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Watergate: A New History Hardcover – February 15, 2022

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 941 ratings

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Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * “Do we need still another Watergate book? The answer turns out to be yes—this one.” —The Washington Post * “Dazzling.” —The New York Times Book Review

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Only Plane in the Sky, comes the first definitive narrative history of Watergate—“the best and fullest account of the crisis, one unlikely to be surpassed anytime soon” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)—exploring the full scope of the scandal through the politicians, investigators, journalists, and informants who made it the most influential political event of the modern era.

In the early hours of June 17, 1972, a security guard named Frank Wills enters six words into the log book of the Watergate office complex that will change the course of history:
1:47 AM Found tape on doors; call police.

The subsequent arrests of five men seeking to bug and burgle the Democratic National Committee offices—three of them Cuban exiles, two of them former intelligence operatives—quickly unravels a web of scandal that ultimately ends a presidency and forever alters views of moral authority and leadership. Watergate, as the event is called, becomes a shorthand for corruption, deceit, and unanswered questions.

Now, award-winning journalist and bestselling author Garrett M. Graff explores the full scope of this unprecedented moment from start to finish, in the first comprehensive, single-volume account in decades.

The story begins in 1971, with the publication of thousands of military and government documents known as the Pentagon Papers, which reveal dishonesty about the decades-long American presence in Vietnam and spark public outrage. Furious that the leak might expose his administration’s own duplicity during a crucial reelection season, President Richard M. Nixon gathers his closest advisors and gives them implicit instructions: Win by any means necessary.

Within a few months, an unsteady line of political dominoes are positioned, from the creation of a series of covert operations code-named GEMSTONE to campaign-trail dirty tricks, possible hostage situations, and questionable fundraising efforts—much of it caught on the White House’s own taping system. One by one they fall, until the thwarted June burglary attracts the attention of intrepid journalists, congressional investigators, and embattled intelligence officers, one of whom will spend decades concealing his identity behind the alias “Deep Throat.” As each faction slowly begins to uncover the truth, a conspiracy deeper and more corrupt than anyone thought possible emerges, and the nation is thrown into a state of crisis as its government—and its leader—unravels.

Using newly public documents, transcripts, and revelations, Graff recounts every twist with remarkable detail and page-turning drama, bringing readers into the backrooms of Washington, chaotic daily newsrooms, crowded Senate hearings, and even the Oval Office itself during one of the darkest chapters in American history.

Grippingly told and meticulously researched,
Watergate is the defining account of the moment that has haunted our nation’s past—and still holds the power to shape its present and future.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

PRAISE FOR WATERGATE: A NEW HISTORY

"Do we need still another Watergate book? The answer turns out to be yes — this one: Garrett M. Graff’s
Watergate: A New History. It is a remarkably rich narrative with compelling characters, who range from criminal and flawed to tragic and heroic. As someone who played a small role in the drama while I was editing many of The Washington Post’s Watergate stories, I found that Graff convincingly populates and re-creates an extraordinary time in the history of the country and this city. ... fast-paced ... filled with apt sketches of its many characters, major and minor, from all the president’s men, and some of their spouses, to journalists, investigators, lawyers and members of Congress. It vividly re-creates all the key events, from Nixon’s overreaction to the revelation of the Pentagon Papers about the Vietnam War in June 1971 to his resignation in August 1974.... engaging, informative and thought-provoking, more than earning its place on bookshelves alongside the old histories." —Len Downie, Jr., The Washington Post

"Dazzling. . . A lively writer, Graff explores the dramatic scope of the Watergate saga through its participants — politicians, investigators, journalists, whistle-blowers and, at center stage, Nixon himself."
—Douglas Brinkley, The New York Times Book Review

"Award-winning author Graff aims to give readers the full scope of Watergate — a much bigger, more bizarre story than even remembered — telling the full story from start to finish in this ambitious book." —
New York Post

"A definitive, exhaustive account of the scandal. . . a fascinating, horrifying examination of the Nixon presidency up close—enough to scare the record straight."
AirMail

