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A review by abagoflobsters
G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century by Beverly Gage
5.0
An astonishingly in-depth account of one of the most important figures in American politics in the 20th century. Gage gives a thorough account of the United States political history as seen and influenced by J. Edgar Hoover as he built the FBI into the sprawling institution it remains today.
I can’t begin to list all of the fascinating things I learned reading this book, as it covered so many events and movements from the 1920’s to the 1970’s. I have trouble recalling just how dense with information this book is now that I am reflecting on it. Hoover lived through so many changes in American society that it is hard to imagine him living through and playing a role in the First Red Scare, the Gangster Era and the professionalization of the FBI, the second world war, the second Red Scare, the Civil Rights era, Vietnam, and Nixon’s ascendency. Each of the 8 Presidential administrations he served under had its own vision for the FBI. Gage never loses sight of the story she is telling about government power, political machination, and conservatism. It is only after his death that the public reckoned with his actions and his massive popularity sank.
I was particularly fascinated by details of Hoover’s personal contradictions and the care with which Gage handled them. An important book that I am glad exists. I cannot even imagine the amount of work that went into assembling this book into a coherent and logical narrative. It is a titanic work.
This book took me several months to finish, with me listening mostly to the audiobook during my commutes. Gage writes each chapter logically and I never found the book to be boring or monotonous despite its length. Maybe the largest book I have read, and a great one.
I can’t begin to list all of the fascinating things I learned reading this book, as it covered so many events and movements from the 1920’s to the 1970’s. I have trouble recalling just how dense with information this book is now that I am reflecting on it. Hoover lived through so many changes in American society that it is hard to imagine him living through and playing a role in the First Red Scare, the Gangster Era and the professionalization of the FBI, the second world war, the second Red Scare, the Civil Rights era, Vietnam, and Nixon’s ascendency. Each of the 8 Presidential administrations he served under had its own vision for the FBI. Gage never loses sight of the story she is telling about government power, political machination, and conservatism. It is only after his death that the public reckoned with his actions and his massive popularity sank.
I was particularly fascinated by details of Hoover’s personal contradictions and the care with which Gage handled them. An important book that I am glad exists. I cannot even imagine the amount of work that went into assembling this book into a coherent and logical narrative. It is a titanic work.
This book took me several months to finish, with me listening mostly to the audiobook during my commutes. Gage writes each chapter logically and I never found the book to be boring or monotonous despite its length. Maybe the largest book I have read, and a great one.