Nixon, Vol. 3: Ruin and Recovery, 1973-1990 [Hardcover]

Stephen E. Ambrose (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 1991

Watergate is a story of high drama and low skulduggery, of lies and bribes, of greed and lust for power. With access to the central characters, the public papers, and the trials transcripts, Ambrose explains how Nixon destroyed himself through a combination of arrogance and indecision, allowing a "third-rate burglary" to escalate into a scandal that overwhelmed his presidency. Within a decade and a half however, Nixon had become one of America's elder statesmen, respected internationally and at home even by those who had earlier clamoured loudest for his head. This is the story of Nixon's final fall from grace and astonishing recovery.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ambrose pulls no punches in his startlingly frank look at Nixon ("He was heroic, admirable, and inspiring while simultaneously being dishonorable, despicable, and a horrible example") but notes that while working on his three-volume project begun with Nixon: The Education of a Politician, 1913-1962 , he developed a deep admiration for many of Nixon's policies and--"to my astonishment"--a genuine liking for the man. This final volume reviews the Watergate drama, bringing into sharp focus how painful an ordeal it was for the nation and for Nixon himself. Ambrose pronounces President Ford's pardon of his predecessor wise and courageous. Down but not out following his resignation on August 9, 1974, Nixon emerged from his self-imposed California exile to launch a new campaign as senior statesman. Ambrose traces this path in detail, showing that by the summer of 1990 Nixon was "respectable, even honored, certainly admired." Highly recommended for those seeking to fathom the Nixon enigma.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Although Ambrose discusses Nixon's post-presidential roles as author and elder statesman, this final volume of his three-part biography ( Nixon: The Education of a Politican, 1913-1962 , LJ 5/1/87; one of LJ 's "Best Books of 1987"; and Nixon: The Triumph of a Politician , LJ 11/1/89) is largely the story of Watergate. Unlike Tom Wicker's One of Us: Richard Nixon and the American Dream ( LJ 2/1/91), which credits Nixon as a domestic success, Ambrose concludes that because of Watergate, Nixon's well-intended national and international programs were not "accomplishments but might have beens." The ultimate and, to Ambrose, tragic legacy of the president who wanted to be admired but not liked was the destruction of the moderate wing of the Republican party. Complemented by Roger Morris's Richard Milhous Nixon: The Rise of an American Politician and Herbert Parmet's Richard Nixon and His America (both reviewed LJ 12/89), Ambrose's three-volume biography is an indispensable acquisition for academic collections and is highly recommended for most public libraries as well. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 7/91.
- Karl He licher, Upper Merion Twp . Lib., King of Prussia, Pa.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 667 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1st edition (November 15, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671691880
• ISBN-13: 978-0671691882
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #139,317 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( N ) > Nixon, Richard

More About the Author

Dr. Stephen Ambrose was a renowned historian and acclaimed author of more than 30 books. Among his New York Times best-sellers are: Nothing Like It in the World, Citizen Soldiers, Band of Brothers, D-Day - June 6, 1944, and Undaunted Courage.He was not only a great author, but also a captivating speaker, with the unique ability to provide insight into the future by employing his profound knowledge of the past. His stories demonstrate how leaders use trust, friendship and shared experiences to work together and thrive during conflict and change. His philosophy about keeping an audience engaged is put best in his own words: "As I sit at my computer, or stand at the podium, I think of myself as sitting around the campfire after a day on the trail, telling stories that I hope will have the members of the audience, or the readers, leaning forward just a bit, wanting to know what happens next." Dr. Ambrose was a retired Boyd Professor of History at the University of New Orleans. He was the Director Emeritus of the Eisenhower Center in New Orleans, and the founder of the National D-Day Museum. He was also a contributing editor for the Quarterly Journal of Military History, a member of the board of directors for American Rivers, and a member of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council Board. His talents have not gone unnoticed by the film industry. Dr. Ambrose was the historical consultant for Steven Spielberg's movie Saving Private Ryan. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks purchased the film rights to his books Citizen Soldiers and Band of Brothers to make the 13-hour HBO mini-series Band of Brothers. He has also participated in numerous national television programs, including ones for the History Channel and National Geographic.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great objective piece of writing, October 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Nixon: Ruin and Recovery, 1973-1990 (Paperback)

This book seperates fact from fiction, truth from distortion. This final book about Nixon by Stephen Ambrose does a great job of giving both deserved criticizm and deserved acclaim for Nixons final years in the white house and his recovery afterword. Probably the best and fair book regarding Nixon from 1973-1990.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well balanced with the focus on Watergate, August 30, 2002

By 

R.J. (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nixon, Vol. 3: Ruin and Recovery, 1973-1990 (Hardcover)

This third volume of the Nixon series is dominated by the Watergate scandal, with Ambrose skilfully detailing how the great election victory in 1972 slowly unravelled, as the full weight of the media and Democrat-controlled Congress worked to expose the whole tawdry episode. During this era, there was also the bombing of Hanoi followed by the Vietnam ceasefire, and summits with the Soviet leadership, but Watergate overshadowed all. Ambrose makes it clear that Nixon reinvented the story over and over, and bears a large burden of blame for the predicament he found himself in. He also makes clear that this was the opportunity for Nixon's arch enemies in the media and Congress to go for blood. The descent into the nightmare of possible impeachment and eventual resignation reads like an inevitablity, that Nixon lasted till August 1974 said a lot about his tenacity and stubborness in the face of relentless adversity.

The recovery of Nixon was never fully realized, although he was an authoritative elder statesman in later years, and Ambrose shows that Nixon had regained a fair amount of respect in his later years. Since his death the left has continued to disparage and villify his legacy, but as hard as it is to defend Nixon at times, he was still a statesman to be reckoned with, and his foreign policy record, especially with his China trip, is one of distinction. The eastern establishment despised Nixon, but he did not cater to them, it was the silent majority that was his constituency. One finishes this book wondering where America would have gone had the Watergate scandal not occurred.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant book about a brilliant man, August 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Nixon: Ruin and Recovery, 1973-1990 (Paperback)

This is a book that really let you know Richard Nixon, one of the most fascinating politicans of this century. Stephen Ambrose's biography of president Nixon is the best of all the books I've read about this brilliant statesman. It's fair and it's written with a true feeling.