Nixon Reconsidered [Paperback]

Joan Hoff (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0465051057 | ISBN-13: 978-0465051052 | Publication Date: July 15, 1995

An eye-opening look at the man whose notoriety over Watergate and whose accomplishments in foreign policy have made us foget that he was one of our most innovative modern presidents on matters of domestic policy. Hoff shows that Nixon’s reforms in welfare, civil rights, economic and environmental policy, and reorganization of the federal bureaucracy all greatly outweigh those things for which we tend to remember him.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Nixon was both the best and the worst of modern presidents, opines Hoff, who argues that Watergate clouded his substantial domestic achievements. In this closely argued reassessment, she criticizes his foreign policy accomplishments--only rapprochement with China remains intact--and profiles a president whose radical proposals for restructuring welfare and creating a national health insurance program remain relevant today, in her estimate. She also commends Nixon's expanded enforcement of affirmative action, bold reorganization of federal agencies and redistribution of power away from Congress and the federal bureaucracy toward state and local governments. Hoff, a professor of history at the University of Indiana, draws on her interviews with Nixon and his advisers, as well as recently released Nixon White House papers and tapes, to shed light on his role in the Watergate break-in and cover-up, his tense relations with Henry Kissinger and his rationalizations and paranoid insecurities.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Hoff, an Indiana University historian and senior editor of University Publications' microfilm edition of Nixon's presidential papers, presents a scrupulously researched analysis of Nixon's domestic and foreign policies and of Watergate. Placed in a "historical rather than histrionic perspective," Nixon is revealed as a progressive Republican burdened by an aprincipled nature that clouded his awareness of "conventional morality or ethical standards." Surprisingly, Hoff praises Nixon primarily for his domestic policies; revenue sharing, a proposed guaranteed income, and plans for national health insurance were liberal by today's standards. Nixon's foreign policy accomplishments, including detente, Middle East treaties, and relations with the Third World, were ephemeral and often subverted by Henry Kissinger, the ego-driven security adviser. Unlike most Nixon revisionists, Hoff believes that Nixon's obstruction of justice during Watergate warranted impeachment but that his overall accomplishments and his numerous books will ensure his rehabilitation. Hoff's important study synthesizes the latest research and offers interpretations that all serious Nixon scholars must consider. Highly recommended for academic and large public libraries.
Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, Pa.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (July 15, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0465051057
• ISBN-13: 978-0465051052
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #501,191 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( N ) > Nixon, Richard

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Missed opportunity, December 22, 2001

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"dcdre" (Medford, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nixon Reconsidered (Paperback)

I've recently become a bit of a Nixon buff, reading a dozen biographies of the man, all of which portray him in very different ways, from a paranoid, racist sociopath to a misunderstood visionary. I honestly don't know where I'd place Ms. Hoff's portrayal of Nixon within those two extremes. Her book makes some excellent points, particularly in citing the frequently ignored strides that Nixon took in domestic policy. Overall, however, her odd writing style and seeming preoccupation with revisionism make the flow of the book pretty choppy, as well as all out boring in places...

In my opinion, any book on Nixon is worth it if you are trying to figure out what he was all about. The fact is the guy was so complex, introverted, and troubled that all of them will be right and wrong at the same time...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Book, April 6, 2008

By 

Michael (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nixon Reconsidered (Hardcover)

Professor Hoff, late of Indiana University, tries to rise above the Watergate mania that tends to totally overshadow all the other accomplishments that occurred during the Nixon administration. Let there be no doubt that Nixon was NOT a doctrinaire conservative, if he was even one to begin with. Nixon's early cabinet and advisers included some liberal minds. It is now known that many economic policies that were implemented during this time were very injurious to the US economy (wage and price controls come to mind) and contributed to the awful economic times of the late 70's and early 80's.
Nevertheless, this book is a good start if you want to learn a little bit about what went on besides Vietnam and Watergate.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, Different Perspective, December 14, 2008

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M. Robinson "book lover" (NY, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Nixon Reconsidered (Paperback)

Decent book, very informative. Even goes behind the scenes a little bit. Very thorough if you are looking for more information on domestic policies. Talks more about the good points instead of the infamous ones. Definitely good for Nixon sympathizers =)