Richard Nixon: References & Edit History

Documents of the 37th president are found in Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard Nixon, 6 vol. (1971–75). Among Nixon’s published works are RN: The Memoirs of Richard Nixon (1978, reprinted 1990), The Real War (1980, reprinted 1990), Leaders (1982, reprinted 1990), No More Vietnams (1985), and Seize the Moment: America’s Challenge in a One-Superpower World (1992).

Biographies include Evan Thomas, Being Nixon: A Man Divided (2015); Tim Weiner, One Man Against the World: The Tragedy of Richard Nixon (2015); Conrad Black, Richard M. Nixon: A Life in Full (2007); David Abrahamsen, Nixon vs. Nixon (1977); Stephen E. Ambrose, Nixon, 3 vol. (1987–91); Roger Morris, Richard Milhous Nixon: The Rise of an American Politician (1990), which focuses on his early life and career; Herbert S. Parmet, Richard Nixon and His America (1990), based in part on interviews with Nixon; Tom Wicker, One of Us: Richard Nixon and the American Dream (1991), a sympathetic portrait; and Jonathan Aitken, Nixon (1993). The relationship between Nixon and John F. Kennedy, beginning with their early days in Congress, is the subject of Christopher Matthews, Kennedy & Nixon: The Rivalry that Shaped Postwar America (1996). Robert Sam Anson, Exile: The Unquiet Oblivion of Richard M. Nixon (1984), covers Nixon’s life during the decade following his resignation. Rick Perlstein, Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America (2008), analyzes Nixon’s impact with a broader consideration of the United States in the 1960s and ’70s.

Treatments of Nixon’s presidential campaigns are provided in Theodore H. White, The Making of the President, 1968 (1969), and The Making of the President, 1972 (1973). Nixon’s presidency is examined in A. James Reichley (James Reichley), Conservatives in an Age of Change: The Nixon and Ford Administrations (1981), a study of the effects of conservative ideology on policy making; Richard C. Thornton, The Nixon-Kissinger Years: Reshaping America’s Foreign Policy (1989), exploring the differing views on foreign relations held by Nixon and Henry Kissinger; Hal W. Bochin, Richard Nixon: Rhetorical Strategist (1990), on Nixon’s speeches; Michael A. Genovese, The Nixon Presidency: Power and Politics in Turbulent Times (1990); Leon Friedman and William F. Levantrosser (eds.), Richard M. Nixon: Politician, President, Administrator (1991), conference papers dealing mainly with domestic policy; John Robert Greene, The Limits of Power: The Nixon and Ford Administrations (1992), dealing with domestic and foreign policies; Joan Hoff, Nixon Reconsidered (1994), which presents a positive evaluation of Nixon’s presidency based on his domestic policy; Gerald S. Strober and Deborah H. Strober, Nixon: An Oral History of His Presidency (1994), comprising nearly 100 interviews; and Richard Reeves, President Nixon: Alone in the White House (2001). H.R. Haldeman, The Haldeman Diaries: Inside the Nixon White House (1994), by Nixon’s chief of staff, covers the first four years of Nixon’s presidency.

Among the many books concerned with the Watergate Scandal are Theodore H. White, Breach of Faith (1975, reissued 1986); William Safire, Before the Fall (1975, reprinted 1988); Frank Mankiewicz, U.S. v. Richard M. Nixon: The Final Crisis (1975); Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, All The President’s Men (1974, reissued 1987), dealing with Watergate, and The Final Days (1976, reissued 1987), covering Nixon’s last days in office; Stanley I. Kutler, The Wars of Watergate: The Last Crisis of Richard Nixon (1990); Howard Ball, “We Have a Duty”: The Supreme Court and the Watergate Tapes Litigation (1990); Leon Friedman and William F. Levantrosser (eds.), Watergate and Afterward: The Legacy of Richard M. Nixon (1992), a collection of conference papers; and Fred Emery, Watergate: The Corruption of American Politics and the Fall of Richard Nixon (1994), an extensively researched treatment.

Dale E. Casper, Richard M. Nixon: A Bibliographic Exploration (1988), consists of over 1,700 entries, most of which are nongovernmental resources.

A biography of Pat Nixon is provided in Lester David, The Lonely Lady of San Clemente: The Story of Pat Nixon (1978).