watergate – anything became gist for the grinding mill.

Nevertheless Nixon was a flawed individual and not particularly admirable – he displayed a lack of sincerity. Also (unlike Mr. Black) I do have a difficult time seeing how Nixon assuaged racial tensions in the U.S. He could be divisive – his slogan “Silent Majority” excluded certain groups or types (liberals for instance and people of colour...). His intensified bombing of Vietnam and Cambodia merely prolonged a senseless war – killing and maiming more innocent people. This is also a part of the Nixon legacy.
...more

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Dec 05, 2008 Larry rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This weighty biography by Lord Black suffers from Black's fondness for his subject. The reader often has to pause to consider the implications of what Black is telling. For example, in the book Nixon tells H.R. Haldeman that he wants to know to whom Nelson Rockefeller is talking and what they are talking about. He sends Haldeman out and the reader has to figure out that the only way that commission could be accomplished is if Haldeman bugged Rockefeller. This biography glosses over some of Nixon ...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Susan rated it it was ok · review of another edition

This book really dragged on, so much so that I refused to finish it. I believe the author used large words just to use them.

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Oct 01, 2016 Clinton Hill rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

Fair and balanced examination of Nixon's life and career. ...more

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Jan 05, 2009 Huckleberry Bluedog rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Conrad Black
There was plenty of trepidation about reading a Nixon biography by Conrad Black; they both have an awful lot of baggage and the book is over 1,000 pages long. I'm glad that I hurdled my prejudice, however, and undertook one of the most enjoyable reads of the year. If presidential politics isn't of interest to you then this may be a struggle, but if you want an well written, clear and facinating understanding of an amazing man and a dramatic period of history then this is thoroughly r ...more

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Nov 20, 2007 Zach Burton rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Written during his own legal battle, Conrad Black's examination of the life of Nixon is enlightening and fair.
Now that we as a society have moved far enough away from Watergate, it seems as if a new era of Nixon scholarship is on the horizon. I think the time has come for a more objective and honest look at a man who was quite possibly one of the most underrated politicians of the last century, and who ended the war in Vietnam, opened trade relations with China, got SALT I with the Soviet Union ...more

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Nov 15, 2010 Ed rated it liked it · review of another edition

I wanted to like it more than I did. It's exhaustedly researched and detail oriented in may a way that adds to the allure of Nixon. The contrast of a fallen man, Conrad Black, writing a redemptive biopic of another fallen man on a grander scale, Nixon, makes for an interesting dichotomy. The book is so bloody long at times, and the flow of getting to the finish hit several walls, making it a true reading marathon. ...more

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Aug 08, 2015 Jonathan Cantor rated it did not like it · review of another edition

A book about a disgraced president by an actual felon. This book tries to downplay all of the horrible things Nixon did by comparing them to the horrible things his predecessors did. The book is basically a failure and should be avoided. An actual historian would do a better job of describing Nixon's life and his complexities. And would do so objectively. ...more

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Aug 30, 2009 Theresa Leone Davidson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I thought this was a really good book - it was certainly fair to Nixon, not just vilifying him for what he did wrong but recognizing and applauding all that he did right. It took me weeks but I finished it, and I recommend it.

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Dec 03, 2012 Michael rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Black is a bit of a Nixon apologist, but he delves much more deeply into the policy issues of the Nixon era than the many Watergate-obsessed authors that are out there. Relations with China and the Vietnam war both receive very substantive treatment.

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Feb 06, 2009 Amy rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

Really interesting. Gives you a fuller profile of the man. The author likes to try to impress with big SAT words which is annoying, but overall I recommend it.

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Apr 29, 2021 Sandy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Nixon's life

This book is well written and easy to read. There is a lot of background history along with Nixon's story. ...more

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May 04, 2020 Bruce rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Richard M. Nixon (1913-1994) had a meteoric rise, a pair of stunning defeats that would have buried
almost anyone else and then the ultimate triumph and a fall that resembled a Greek tragedy. If a
run on sentence can describe a career I just did.

