Shadow: Five Presidents and the Legacy of Watergate 1974-1999

Rating:
Summary: Analytically weak, but great inside scoops
Review: Woodward's analysis only begins to help us understand what has happened to the presidency since Watergate. Some of his insights, such as that concerning of the independent counsel law, the way it was so easily triggered and inexorably generated never-ending fodder for prosecutors, are quite helpful. However the book contains less of this and more by way of a play-by-play recounting of what went on inside successive scandal-engulfed White Houses. More than half the book concerns the Clinton presidency, revealing much previously unknown inside story. Admittedly the stuff is a good read, well-suited to Woodward's nonchalant style, and he describes well the personal agendas and clashes of egos that play such a large role in escalating conflict. It seems the harder task of making broader sense of it all will fall to the historians, but nevertheless Woodward's contribution is appreciated.

Rating:
Summary: A bit opportunistic but very informative
Review: The book was clearly written as an opportunistic response toMonicagate with Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush thrown in for cover.Surprisingly all our past Presidents featured in this book come off looking pretty good...as if they understood the responsibility of being the chief executive. Unfortunatly Clinton comes off as petty, vindictive and resentful. After reading this book I had renewed respect for Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush and those who served them. They seemed to put the interests of the Nation ahead of themselves. I wish I could say the same for Clinton and his administration. With few exceptions (Sherburne) they put the personal interest of him well above the interests of the country. Even Starr comes out looking better than Clinton!

Rating:
Summary: B-O-R-I-N-G
Review: After hearing the author speak, I had higher hopes for his latest book but alas, it was an effort to even finish it. It seems that he strings together numerous anecdotes under the broad umbrella of post-Watergate affects on the Presidency but he can't pull it off. Skip this one.

Rating:
Summary: The Author and his Subjects: Just Don't Get It!
Review: As a political professional, I've read most of Mr. Woodward's books. In the main, they are fairly authoritative. So is this one. Sadly, one of the lessons touted by the author with regard to these scandals are that Presidents should be more open. A novel conclusion for a reporter! If I see any consistency in all of the stories of scandal, it is that each President has a blind eye to the subject of their particular scandal and, even after anguishing attempts to deal with it, still don't "get it." The other consistencies are that when Republican Presidents do wrong, they get Republican investigators, and when Democrats do wrong they get Republican investigators. And, finally, the longer the Independent counsel law exists the longer the investigations take...with no accountability to the public's need for information on their elected officials. Sadly, these lessons escape our intrepid author. BTW, the sections on the other presidents are more interesting than that based on the Clinton escapade. It would have been a better book if it remained more balanced or was grouped by lessons learned / missed rather than by administration.

Rating:
Summary: disappointing
Review: This book is just a rehash of all the scandals that took place under the last five presidents. Not very enlightning!

Rating:
Summary: Woodward could make anything dull, and does
Review: We can see where Woodward's interests lie, since Clinton takes up more pages by himself than the rest put together. This should be an interesting, readable book, but nothing will be make Woodward's style tolerable. He is duller than ever, and the book is a chore. He needs a ghost, but quick. A good case is made for the special prosecutor's office as running amok, but no one comes off well, which is the case with too much scrutiny. The legacy of Watergate? We know entirely too much about politicians.

Rating:
Summary: Factual but not a history of a President's work.
Review: Book highlights, in great detail, the scandals of each President. Woodward's tone is critical of all five Presidents and their staffs. because it is not a full hisory, only a summary of scandal in each administration, the book reads with a negative tone. It is well written and well researched. Shows failures but no successes.

Rating:
Summary: A good read, but I expected a little more.
Review: In my opinion, Wooodward does a nice job on this book, but you sense he has an axe to grind in that he is almost condescending--with a God-complex--in his review of these fine men. There are some great and shocking accounts of D.C. politics, but on the whole Woodward is a bit too critical. There is almost a sense that he feels he has done our nation a great service by exposing Nixon/Watergate and he (and the press) is above politics; yet I could not help but feel he is almost sorry for that. I did, however, enjoy the book.

Rating:
Summary: Insightful
Review: This book was very insightful and thoroughly documented. I was surprised, however, that at least half of the book is about the Clinton Presidency. I was hopeful that the examinations of the five Presidencies would be evenly divided throughout the book. Still, the book carries a worthwhile theme throughout the text which shows wonderful continuity. By reading this book you will get an insight into historical events that seemed a lot different, many times, on the surface.

Rating:
Summary: Tedious
Review: I labored to finish this book; maybe I'm on overload with the whole Monica-gate fiasco. But I went in interested in the "real" story and came away feeling empty. The "conversations" between the principles were contrived, and I wonder how many of them - Carville, McCurrry, etc.. - would actually vouch for the integrity of the content.

Woodward is milking this controversy for the almighty dinero.

Can't recommend it.