"A meticulously researched, expansive history of the Watergate scandal from start to finish, from the release of the Pentagon Papers in 1971 to the reverberations that echo through present day."
—Barbara VanDenburgh, USA TODAY

"Garrett Graff has painstakingly researched and written “Watergate: A New History.” ... It is a compelling read, and introduces us (or reminds us) of myriad incidents that led up to Watergate. It is a tangled web; more tangled than we knew. And Graff has expertly filled in blanks and provided valuable context.... The narrative he weaves is astounding in breadth and depth."
—The Rutland Herald

"One of the big books of the year."
—Jeff Simon, Buffalo News

"As masterfully recounted in Garrett Graff’s new book, the Watergate scandal constituted both a great challenge to, and vindication of, the “rule of law” in America. .... Exhaustively researched, this book presents a cogent narrative that seemingly includes every available source, including testimony, documentary evidence, Nixon’s Oval Office tapes, court filings, subpoenas, interviews, memoirs and investigative reports. It is a remarkable achievement."
New York Law Review

"A brisk, riveting, compulsively readable, comprehensive, up-to-date narrative of the entire tangled affair, and it's hard to imagine it better told. . . . Now the best and fullest account of the Watergate crisis, one unlikely to be surpassed anytime soon."
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"A crime drama, a pirate tale, a mystery, a character study, a spy story, and a Greek tragedy. . . Graff methodically assembles facts, perspectives, activities, analysis, anecdotes, and interpretations into a seamless, engaging book."
Seven Days

"Graff's extensively researched book reveals just how much more there is to Watergate than the story that unfolded in the book and movie
All the President's Men. . . . Graff digs deep into the personalities, backgrounds and actions of all of the high-ranking Nixon administration officials caught in the trap of the burglaries and the subsequent coverup as well as all of the officials affected by the growing scandal." —Dean Poling, Valdosta Daily-Times

"This meticulously researched and documented book should now become the definitive source for those who wish to dive into the cesspool of deceit, intrigue and criminal behavior that were associated with the seemingly innocuous break-in and the cover-up. ... [Graff] makes a valiant attempt to connect all the disparate threads from the confusing tapestry of multiple investigations, muffled tapes and self-serving memoirs available. His organization of the book makes the 700-plus pages flow seamlessly as the investigators reach their inevitable conclusions. In summary, this book should be required reading for any citizen with the faintest interest in how the sausage-factory of Washington politics functions and how our country has managed to arrive at today’s dysfunctional impasse."
—J. Kemper Campbell, Lincoln Journal-Star

"Lively, wide-ranging, detailed."
—Erica J. Smith, The Virginian Pilot

"Garrett Graff aptly calls Watergate a 'Gordian knot of scandal.' This comprehensive, searching, yet elegant book untangles it more completely than any attempt so far. I learned a lot!"
—Rick Perlstein, bestselling author of Nixonland and Reaganland

"Watergate is one of the great tragic double-edged swords of modern American history: its crimes were swiftly exposed, the criminals punished, the rule of law restored––
and it profoundly, permanently undermined American citizens' trust in their government. Garrett Graff's fresh chronicle of that inflection point is lucid, enlightening and indispensable." —Kurt Andersen, author of Evil Geniuses and writer-host of Nixon at War

"Expertly researched and assembled, this is a valuable introduction to one of history’s greatest political scandals. . . . Graff skillfully interweaves the perspectives of journalists and law enforcement officials investigating the Watergate break-in with the Nixon team’s attempts to “use the organs of government to cover up their own rogue operation,” and incisively analyzes how the congressional inquiry into the scandal resulted in Democrats and Republicans coming together to uphold the Constitution and limit the powers of the president."
Publishers Weekly

PRAISE FOR THE ONLY PLANE IN THE SKY

“A riveting step-by-step account of the day . . . The technique of letting the witnesses tell the story does a remarkable job of bringing to life the horrific day in a way that a writer’s narrative would have a hard time matching. . . . It makes for a gripping read—and a reminder of the country at its best while under attack.”
—Will Lester, Associated Press

