The Strong Man: John Mitchell and the Secrets of Watergate
by James Rosen
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Book Summary Information
Author: James RosenEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-05-20
ISBN: 0385508646
Number of pages: 640
Publisher: Doubleday
Book Reviews of The Strong Man: John Mitchell and the Secrets of Watergate
Book Review: A SUPERB BOOK AND A MUST READ!!
Summary: 5 Stars
James Rosen has written a superb book, The Strong Man: John Mitchell and the Secrets of Watergate. I note the full title because Rosen's book has two great stories. The first is a rich biography of Mitchell, a man who has long been viewed as a cold, heartless, and corrupt villain. Rosen rejects the conventional wisdom to present a vivid portrait of a man who reaches the pinnacle of the legal profession, both in private practice and in government, only to fall in total disgrace. It's a heartbreaking story. Rosen is fair and does not shy away from Mitchell's flaws and mistakes, including his criminal conduct, and helps answer the question of why this man, who did not need Richard Nixon (it was the other way around, in fact), stayed loyal to him even after Nixon had thrown him overboard. And in that answer, Rosen helps explain John Mitchell's motives and his fall from grace. Rosen also takes you into the very sad (and harrowing) world of his marriage to the very disturbed Martha Mitchell.
The second story woven into Rosen's book is about the secrets of Watergate, and this story bears further attention by historians and the press. Rosen demolishes the long-accepted view that Mitchell ordered the break in and led the cover up. Rosen has thoroughly and exhaustively reviewed vast amounts of material and pieced together an astonishing story -- a true whodunit. Rosen conducted many interviews, reviewed depositions, executive session interviews, transcripts, books and many primary documents that have not been previously reviewed (or at least publicly disclosed). Rosen spent 17 years researching and writing this book - he has left no stone unturned and has performed exacting analysis of the conflicting testimony (and ever-changing accounts by many witnesses) to demonstrate that many of the accepted story lines in the Watergate saga do not add up. In obtaining new information (including the notes from the Watergate Special Prosecutors Force) and looking at the evidence in the cool light of day, Rosen has some astonishing discoveries and conclusions. You will have to read this book to learn the specifics, but Rosen has added vastly to our understanding of Watergate and guaranteed that the final verdict on Watergate has yet to be written.
The Strong Man is filled with facts and detailed analysis, but amazingly, it reads like an exciting novel, and makes that tumultuous period come alive. For example, Rosen captures the surreal moment when John Mitchell walks out on his balcony at the DOJ, looks down at the student protesters, who are descending on the DOJ hurling things and cursing Mitchell's name, and gives them the finger. Could you imagine that happening today? It also captures the outrageous schemes and crazy characters who inhabited the Nixon White House. I served in a White House for 4 years (and most of that in the White House Counsel's office) and I also served 10 years as a Chief Investigative Counsel for a Congressional Committee, and I believe Rosen captures in perfect relief the palace intrigue, turf battles, and betrayals that go on in an Administration and a White House, and also the frenetic pace of Congressional investigations, which many times are moving too fast to discover the complete truth. That said, I can honestly say that my jaw dropped many times when I read about some of the goings-on in the Nixon White House. I am certain that that White House stands alone.
This is a must read for any student of American history, and particularly for those brave enough to challenge their own understanding of Watergate. For those involved who gave sworn statements, and for those who took those statements and ran the Congressional hearings or directed the prosecutions of Mitchell and others, I would like to hear what they have to say when confronted with this wealth of evidence and analysis.
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