The Final Days Summary and Reviews

The Final Days
by Carl Bernstein, Bob Woodward

The Final Days
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Book Summary Information

Author: Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-11-01
ISBN: 0743274067
Number of pages: 480
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Book Reviews of The Final Days

Book Review: A Broken President
Summary: 4 Stars

This is an extensive, almost minute-by-minute account of the final days of the Nixon administration, leading up to an abrupt conclusion with his resignation on August 9, 1974. Woodward and Bernstein have continued the very thorough investigation and political writing that they started in their masterpiece "All the President's Men," though it would have been nice if this book had been more intensively tied in with that one. This book is certainly full of informative details, though there are some gaps in the continuity of Woodward and Bernstein's overall reporting on the vast and convoluted Watergate scandal (if you wish to consult their works first). This book is also lacking in the suspense and the thrill of journalistic discovery that made "All the President's Men" such an enjoyable read, as here the two reporters sacrifice some brevity and readability in their efforts to leave absolutely no stone unturned, as they cover intricate political developments and legal shenanigans. Some more knowledge of the fates of Nixon's various cronies and co-conspirators would also be beneficial for the reader.

But on the good side, we do learn a lot about Nixon's ruinous quest to fight the evidence mounting against him and his stubborn refusal to face reality, the forthright but misguided efforts of his faithful staff to delay the inevitable (Chief of Staff Alexander Haig makes an especially strong impression in this book), and the efforts of Nixon's family and political allies to provide moral support. The most important revelation in this book is that Nixon didn't necessarily resign because he succumbed to the evidence of his criminal conduct, but that he was actually forced into it by other Republican leaders who were trying to save their own political skins. We also see the human side of Richard Nixon, from his sense of loyalty and leadership on the good side, to his stubbornness and vindictiveness and instability on the bad side. [~doomsdayer520~]

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