Conrad Black's thousand plus page epic is just that story. Nixon was born into a Quaker household
with a pious doting mother who saw two sons die before adulthood and a ne'er do well father who
an a general store He was a kid who may not have been the one wi ...more

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Feb 21, 2017 Chris Schaffer rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: nixon

I've read Conrad Black is an arrogant rich jerk and he writes with the same style. There is something extremely grating about his writing style in this book. I like Nixon and love reading about him but did not care for Black's constant contrasting of Nixon's issues with those of democrats such as Roosevelt, Truman, Johnson, Kennedy and Johnson over and over and over again. And what the hell is with all the big words...I get it, you have a deep vocabulary, but enough already it takes away from yo ...more

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Oct 16, 2015 Donna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, history

As a Canadian with limited coverage to US news during Watergate, who was friends with VietNam draft dodgers, but being someone who would have voted Republican if I were a US citizen, I did not like Nixon. From the first time I saw him on the news, I said "that man is a liar".

I have read many books and biographies about US politicians, especially presidents.

No book has so changed my viewpoint of a president as this book.

Deep in his heart, his love for his country and his loyalty to his party are ...more

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Mar 25, 2019 Richard rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I found this book by way of reading the author's book Donald J. Trump: A President Like No Other wherein he made a passing positive comment about the presidency of Richard M. Nixon. Intrigued, I later learned the author had written a biography of President Nixon which I immediately ordered only to learn upon receiving it that it was nearly 1,200 pages long!

Now, after three months, I'm finally finished, and it was worth it. ...more

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Apr 18, 2019 Brendan Coke rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Hack muscular revisionism. A love letter to Oliver Stone without the sincerity.

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Aug 11, 2019 Joseph Tully rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A tour de force.

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Feb 17, 2017 Samantha Sipper rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: biographies

It took me three months to wade through this ponderous book, and I must confess, I almost put it down. However, if you can get through some of the drier parts, then it can be a richly rewarding read. My own desire to read it stemmed from Nixon's reputation as the only president to ever resign his position. Not knowing much about the facts, I wondered who this man was as a person. Even today, 43 years after it happened, people who lived through the Watergate scandal still seem ambivalent about th It took me three months to wade through this ponderous book, and I must confess, I almost put it down. However, if you can get through some of the drier parts, then it can be a richly rewarding read. My own desire to read it stemmed from Nixon's reputation as the only president to ever resign his position. Not knowing much about the facts, I wondered who this man was as a person. Even today, 43 years after it happened, people who lived through the Watergate scandal still seem ambivalent about the 37th president of the United States. Conrad Black's book starts with Nixon's humble origins in Yorba Linda, California. Born to Quaker parents, many of Nixon's personality traits reflect his upbringing. My own impression of Nixon was that he was very intelligent, hard-working, and ambitious, but like everyone else, encumbered with those things that make us human. In his political career, Nixon seemed to suffer from an image problem at times. Part of it was that he lacked the charisma and magnetism of say a John Kennedy, although in private, he was said to be less awkward and more relaxed. When Watergate broke, Nixon exemplified high levels of determination, perseverance, and tenacity as he never admitted to wrongdoing. In fact, the author states that Nixon felt that he had not done any wrong, although he apologized for any mistakes he'd made and regretted bringing discredit upon the presidency. This book offers many fascinating insights into Nixon's character but also into his relationships with others. Henry Kissinger is one example. Kissinger seemed to know Nixon's mind when it came to foreign policy, and they worked together to make progress in the U.S.'s relationships with other countries. Yet despite their working relationship, they were never close personally, and Kissinger was derogatory about Nixon on numerous occasions. It was also very interesting to read about Nixon's trips abroad as he met with the likes of Nikita Khrushchev and Mao Tse-tung, and essentially played a veritable international relations chess match with each of them. As I read this book, I was also struck by how much the political issues of today mirror the political issues of Nixon's era. Some of the same problems--voter fraud, press leaks, media distortion--have always been a part of our political landscape to a greater or lesser degree. Much has been said about the gift of raw talent, but the author states that Nixon succeeded in an area in which he was the least suited. Nixon's life in full demonstrates the power of qualities like hard work and tenacity, qualities that Richard Nixon had in great supply. ...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Markotwain rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: History buffs, all points on the political spectrum, those old enough to remember Watergate.

This is the first of my efforts to read a biography of each U.S. President who served during my lifetime. I don’t know from where this ambition arose. As with most things in my noggin, it just popped in there one day.

So I thought I would begin the mission not chronologically, but with the most complex, bewildering, and brooding member of the group – Tricky Dick. It was interesting for a number of reasons – one being that I don’t remember any of the pre-1967 events myself, but very much recall th This is the first of my efforts to read a biography of each U.S. President who served during my lifetime. I don’t know from where this ambition arose. As with most things in my noggin, it just popped in there one day.

