Title: Watergate
Author: Thomas Mallon
First published January 1, 2012
434 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780307378729 (ISBN10: 0307378721)
Rating: 3.59
Overview
Thomas Mallon’s Watergate is a captivating retelling of one of the biggest political scandals in American history. Despite the countless volumes of documentation generated by the scandal, Mallon brings a fresh perspective to the story through the eyes of seven colorful characters.
This novel takes readers on a journey from the private cabins of Camp David to the Senate Caucus Room, from the District of Columbia jail to the Watergate complex itself. Mallon paints a vivid picture of the Nixon presidency, conveying the drama and high comedy of the era with historical intimacy.
This book is a must-read for those who want to understand the human side of the Watergate scandal and the people involved in it.
About the Author
Meet Thomas Mallon – a multi-talented individual who is a novelist, critic, and director of the creative writing program at The George Washington University. Thomas pursued his undergraduate studies at Brown University and went on to earn a Master of Arts and Ph.D. from Harvard.
He has been recognized for his work, receiving the Ingram Merrill Foundation Award in 1994 and a Rockefeller Fellowship in 1987. Thomas spent over a decade teaching English at Vassar College.
Thomas is a prolific writer and has authored several novels, including “Henry and Clara”, “Fellow Travelers”, and “Watergate”. He has also written four nonfiction books.
Additionally, he has contributed to various publications such as “The New Yorker”, “The New York Times Book Review”, and “The Atlantic”. Thomas was also a literary editor at GQ and wrote the “Doubting Thomas” column for ten years.
In 2002, Thomas was appointed as a member of the National Council on the Humanities. He later became the Director of Preservation and Access at the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2004 and served as its Deputy Chairman.
Currently, Thomas resides in Foggy Bottom, a neighborhood in Washington, DC.
Editoral Review
Watergate by Thomas Mallon is a definitive account of one of the most infamous political scandals in modern American history. It chronicles the events leading up to the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters, the ensuing cover-up orchestrated by President Nixon and his administration, and the eventual downfall of the President himself.
Mallon is a masterful storyteller, weaving together the various threads of the Watergate narrative with precision and finesse. The book is meticulously researched and offers a panoramic view of the scandal, presenting it as a complex and multifaceted event that defies easy explanation.
Mallon’s prose is lucid and engaging, and his portrayal of the key players in the drama is nuanced and insightful. At its core, Watergate is a story about power and corruption, about how even the most seemingly invincible figures can be brought down by their own hubris and moral failings.
Mallon does an excellent job of teasing out these broader themes while also paying close attention to the specific details of the scandal itself. One of the most impressive aspects of Watergate is its attention to historical accuracy.
Mallon has clearly done his homework, and the book is packed with fascinating details and insights that will be of interest to anyone fascinated by the scandal. At the same time, however, the book never feels overly academic or dry.
Mallon’s prose is lively and engaging, and he does an excellent job of bringing the characters and events to life. If there is one weakness to Watergate, it’s that the sheer complexity of the events it describes can be overwhelming at times.
This is not a book that can be read quickly or casually. Rather, it demands close attention and careful reading in order to fully appreciate the nuances of the story.
Overall, however, Watergate is a tour de force of historical writing, both engaging and informative. It will appeal to anyone with an interest in modern American history or political scandal.
Highly recommended.