“Graff has woven a powerful, graphic narrative of how September 11 played out everywhere from the International Space Station to the inside of the collapsing World Trade Center towers. . . . I repeatedly cried. I could feel my pulse elevate. I often had to put it down after a dozen pages. But I think that’s the point of the book. September 11 was terrible and confusing, and the more time passes, sometimes the harder that is to remember. No matter how much we try to describe those feelings to children who didn’t live through them, something will be lost in the translation and telling. This book captures the emotions and unspooling horror of the day. It will be a good text to hand to a curious teenager when he one day asks: What was September 11 really like?”
—Scott Detrow, NPR

“Remarkable. . . . Mr. Graff’s curation of these accounts—drawn from hundreds of his own interviews and from the reporting of other journalists and historians—is a priceless civic gift. . . . The book is refreshingly free from editorializing, ideology and ululation. It gives us instead poignant, often distressing, vignettes and impressions of the day and its aftermath. On page after page, a reader will encounter words that startle, or make him angry, or heartbroken, or queasy.”
Tunku Varadarajan, The Wall Street Journal

“Remarkable . . . Incredibly evocative and compelling . . . Allows you to experience this fateful day in an intimately visceral fashion, starting with the ordinary (the sky was gorgeously blue) and progressing to confusion, fear, numbness, and grief. . . . By letting those who were present tell stories in their own words, Graff has created a remarkably effective and deeply moving history. Be careful if you read this book in public—at some point you may encounter a story or detail that will bring back memories that overwhelm you.”
—Lucinda Robb, The Washington Post

“Intense . . . Dramatic . . . Graff’s project beautifully achieves its chief goal—educating people too young or born too late to remember what the day of September 11, 2001, felt like. But it also restores a form [oral history] to its rightful place as necessity.”
—Ginia Bellafante, New York Times Book Review

“An ambitious oral history of 9/11 from the perspective of nearly everyone involved—from Laura Bush to the first firefighter on the scene to the young gate agent who checked the hijackers’ plane tickets. Every single line is breathtaking and heartbreaking, weaving together the story of previously unimaginable and tragic events that changed the course of history.”
Newsweek

“Compelling . . . The voices in
The Only Plane in the Sky are so vivid. . . . There are snippets in Graff’s oral history from those who perished—messages for loved ones left by office workers stranded on the upper floors of the towers; calls from flight attendants and passengers aboard United Flight 93 that were recorded or remembered. But most of the voices in the book belong to survivors. That may explain, at least in part, why The Only Plane in the Sky manages to feel hopeful. . . . Eventually, of course, all of us who remember 9/11 will be gone, and some of our stories will be forgotten. But, thanks to Graff’s fine work, many will endure.” —Jay Carney, Air Mail

“A harrowing account of the September 11 attacks, told through the voices of many who were personally affected. Graff weaves together the stories of airline workers, first responders, generals at the Pentagon and more to contextualize and seek to further understand the trauma, humanity and history of 9/11.”
Time magazine (“The 42 Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2019”)

“Oral history at its finest . . . Graff’s skillful organization and flawless pacing allows him to present multiple perspectives, quickly shifting locations and points of view around the country, to follow every moment. The result is a smooth-flowing, moving and thoroughly human narrative with emotional impact, a sense of detail and immediacy more powerful and moving than any dramatic film or documentary.”
—Rich Kienzle, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“Much has been written over the past 18 years about 9/11, but none have told the story of that day as powerfully and intimately . . . Sure to become an essential addition to the literature of 9/11, it is the only panoramic account of the day told by the people who experienced it. . . . Graff has created an enduring portrait of a day that changed the world forever, a day that the world will never forget.”
—Joel Meador, The Messenger

“This is history at its most immediate and moving. In
The Only Plane in the Sky, Garrett Graff has crafted an enduring portrait of a deadly and consequential day, a day that has shaped all other subsequent days in America for nearly two decades. A marvelous and memorable book.” —Jon Meacham, author of The Soul of America

