When H.R. Haldeman died, he left behind a chronicle of the four years he was Chief of Staff for President Nixon. His diaries offer a fascinating portrait of the major events of this era, including the Cambodia bombings, the Kent State killings, the fall of Spiro Agnew, the Watergate scandal and new insights on Richard Nixon. 8-page photo insert.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more. |
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
These diaries landed immediately on the best-seller list after their publication (no prepub galleys were available for review). Historians, however, won't extract much beyond daily reminders of Nixon's bark-off persona, especially his habit of airing all options, from the ludicrous to the realistic. Chief of Staff Haldeman was the PR guy, the scheduler, the enforcer (the lord high executioner, Nixon once said) who, though totally trustworthy as a sounding board for his boss, was a nonsubstantive decision maker. Haldeman dramatically tells, for example, of the August 1971 demolition of the world financial system without exhibiting much understanding of the economic ramifications. At bottom, Haldeman's diary is another thimbleful poured into the huge vat of Nixonia; however, the book's juicy quotations (such as those Nightline ran) boost interest dramatically. Gilbert Taylor
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Share your thoughts with other customers
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
It's amazing the amount of time spent on incidental and personality conflicts when the bigger issues were floating around the Nixon administration.
However, as a businessman, it is refreshing to know that the office of the CEO of the world's greatest power got (and probably still gets bogged down) in small issues, just like an corporation!
A great read. It was hard to put the book down.
However, as a businessman, it is refreshing to know that the office of the CEO of the world's greatest power got (and probably still gets bogged down) in small issues, just like an corporation!
A great read. It was hard to put the book down.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By amphyrion
Format:Mass Market Paperback
As Conrad Black points out in his biography, Richard Nixon was known as a frequent user of code words: "Peoria" to indicate any American Heartland locale, "Upper Volta" for any third-world place, etc. So it's entirely plausible that Nixon was indeed referring to the JFK assassination in his references to the "Bay Of Pigs thing" as Haldeman says. Fascinating stuff.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I appreciated this book in the same way that I did Lady Bird Johnson's "White House Diary". It is an excellent peek into the daily workings of the Nixon White House. It's amazing to read this very large volume and realize how much time was wasted by Nixon trying to analyze and manage personalities on his staff, particularly the feud between Kissinger and Rogers. Perhaps every White House staff is like this. We won't know because no one since has put out this type of detailed record. In the Watergate era I considered Haldeman, along with Erlichman, to be some of the most repulsive characters in American politics. My opinion of Haldeman hasn't changed; he's still a man I'd rather not meet. His defense that he was Nixon's mouthpiece doesn't hold water any more than military men who insist they were "following orders". My impression upon finishing the book is relief that I've never had to work in such an awful atmosphere. Great historical record, though.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Historians can retire now
This is unbelievable stuff for a historian. On the scene notes, taken immediately (Haldeman wrote this daily). Read more
Published 11 months ago by Chris Mathews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Diary Format Ideal
The Daily Diary format for this type of book is ideal,it can be a drawback in some books ,but as this was such an interesting era in American Politics most of Bob Haldemans entries... Read more
Published on August 27, 2010 by James innes
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not as good as prior book. More a daily notepad than story
A reader said that the book was a continuation of the 1970s policy-deny,deny, deny.
First of all, it was not a story or an analysis. Read more
Published on February 7, 2001 by Brandon D. Curtis
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good insight into the NIxon White House
Nothing in this is going to break Watergate wide open. But if you are interested in the goings-ons in the NIxon White House, this is an excellent book. Read more
Published on October 18, 2000 by M. Vandover
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Listmania!
So You'd Like to...
|
|
Look for Similar Items by Category
- Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Political
- Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( N ) > Nixon, Richard
- Books > Education & Reference
- Books > History > Americas > United States
- Books > History > Historical Study & Educational Resources > Reference
- Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Political Science
- Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > United States
