Scan barcode
stevenyenzer's review against another edition
4.0
Perlstein's style can be gratingly arch at times, but his storytelling is terrific, and for people like me who did not grow up during this time period, the history is essential.
pierceinverarity's review against another edition
4.0
This is not a conventional political biography but rather a fascinating social and cultural history of Nixon's time and the social forces he managed to exploit in his rise to power. At 750 pages (sans footnotes)it's a bit of a doorstop tome, but well worth it if you are interested in Nixon and America in the 1960s and early 70s.
joeynedland's review against another edition
5.0
An absolute tome, but such a good encapsulation of a baffling decade of American political history. As relevant now than ever, Nixon’s populist appeals and cynical approach to politics are genuinely terrifying in their depths and effectiveness.
rc90041's review against another edition
5.0
Imagine some nerdy but likable dork with maybe a serious caffeine-abuse issue, edging into possibly amphetamine abuse, who maybe had too soft a spot for Hunter S. Thompson, and had locked himself in a room full of old copies of the New York Times, Time, the Washington Post, Rolling Stone, Life, old videotapes of national news broadcasts, Laugh In, The Today Show, political ads, etc. for a year or so, and this is what you get. It's incredibly dense and full of documentary detail, almost to the point of disorientation, especially when combined with Perlstein's alarmingly-overcaffeinated style: You can hear him frantically pounding keys on his laptop, laughing to himself at the absurd little details. A rich, immersive experience. But you'll need to crash afterwards.
pbender's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
estragal's review against another edition
5.0
This book is a COMMITTMENT but I guarantee it's worth your time. Despite being written before the dawn of Trumpism, you can see several parallels between 1968-72 and the present day. Can't wait to check out Perlsteins other works (after a break with some shorter books)