“As I read
The Only Plane in the Sky, I was instantly transported back to the chaos, shock, and fear that we all felt on September 11. Reliving the day in real time, through the eyes of Americans on the ground and in the air, had me turning each page with my heart in my throat. I may have known how the story would end, but reading these intensely personal accounts reminded me why this tragic day would change us forever, while the stories of courage and resilience renewed my faith in humanity. There’s been a lot written about 9/11, but nothing like this. I urge you to read it.” —Katie Couric, author of The Best Advice I Ever Got

“Although many years have passed since 9/11, this book, told with such immediacy, brings so vividly back to mind the shock of that day, and why it continues to shape the tragic history that has followed.”
—Lawrence Wright, author of The Looming Tower

The Only Plane in the Sky is a stunning and important work—chilling, heartbreaking—and I cannot stop thinking about it. To hear the voices of those who survived, and those who did not, is so moving and powerful. I learned so much, and am so thankful for this book.” —Anderson Cooper, author of Dispatches from the Edge

“Raw, emotional, and intense, this jaw-dropping narrative, composed entirely of firsthand accounts, strips away the politics that have grown up around 9/11 and have clouded its brutal impact on the American psyche. Rarely is history delivered with such vivid sensory detail. Garrett Graff’s meticulous reporting transported us, with visceral clarity, back to those horrifying hours that changed us all forever.”
—Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic, authors of Indianapolis

“Garrett Graff has deftly used oral history to take us into the one of the most horrific and consequential moments in American history, in a book that will be particularly important for those readers too young to remember September 11, 2001.”
—Michael Beschloss, author of Presidents of War

“Before there was the written word, there was oral history—one human telling another his or her experience—and Graff takes us back to our human roots in doing what he does here in this harrowing, relentless but ultimately soaring tale. Using 500 or so "voices" culled together from large-scale oral history projects and personal interviews alike, Graff weaves together a narrative that takes your breath away. . . . Intensely readable, deeply personal, and profoundly transformative.”
—Annie Jacobsen, author of Operation Paperclip and The Pentagon’s Brain

“9/11 is one of the hinge events of American history and Garrett Graff adds considerably to our knowledge of the horrors and the heroism that characterized that terrible day.
The Only Plane in the Sky is a deeply researched and authoritative account.” —Peter Bergen, author of Manhunt

“A truly riveting book, at once tragic and thrilling, and a testament to the power of memory.”
—Tim Weiner, author of Legacy of Ashes

About the Author

Garrett M. Graff has spent nearly two decades covering politics, technology, and national security. The former editor of Politico and contributor to Wired and CNN, he’s written for publications from Esquire to Rolling Stone to The New York Times, and today serves as the director of the cyber initiative at the Aspen Institute. Graff is the author of multiple books, including the FBI history The Threat Matrix, Raven Rock (about the government’s Cold War Doomsday plans), When the Sea Came Alive (an oral history of D-Day), and the New York Times bestsellers The Only Plane in the Sky and Watergate, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster (February 15, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 832 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1982139161
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1982139162
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.01 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.6 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 941 ratings

About the author

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Garrett M. Graff
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Garrett M. Graff, a distinguished magazine journalist, bestselling historian, and regular TV commentator, has spent more than a dozen years covering politics, technology, and national security—helping to explain where we’ve been and where we’re headed.

Today, he serves as the director of the Aspen Institute’s cybersecurity and technology program, and is a contributor to WIRED, Longreads, and CNN. He’s written for publications from Esquire to the New York Times, and served as the editor of two of Washington’s most prestigious magazines, Washingtonian and POLITICO Magazine, which he helped lead to its first National Magazine Award, the industry’s highest honor.

Graff is the author of multiple books, including "The First Campaign: Globalization, the Web, and the Race for the White House," which examined the role of technology in the 2008 presidential race, and "The Threat Matrix: Inside Robert Mueller’s FBI," which traces the history of the FBI’s counterterrorism efforts. His book, "Raven Rock," a national bestseller, about the government’s Cold War Doomsday plans, was published in May 2017, and his most recent book, co-authored with John Carlin, examined the rise of cyber threats, "Dawn of the Code War: America's Battle Against Russia, China, and the Rising Global Cyber Threat."