So I thought I would begin the mission not chronologically, but with the most complex, bewildering, and brooding member of the group – Tricky Dick. It was interesting for a number of reasons – one being that I don’t remember any of the pre-1967 events myself, but very much recall those after. So I read of Nixon’s early life and rise (to the California Bar, Congress, the Vice Presidency, and his failed campaigns for prez and governor), as well as his 1968 election as president, Watergate participant, and fall from grace.

Before I talk more about the book I need to talk about the author. I selected this author because his work was a relatively recent bio among several about Nixon. It was an interesting choice. Before reading Richard M. Nixon: A Life In Full, I learned that Conrad Black (a gazillionaire publisher and author) might be a more sympathetic biographer than most – one reason is that he himself ran afoul of the U.S. government and considers himself a victim of its overreach (Black served time for mail fraud and obstruction of justice before being released from prison in 2012). The book jacket also mentioned that Black is (or at least was) a trustee of the Center for the National Interest; a Washington think tank that was founded by Nixon. So it was no surprise that Black took it easy on his subject throughout (one online source even accused him of trying to “rehabilitate Nixon’s image”).

I found the book interesting overall while bogging down in a few places. I learned of R.N.’s participation in the anti-communist Red Scare of the 1950s (a section of the book where the biggest bog-down took place). I also learned much about his relationship with Eisenhower-the author insists it was the one of the most complicated in American political history. It is true; the author went easy on Nixon, insisting the president had no prior knowledge of the Watergate mess that led to his downfall. Black blamed Nixon’s henchmen, charging the president only with fostering the environment that created the scandal. On the flip side, Black also covered Nixon’s legendary brooding, awkward, and standoffish personality quite well and frequently underscored the irony of his ill-suited gravitation toward politics.

I would give this book three stars out of five for those who enjoy biographies, politics, or history…and additional stars the more you are curious about such a complex persona. At 1,059 pages, there is certainly a lot to satisfy your curiosity.

I think I ordered it from Barnes and Noble, but maybe it is on the discount rack by now (if you don’t mind bricking instead of clicking). Whatever you do, don’t try to sneak out with a copy. Remember, just like Richard Nixon…..you are NOT A CROOK!

Mark Owens
2014
...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Matt Diller rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Black's biography is a thorough, well-researched, and extremely well-written biography of Nixon. Black paints an informative and comprehensive look at Nixon's life and career, and provides interesting explanations for what exactly made Nixon tick. In particular, Black focuses heavily on Nixon's expertise and capability as a politician, his great ability in foreign policy, and the complicated relationships he had with Eisenhower and Kissinger in particular. Black also provides an explanation of t Black's biography is a thorough, well-researched, and extremely well-written biography of Nixon. Black paints an informative and comprehensive look at Nixon's life and career, and provides interesting explanations for what exactly made Nixon tick. In particular, Black focuses heavily on Nixon's expertise and capability as a politician, his great ability in foreign policy, and the complicated relationships he had with Eisenhower and Kissinger in particular. Black also provides an explanation of the Watergate scandal, tying Nixon's behavior to earlier incidents in his career.

Where the book is somewhat disappointing is in its failure to explain the shift in Nixon's abilities and personality in the 1971-1973 range that ultimately led to his downfall. Prior to 1972, Nixon was an effective politician, skilled at seeing the forest for the trees and able to sense danger coming from a mile away. In 1972 and 1973, as Watergate was heating up, Nixon's personality changed. This era is the origin for the descriptions of Nixon's paranoia, the "imperial presidency" (although Black makes a strong case that Nixon's grabs for power were never as large or comprehensive as Johnson's, Kennedy's, or even Eisenhower's), and the image of Nixon as a sweating recluse in the West Wing. None of this was true of Nixon prior to this era, and Black never even attempts to explain this shift other than by repeating the gossipy allegations of Nixon's alleged instability and mental illness. Black implies that these gossipy rumors are incorrect, but never takes a stab at trying to explain what was really happening with Nixon in this period.

An annoying Black tic: Black's previous biography was of FDR, and it shows. The amount of FDR comparisons he makes in this book are overwhelming, appearing every few pages whether justified or not.

