Richard Nixon

Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and a Sunday Independent Book of the Year

A deeply researched, superbly crafted biography of America’s most complex president.

In Richard Nixon, acclaimed biographer John A. Farrell delves into the life of one of America's most enigmatic political figures. From his modest beginnings in Yorba Linda, California, to his rise through the ranks of American politics, Nixon's career is meticulously examined. Farrell paints an intricate portrait of Nixon's journey, highlighting his time in the Navy during World War II, his battles in the Senate, and his eventual ascension to the vice presidency under Dwight D. Eisenhower.

This compelling biography provides rich insights into Nixon's presidency, his notable domestic and international policies, and his complex personality that won him many admirers and just as many detractors. Farrell sheds light on Nixon's significant achievements, including his historic trip to China, and his role in ending the Vietnam War, balanced by the dramatic events that led to his unprecedented resignation from the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal.

Richard Nixon is not just a recounting of events; it is a thorough exploration of the man behind the political machinery. Farrell explores Nixon’s personal battles, his resilience, and his ultimate downfall. The biography details how Nixon's strategies, often based on deep-seated paranoia and distrust, led to his undoing. It features interviews, archival footage, and recently disclosed documents that provide fresh perspectives on his administration's most critical moments.

Farrell’s portrayal is both critical and empathetic, presenting Nixon as a man of substantial accomplishments and deeply ingrained flaws. Through vivid storytelling and rigorous research, Richard Nixon emerges as a definitive chronicle of the 37th president of the United States.