Previously, he was the founding editor of mediaBistro.com’s FishbowlDC (www.FishbowlDC.com), a popular blog that covers the media and journalism in Washington, and co-founder of EchoDitto, Inc., a multi-million-dollar Washington, D.C.-based internet strategy consulting firm. During his time at FishbowlDC, he was the first blogger admitted to cover a White House press briefing in 2005, a moment considered significant enough that his reporter’s notebook from that first briefing is on display at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. A Vermont native, he served as deputy national press secretary on Howard Dean’s presidential campaign and, beginning in 1997, was then-Governor Dean’s first webmaster.

He taught at Georgetown University for seven years, including courses on journalism and technology, and his writing and commentary has appeared in publications like the Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, New York, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Rolling Stone, 5280, Politico, AARP Magazine, Eater, Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine, USA Today, GQ UK, NextCity, and he has appeared on CBS This Morning, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBC, the BBC, Al Jazeera English, the History Channel, National Geographic, and various NPR programs, including “This American Life,” “Fresh Air,” and “All Things Considered.”

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
941 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book intensively researched and well-written. They also say it's a great read. Opinions are mixed on the writing quality, with some finding it exceedingly well written and others saying it has poor production.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

68 customers mention "Content"65 positive3 negative

Customers find the book intensively researched, well-written, and amazing. They also say it contains lots of little details they never knew. Readers also find it thought-provoking and timely. They say it's a good updated account of Watergate.

"...All-inclusive and intensely magnified retelling of the scandal - from newly published sources and with a new perspective as a result of new facts...." Read more

"What a fascinating (and timely) revisit of a troubling time--politically and socially...." Read more

"...What Graff has done is to present a well-crafted, coherent history that began with the leaking of the Pentagon Papers...." Read more

"...I was pleased to see that the mini-series did not embellish the story...." Read more

44 customers mention "Readability"44 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a great read, with a nice perspective. They also say it does not disappoint at all and is engaging from start to finish.

"...The book itself thoroughly fascinating read!" Read more

"Fabulous and wonderful book! 697 pages of pure American history.If the President could do it... it must be legal...." Read more

"...Just one great book." Read more

"...disclosures, and retells the story from start to finish in a really engaging way...." Read more

7 customers mention "Plot"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the plot fascinating, engrossing, and dynamic. They also say it's riveting and expansive, covering the Watergate.

"...and indictments, the book took off, reading like a thriller and a real page-turner...." Read more

"...But Graff's writing and research made for a real page turner. I thoroughly enjoyed it...." Read more

"...It's a fascinating account--well-written and compelling. I'll be avoiding Avid Reader Press books in the future." Read more

"...It's quite the page turner! (Or, I guess screen swiper as I read it on the Kindle.)" Read more

56 customers mention "Writing quality"31 positive25 negative

Customers are mixed about the writing quality. Some mention that the book is exceedingly well written, and reads like a thriller. However, others say that the production is horrible, the author's writing is atrocious, and there are numerous typos and dates that are obviously wrong.

"...Well written and spellbinding." Read more

"...It is also a story full of contradictions, inadvertent mistakes, and deliberate deception...." Read more

"The information is great. Well researched and well written. But the page paper is tissue thin which feels really cheap...." Read more

"...The author's attention to detail is perfect and his writing style made me think at times that I was reading a spy novel. Just one great book." Read more

