The Privacy War: One Congressman, J. Edgar Hoover and the Fight for the Fourth Amendment [Paperback]

Ron Felber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2003

This revealing biography of the man known for taking on J. Edgar Hoover provides an in-depth portrayal of one of the most vocal civil liberties crusaders of the 20th century. Made famous by his investigations of privacy violations into the House Un-American Activities Committee and by his subsequent downfall at the hands of J. Edgar Hoover, Neil Gallagher's fight to preserve the right to privacy brought him to the forefront of one of the most crucial debates in national politics. Gathered from primary source interviews with Gallagher himself, this book reveals his side of the story, as well as previously unpublished information on Hoover's alleged role in the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon presidencies and information on the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and John F. Kennedy. With implications for the current debate on balancing national security with the right to privacy, Gallagher's biography offers timely witness to the ongoing struggle to preserve America's civil liberties.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A fascinating, crisply written story that touches many of the most important players and dramatic events of the last half-century. -- GILBERT M. GAUL, Two-time Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist

A thoughtful and perceptive analysis of the way the American government and the FBI, in particular, really work -- BILL BONANNO, author of Bound by Honor: A Mafioso's Story

An issue that has never been more important than it is now in the aftermath of the september 11 attacks. -- MICHAEL J. KELLY, Editor & Publisher, Independent Press

Felber provides a most timely reminder of how vulnerable our civil liberties are. -- NADINE STROSSEN, President of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Professor of Law, New York Law School

You won't put it down until the lights are out and the last page is turned. -- VIN COOK, Cooky's Corner, Bayonne Community News

About the Author

Ron Felber is the recipient of the United Press International writers award and the author of Searchers. He lives in Mendham, New Jersey.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Croce Publishing Group, Llc; 1 edition (September 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971953899
• ISBN-13: 978-0971953895
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,103,086 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Oh my . . ., January 25, 2011

By 

Kenso - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Privacy War: One Congressman, J. Edgar Hoover and the Fight for the Fourth Amendment (Paperback)

I read this book after reading all the positive reviews on amazon. I thought the one negative review was an outlier and I would be in store for a good read. This book was horribly, horribly written, almost embarrassingly so. I cannot believe anyone gave it a positive review. Read about Gallagher online, but DO NOT read this horribly written book. I do not know much about the author, but if this book is an example of his writing, I would strongly suggest he find another way to earn a living.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fan, July 9, 2011

By 

Tomi Fabri - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Privacy War: One Congressman, J. Edgar Hoover and the Fight for the Fourth Amendment (Paperback)

I've followed the progress of Ron Felber's writing for nearly ten years and continue to be impressed with the depth and risk-taking Mr.Felber continues to display starting with Searcher's, A True Story of Alien Abduction to his current book The Hunt for Khun Sa, Drug Lord of the Golden Triangle. All of these including The Privacy War are well-researched, depthfull in their presentation, and plain out fascinating! As fo the writing, I think the opening of The Privacy War, when the FBI raids Gallagher's home, is among the most riveting I've encountered.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Particularly relevant reading in today's political climate, September 23, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Privacy War: One Congressman, J. Edgar Hoover and the Fight for the Fourth Amendment (Paperback)

The Privacy War: One Congressman, J. Edgar Hoover And The Fight For The Fourth Amendment by Ron Felber is a raptly involving account of Neil Gallagher's rise and fall in American politics. The tumult of the 1960's is uniquely mirrored in Gallagher's volatile career, which was ultimately brought low by an influx of forces which included the enmity of J. Edgar Hoover, a powerful man who defied presidents and conducted a secret war against anyone who would dare challenge the nation's security apparatus. The Privacy War is very highly recommended reading for students of Political Science and 20th Century American History -- and it is particularly relevant reading in today's political climate of Homeland Security and the rapid abridgements and erosions of personal rights under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution.