Grade 10 Up-Genovese combines fairness with passion in this readable analysis. The bulk of the book provides a historical overview of the Watergate crisis, an account of the development of Nixon's political personality, a discussion of whether the president can ever act outside legal limits, a presentation of historical precedent for presidential corruption, an analysis of Nixon's relationships with the news media, and a conclusion about the Watergate legacy. The historical section is a model of conciseness, balancing fairness with insightful comments backed up by contemporary quotations. The section on personality compares the views of several psychohistorians. The legal section is very short but blunt while the one on presidential corruption goes into considerable detail. Genovese concludes that Watergate damaged the fragile American political consensus and helped lead to the distrust that many Americans feel toward government in general. In addition to this analysis, the author provides a list of key players with biographical sketches of many of them; excerpts from some primary documents including transcripts of White House tapes, the Congressional impeachment resolution, and a Supreme Court decision; and an annotated bibliography. There are a few pages of black-and-white photographs, primarily portraits, and a few shots of Congressional hearings and other events. Rebecca Larsen's Richard Nixon (Watts, 1991), written at a slightly lower reading level, covers the same history with less analysis, and includes illustrations that better capture the events. Genovese's book will support curricula in American history or political science at the high school level.
Jonathan Betz-Zall, Sno-Isle Regional Library System, Edmonds, WA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
Students searching for help in locating resources specific to different aspects of popular culture will find these volumes an excellent starting point....this set would be an excellent addition to any high school or public library.
Genovese combines fairness with passion in this readable analysis....The historical section is a model of conciseness, balancing fairness with insightful comments backed up by contemporary quotations.
Reference librarians should add this one to their collections, for students and interested laypersons will find it an excellent guide to this nation's most serious political scandal.
[G]enovese has performed a worthy service to anyone interested in the events that shaped recent U.S. political history or who might wish to include Watergate as a window into more recent U.S. politics. The book's excellent appendices include brief notes on the central characters of Watergate and a fine collection of relevant documents. These include excerpts from the tapes, the Supreme Court's ruling in the US v. Nixon, the Judiciary Committee's articles of impeachment, Nixon's resignation speech, and even a summary of the Nixon staffers who were convicted, plea bargained, or, in the lone case of John Connally, acquited. There is even a glossary of Watergate related terms, like "unindicted co-conspiritor." Those of us who occasionally teach a seminar on Watergate for undergraduates will be especially grateful to find, finally, a book seemingly made for such a course.
Taken as the guide to Watergate as it is intended to be, this book is a well-stocked compilation of important facts and resources.
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