A Very Thorough Read in a pretty shoddy binding
3 Stars
A Very Thorough Read in a pretty shoddy binding
The 793 page book is very well researched with nearly 700 references and has footnotes on nearly every page. The actual text is 679 pages with the remainder being acknowledgements and Notes. There are 6 pages of photographs of the principal characters in the dastardly deed and xxxvi pages of Introduction and Prologue. Having lived through the Nixon era, the author helped me reconnect to the sensational events that led up to, through and beyond Watergate. Even after 70 years the circumstances of the third rate burglary by a bunch of Cuban in business suits seems so meaningless in its intent but so utterly destructive. Ultimately resulting in Nixon's humiliation and the imprisonment and disgrace of many of his henchmen. Someone once said "Hell has three gates: lust, anger and greed." A fool can never be cred of his greed. Graff has clearly demonstrated how this played out in the events that led up to Watergate.The publisher of this tome is Avid Reader Press, a new publishing house under Simon & Schuster. Unfortunately I received the book with the cover mostly separated from the bulk of the text. I shall be happy to send to the publisher the first 170 pages which are now completely separated from the cover and the rest of the text. And I will send other sections that fall apart as well. Although I was hoping that I could retain the book for my collection of Nixon memorabilia I fear this one will go in the garbage.
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2023
Watergate A New History By Garrett M. Graff

The first definitive narrative history of Watergate, exploring the full scope of the scandal through the politicians, investigators, journalists, and informants who made it the most influential political event of the modern era.
I thought I knew pretty much all there was to know about Watergate, but not so. Graff's premise is that what we call "Watergate" and what brought Nixon's presidency down was not just the burglary at the DNC headquarters in the Watergate Hotel, but what went on through-out Nixon's presidency (and before). The first hundred or so pages dealt with some of the earlier scandals of the Nixon presidency, and I had a hard time getting into the book. But once we got to the burglary and the ensuing coverup and payofffs and congressional investigations and indictments, the book took off, reading like a thriller and a real page-turner. Overall 69 people, as well as many large corporations were indicted resulting from the Watergate scandal.
A couple of interesting tidbits. Female attorneys were relatively rare back then. I know I was in law school (and avidly watching the hearings on TV everyday). However, the Ervin Committee had a female attorney, Jill Volner, on its staff. The book describes how at a meeting with Jeb Magruder (one of those ultimately convicted) at which she was present when asked whether he wanted coffee, "Magruder turned to Volner and said 'I'll take mine black.' Neal {Volner's boss}...drawled, 'Not very smart, insulting a major player in deciding the terms of your plea agreement.'"
And one of the 43 attorneys on the Impeachment Committee's staff was a young attorney named Hillary Rodham. And just for fun, another interesting factoid is that at the time Federal court rules barred females from wearing trousers to court.
Watergate – what does it all mean?
“Watergate: A New History” takes an in-depth look at an event that changed politics. Today, most people know about “Watergate” from films and television. What people “think” happened is sometimes very far different from what actually did happen. Even those who remember events from fifty years ago do not have clear, concise, or accurate recollections. “Watergate: A New History” revisits those familiar events and evaluates, condenses, and reorganizes them while maintaining the historical legacy as well as the bizarreness that “Watergate” has come to represent.
“Power” is Washington’s main marketable product, and this is a story about power—the hunger for it, the drive to protect it, the challenges to it, those who have it and those who are driven to have more. It is also a story full of contradictions, inadvertent mistakes, and deliberate deception. Those familiar details are just a sliver of the full story. After all, nearly every major player ended up being charged with lying, perjury, or obstruction of justice.
The book also reminds readers of the “forgotten” positive accomplishments of Richard Nixon. He was the first president to visit Peking, the first to stand in Moscow. He signed Title IX, the Clean Air Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and created the Environmental Protection Agency. The list goes on, and yet the one word, “Watergate,” has come to define his presidency.