A brief comment on the irony of Conrad Black writing a biography of Richard Nixon, which is hard to ignore: I don't think it's necessarily a coincidence that this book was written at the time Black was involved in his own trial. He makes the case that Nixon was largely wrongly persecuted for his role in Watergate, and while Nixon may have been guilty of creating a culture of corruption in the White House and ignoring more obvious signs of wrongdoing by his subordinates until it was too late, he did not commit any crimes and would have been vindicated in a fair trial. Black has made a similar case for himself (i.e. arguing that he was persecuted and prosecuted by overzealous enemies, and that in a fair trial he would have been found not guilty), and undoubtedly drew comparisons between Nixon's experience and his own. ...more

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Jun 12, 2013 Gary rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I finished this book tonight and at almost 1,200 pages this book took a while to get through, but was one of the most interesting reads for me this year. When I thought of Nixon, my mind would go straight to the Watergate scandal; however Conrad Black gives the full and amazing story of Nixon life. It is clear that Black admires Nixon tenacity and “never give up” spirit and the many positive things Nixon accomplished in his life. At the same time Black does not hold any punches when it comes to I finished this book tonight and at almost 1,200 pages this book took a while to get through, but was one of the most interesting reads for me this year. When I thought of Nixon, my mind would go straight to the Watergate scandal; however Conrad Black gives the full and amazing story of Nixon life. It is clear that Black admires Nixon tenacity and “never give up” spirit and the many positive things Nixon accomplished in his life. At the same time Black does not hold any punches when it comes to Nixon strange and unethical behavior (especially during Watergate). Black gives many examples of Nixon bizarre, pained and sometimes paradoxical behavior (like Nixon’s cynical nature coupled with his deep compassion or his negative outlook but at times indomitable drive to improve. One of the best parts of this book was wide range of history covered in in the book. Of course much of this history is U.S. based; however because of Nixon amazing international travels, connections with most major leaders from 1940 to 1990, as well as his many foreign policy exploits, it has a significant amount of world history. I gained many new appreciations reading this book, and to just mention a few:

1. Nixon’s role in exposing communist before Joseph McCarthy and then Nixon’s role of removing McCarthy from a position of influence.

2. The major role Nixon played in the Eisenhower presidency as his VP (since Ike delegated so much of his job to Nixon).

3. The history of the Vietnam War and how Nixon was able to get the US out of this painful war.

4. How some of the Watergate characters, like John Dean, who I remember as a kid watching the trial and thinking they were heroes for exposing Nixon, were really as sleazy as Nixon (and in some ways more so).
5. Nixon extraordinary understanding of world leaders (gained over many in person meetings with most of the prominent world leaders of the time). Then how he used this knowledge to triangulate China and the USSR, to build a bridge to China and to be the first to make serious progress and the de-escalation of the Cold War arms race. How he played a key role in the Yom Kippur War of 1973 that lead to USSR being removed as a power player from the Middle East and ultimately to Egypt and Israel peace accord (and Israel leaving the Sinai Peninsula.

6. The complexities of Nixon personality and his amazing tenacity to never give up.
I highly recommend this book.

I highly recommend this book ...more

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Jun 19, 2012 James rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: biography

An interesting take on one of the almost-great Presidents of the United States. Black's biography is generally supportive and does a pretty good job of illuminating the strengths and weaknesses of one of the most awkward and insecure men ever to be POTUS. Black is partisan, but usually obviously so, giving the reader the chance to make allowances.

Generally it reads well, useful in a 1,000 page volume, but the pace slows in the run up to Watergate and the second term. Those are sections that are ...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Marshall rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A well written and fair portrayal of our 37th President. Black is definitely a Nixon proponent, but gives fair criticism of Nixon's hesitancy to take aggressive measures in Vietnam in the initial year of his presidency. Watergate is also appropriately described as a mole hill that becomes the proverbial mountain as a result over zealous journalists and a bitter Democratic wing of Congress. Black appropriately charges Nixon with poor management of an inexperienced staff of Washington outsiders , ...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Colin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Hey, did you know that Conrad Black has also written a biography of FDR? He has--and he'll drop a fact or comparison to Roosevelt on just about every other page of this massive (1,059 pages--not counting notes/bibliography) book.

That aside, this biography did what I hoped it would do--complicate my understanding of Nixon. Black avoids a full-on psychological profile of #37, but digs into the insecurity and paranoia of the man, explaining how what was an asset when Nixon was younger turned into t ...more

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About Conrad Black

Conrad Black

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Conrad Black is a Canadian-born British peer, and former publisher of the London Daily Telegraph, The Spectator, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Jerusalem Post, and founder of Canada's National Post.

He is a columnist and regular contributor to several publications, including National Review Online, The New Criterion, The National Interest, American Greatness, the New York Sun, and the National Post.

As ...more