• The Last of the President's Men

  • By: Bob Woodward
  • Narrated by: Campbell Scott
  • Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (490 ratings)

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The Last of the President's Men  By  cover art

The Last of the President's Men

By: Bob Woodward
Narrated by: Campbell Scott
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Publisher's summary

Bob Woodward exposes one of the final pieces of the Richard Nixon puzzle in his new book, The Last of the President's Men. Woodward reveals the untold story of Alexander Butterfield, the Nixon aide who disclosed the secret White House taping system that changed history and led to Nixon's resignation. In 46 hours of interviews with Butterfield, supported by thousands of documents, many of them original and not in the presidential archives and libraries, Woodward has uncovered new dimensions of Nixon's secrets, obsessions, and deceptions.

The Last of the President's Men could not be more timely and relevant as voters question: How much do we know about those who are now seeking the presidency in 2016 - what really drives them, how do they really make decisions, who do they surround themselves with, and what are their true political and personal values?

©2015 Bob Woodward. All rights reserved (P)2015 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

What listeners say about The Last of the President's Men

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A Disturbing portrayal of Nixon

Alexander Butterfield was President Nixon’s White House Aide, who revealed the existence of the secret recording system in the White House when testifying to the Senate Watergate Committee on July 16, 1973.

The book is well written and researched. Woodward is well known as the journalist that broke the Watergate story. Woodward states he interviewed Butterfield for forty hours and also had access to the Butterfield papers and the national archive of Watergate papers. Before becoming a White House Aide Butterfield was a career Air Force officer. He was a college classmate of H. R. Haldeman. Butterfield left his job as an Aide at the end of Nixon’s first term and went to work for the FAA.

The book provides new information and insight into Nixon and it also amplifies existing knowledge. Woodward also adds his own comments and information that he had gathered and published when appropriate in the story. I was most interested in what Butterfield said about Pat Nixon; that she was a “borderline abused” wife, ignored, or treated with chilly distain by Nixon.
I found this book so interesting I finished it in one sitting. The book is short, only six hours but is packed with lots of information. Campbell Scott does a good job narrating the book.

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22 people found this helpful

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Inside the mind of Richard Nixon

This is another fascinating look at how the Nixon administration came tumbling down. Through the words of Alexander Butterfield as told by Bob Woodward we learn what it was like behind the scenes of one of the most dramatic presidencies in American history. Nixon remains the most fascinating character ever to grace the American political stage.

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7 people found this helpful

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Interesting

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I am not, a history buff. It was amazing to learn so many facts about an event I was aware of at the time it happened, but really knew very little about it.

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7 people found this helpful

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Superb portrait of an overlooked Nixon staffer.

Students of Watergate know Alex Butterfield as the one who disclosed the White House taping system. Few probably know his story to the depths this book takes it. This is a fascinating and important addition to the Watergate library. Rather than just another retelling of a familiar story, this book puts the spotlight on a staff member who was at the center of action but more often than not has been written into the shadows of history. No more! I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in seeing another facet of Nixon, Watergate and presidential politics.

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fascinating look at demented President.

We knew Nixon was flawed, but not how seriously demented he really was. How did he garner such loyalty?

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Should be read along with All The President's Men

This is "the rest of the story". The behind the scenes to ATPM. And an absolutely frightening account of how someone who was no doubt mentally ill became POTUS. The similarities of the GOP of the late 60s/early 70s and the GOP now should scare anyone who claims to be a Patriot. The damage Nixon did the office and the country is still felt today and is very much part and parcel to the election of 2016. We wouldn't be this deep in the muck if not for a mentally ill Nixon spreading his paranoia, narcissism, and sociopathy through every level of national government.

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Are these new and true facts?

If you could sum up The Last of the President's Men in three words, what would they be?

Might be interesting if they are

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Last of the President's Men?

The reveal

What three words best describe Campbell Scott’s voice?

It is OK

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Beware of yourself

Any additional comments?

What was the point of the long pauses between each chapter?

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Compelling and intriguing.

What did you love best about The Last of the President's Men?

It described the power and importance of credible investigative journalism and the importance of the media as a means by which wrong-doing is exposed, and how easily people in power can abuse the trust placed in them by millions of ordinary people.

What about Campbell Scott’s performance did you like?

The narration complimented the intentions by the authors to account the way in which Richard Nixon and his closest advisors moved more deeply into a dark and shady realm of political intrigue

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It gave me an outsider's glimpse into the importance of the separation of the Legislature, theExecutive and the judiciary and how those branches are designed to preserve and protect the democratic virtues of the United States Constitution.

Any additional comments?

The Last of the President's Men is sitll current, as it sends strong signals about how elected officials and their advisors should not behave, but if they do transgress, the role of the investigative press is to uncover corruption and illegal behaviours.

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1 person found this helpful

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interesting back story

Typical good writing and story telling from Woodward, fills in a lot of the Watergate details.

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Wish it had been longer

So interesting and with all of the documents and time spent in interviews, I was surprised that it was not longer.

Amazing the parallel between them and now on some of the jargon coming from the White House and ways of deflecting people and things they don't like.

Highly recommend for those of you, like me, who find that period of history so fascinating.

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