“Watergate” is the scandal that defines all other scandals. It inspired a generation of investigative journalists who became not just observers of events but also participants with subjective voices. Now, fifty years later, what does it all mean? “Watergate: A New History” attempts to answer that question. It reminds us of one of the most famous “unknown names in American history: William Mark Felt, Sr., of Twin Falls, Idaho, son of a carpenter, who was “Deep Throat.” It also reveals the origin of another “famous” moniker. When the grandmother of David Young, a member of Nixon’s special investigation team, asked what he did in the White House, he replied that he helped the president stop some leaks. She replied, proudly, “Oh, you’re a plumber!” And the rest is history.
I received a review copy of “Watergate: A New History” from Garrett M. Graff and Simon & Schuster Publishing. “Watergate: A New History” is now available in print, on Kindle, and as an audiobook from independent bookstores, online booksellers, retail stores, public libraries and anywhere books are sold.
I have known Garret Graff for some time. Okay, with that out of the way, this is a thorough account of the end of the Nixon presidency because of the Watergate conspiracies. I was a Peace Corps volunteer in rural South Korea but followed the progress of the Watergate investigations fairly well through the Armed Forces radio, Time and Newsweek magazines, and the Korean press. Graff traces a multitude of threads back to the Nixon White House using court documents, tapes and tape transcripts and all the wealth of journalism and historical research that has appeared over the decades. For all it's complexity and for all the conflicting accounts, this history of Watergate offers a gripping and accurate account of the unraveling of the Nixon administration in a dispassionate tone that underlines the enormity of the scandal and its impact on American politics to this day.
All-inclusive and intensely magnified retelling of the scandal - from newly published sources and with a new perspective as a result of new facts. Having lived through it all, I recall watching the congressional hearings on TV and noting what stars Judge Sirica, Sam Ervin and Howard Baker became as a result. Detailed to the max with oodles of footnotes and notes on the sources to back it all up. Had forgotten what a character Martha Mitchell was - essentially the alcohol-loosened lips that managed to say everything Nixon wanted to say but didn't dare. Surprising are the number of scandals that really outdo the much-covered break-in itself.
Notably prescient of DJT: George F. Will's take on "Nixon team's mental gymnastics to preserve his innocence to the White Queen in _Alice in Wonderland_, who was capable to believing 'six impossible things before breakfast.'" And in his interview with David Frost, Nixon said, "When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal." Yeah...so someone IS above the law.
A massive doorstop that manages to capture the intrigue and sometimes the absurdity of a seminal part of our country's history.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2024
Loved the book. Definitely worth the purchase.
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2022
What a fascinating (and timely) revisit of a troubling time--politically and socially. It certainly sets our current political situation within historical context. The text is excellent--but the bookbinding is TERRIBLE. Within reading the first 40 pages of the book, the book started falling apart--pages and page sections coming loose. By p. 100, the cover had come completely off. This isn't the author's problem OR AMAZON's...but the book publisher should be ashamed! Very disappointing purchase... I wasn't sure taht AMAZON would do a "return" on a book, but they did. The replacement book arrived--with the cover already coming off. Frustrated, I tried to put it back together with Gorilla Glue. That seems to have worked--at this point. The publisher of the book, AVID READER PRESS (a subsidiary of Simon & Schuster) has a great book but lousy production/bookbinding. The book itself thoroughly fascinating read!
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Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2023
Do we need another Watergate book? Even Graff concedes at the end of the book: “Today, we’ll never know the full truth of Watergate. The remaining mysteries are spread among too many people, many of whom are now dead, their secrets buried alongside them.” To this day, no one knows for sure, who ordered the Watergate break-in.

