The Wars of Watergate: The Last Crisis of Richard Nixon

There is no scholar better versed in the matters of Watergate than Stanley Kutler, and this is his definitive account of the subject. In it he lays out in painstaking detail the course the crisis took, from its origins in the Nixon presidency to its legacy today. I expected such an account to be dull; instead, I found it impossible to put down. No reader can walk away from this book -- with its extensive evidence and clearly-reasoned arguments -- and not have a deeper understanding of what Watergate was and how it effected the nation, both then and now.

At least for those us who cut their political teeth during the 1960's and 1970's, Watergate and Vietnam were the watershed events. There was life before Watergate and Vietnam and life after. Stanley Kutler's work is one of the first to bring an historian's perspective to the Watergate story. As the saying goes, if you read one book about Watergate, this is the one.

Kutler is by no means neutral on Richard Nixon, but one of the unique things about Watergate was that Nixon's own taping system provided the record to hang himself. If nothing else the tapes proved Nixon was a habitual and flagrant liar. Kutler, whose regular job is as a professor at the University of Wisconsin, was drawn into a lifetime of work by his expertise on the show more sprawling scandal that was Watergate. His work has continued as he battled first Nixon, Nixon's estate, and then the National Archivists for full access to the White House tapes. Nixon kept up his lies and deception to his last days, with far more success than one would have hoped. In the long run, history's judgment of Nixon will be harsh and will start with Kutler's work. show less

Somewhat dry and legally focused, provides a depressing, cynical view into the abuses of power by Nixon and Washington DC which pretty much continue to this day.

A remarkable recouting of the scandal and the last days of the Administration. Watergate-philes will enjoy it, but I would encourage people who didn't follow it, or were too young to follow it, to pick up this volume and read the remarkable tale. Power, tragically flawed people, paranoia, the list goes on.

Really detailed. Enough for enyone who likes the retelling of the nuances. Might be a bit too much detail for the peripherally itnerested, but you can always move on to the next chapter.