Nonetheless, this book has the benefit of all the others that preceded it, as well as documents released under the Freedom of Information Act. What Graff has done is to present a well-crafted, coherent history that began with the leaking of the Pentagon Papers. Although Nixon’s name never came up, the ensuing fiasco disturbed him and Graff shows how slowly, but surely, Richard M Nixon retreated into a shell resounding with paranoia. That led to the first break-in at the Brookings Institute.

As they say, one thing leads to another. Nixon was badly served by men like Tom Huston, Jeb McGruder, George Gordon Liddy, just three of a long list of names. Graff has the skill to summarise the events so that the pace quickens and compels the reader to follow through without putting the book down.

This is a book for the generations who were not born when it happened, It is also for the generation that was caught in its chaos as the wonderful stuff hits the fan. In the end, the reader will wonder, how did it come to this? Indeed, it started with a bungled burglary, but even then, Nixon’s presidency might have been saved. It was not the deed that brings a big man down, but the cover up. Graff studies the moves of each and every actor to show how a stone wall breaks. It was the McCord breach.

The indignation of the nation when the big men were pardoned. Was Gerald Ford right? Was there a hidden deal? Was the CIA involved after all? These are all unanswerable questions, but as Graff opines, “America didn’t need a president in jail”. This book is timely in reminding the American people who they want at the desk when the buck stops.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2023
This book brought together a number of “my story” tellings of the watergate story. I found it difficult to put down. I read it while watching the Plumbers mini-series on Netflix. I was pleased to see that the mini-series did not embellish the story. When you see the mini-series you will laugh, because the white house staff (sworn to uphold the constitution) were such clowns! You won’t believe what went on! Unbelievable! But true! So you’ll laugh, but then you’ll cry as you realize that our constitutional government survived on a little wing and a prayer. Sadly, this crime story pales in comparison to what the Trump administration has been charged with and is now indicted for. This review does not bring into account the references made to the Kennedy Assassination and Murders. This book puts together the story and the breadcrumbs of what happened in an understandable framework and in an objective way. Well written and spellbinding.
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Top reviews from other countries

Boris B
5.0 out of 5 stars A substantive, interesting look at Watergate and the reasons why it happened
Reviewed in Canada on April 13, 2023
I got this on my Kindle so I'm not sure how it physically holds up.

But the substance of the book is great. Graff introduces you to the era where this takes place. He does a phenomenal job explaining the circumstances that lead to the original break-in and the culture surrounding Nixon in the White House that allowed the dishonesty and trickery to be enabled and encouraged. His footnotes, of which there are usually at least a few per chapter, also add some helpful context that I found quite interesting. He also notes instances where accounts differ because many people involved in Watergate tell things differently. I found myself very satisfied with what I learned and I come away with a much better understanding of why things happened the way they did and the reasons why some people behaved in the ways they did. It is interesting to know all the things that happened in that time period, because if one or two of those things didn't happen, I think things would be a lot different. I also found that this entire incident is funny at times. You'd be surprised at the incompetence of some people or the weird ideas they came up with. He also brings to life people who may have been disregarded in the following decades since.

If I could nitpick things, I would say that I wish he spent a bit more time discussing what some parties thought of Watergate by the time the scandal came to an end. From the original break-in to Nixon's resignation (no need for a spoiler warning, right?), many parties become involved with investigating it. There are some people who investigated Nixon, but for one reason or another were not the ones who caused his downfall. I think it would have been good to know what they thought of the matter by the end of it.

Overall, I think this book is a fantastic (albeit long) read if you want to learn about the entire scandal. I feel it was a very comprehensive telling with the most up-to-date information.
Chris Richards
5.0 out of 5 stars Solid binding/book review
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 1, 2022
Received my copy today, publishing day in the UK. I will post a review of the actual book at a later date. This is just to re-assure UK buyers that the UK printing of this book is fine: solid, crisp binding with no issues. Binding issues possibly limited to the US printing/binding. Printed and bound in the UK by CPI Group (UK) Ltd. Croydon. They seem to have done a good job. Hope this helps some people.
So, now to my review of the book. I have read (and own) over 150 books on Nixon and Watergate - including the memoirs of all the major (and minor) players in the Watergate saga and numerous biographies and secondary sources. I was also a personal friend of G. Gordon Liddy and Ray Price (Nixon speechwriter) and had many conversations with them about both Nixon and Watergate. Having said all that, I can state in all sincerity that there was enough new material in this book that it kept me interested from first to last page.
This is a very good read and a welcome addition to all the Nixon and Watergate literature already out there. I certainly don't agree with all of Graff's take and views on Nixon and Watergate - but still, this is a fine and welcome addition to my library. I will certainly re-read this book in the future. Highly recommended!
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ME
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2023
Best book on Watergate. With the passage of time lots more detail is available. Very well written - one wanted to see what happened next!
peter
4.0 out of 5 stars Very thorough; but very readable. Best I have read on Watergate.
Reviewed in Canada on March 13, 2022
See above
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PaulW
4.0 out of 5 stars Useful addition to the literature
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 27, 2022
I have read a few books on Watergate, but this one still (so far) manages to tell me things that I didn't know. I am enjoying it.
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