Rating: 
Summary: A life changer...
Review: I read this in high school after a recommendation from a friend. Not political at the time it was recommended because of the subject...Will power. Forget his or your politics. The story of how this man molded himself and steeled his Will is a fascinating account of how one can accept limitations placed on him(physical or mental) or choose to set out on a path of his own making. And this has nothing to do with economics (regarding his privlidged upbringing and future success say like a Donald Trump who claims to have made his fortune himself while being a product of a millionaire father) but a man systematically conquering each of his fears one by one and forging a future for himself. His account of his stint is prison for his involvement in Watergate is worth the price of the book alone.
Rating: 
Summary: Do or Die
Review: The admittedly audacious Dr. George Gordon Liddy has produced a work of art. This book is for the young as much as it is for the old. It should be used as a supplement to any level American history course. For those on the fence politically, give this book a fair objective chance and it will be plain to see that this is what is right. Liddy, former special agent of FBI, district attorney, officer in the United States Army, father of a SEAL and Marines, lawyers, and officer of the Army, felon, and most recently actor and famed radio talk show icon, is an obviously talented artist with the canvas of English. Liddy is most interested in the rights of individuals and in keeping government -- for the most part but not entirely -- out of our personal lives. He demonstrates his most steadfast beliefs in this work. He shows his wicked sense of humor. And he writes at length on developing a strong Will, moral fortitude, good character, and overcomming ones greatest fears. And the importance of keeping ones own mouth _shut_.
Rating: 
Summary: Unmitigated Bravo Sierra
Review: Two stars for chutzpah. Liddy has put one over on the reading public; and the reading public has gobbled it up. I read the thing because so many liberals (friends and radio talk folks) were impressed by the sheer power of the man, his force of 'Will'.
Does Will rhyme with Bull? Men in the armed services have been telling many of these same 'biographical vignettes' since at least World War II. Anyone who has spent over six months in the service has heard several of these tales of personal bravura told in the first person from several different sources. The one about the gay redneck peeking under the table is a favorite of military police types, the caliber of the gun being the only variable - it went from .38 to .44 when `Dirty Harry' was released. And he's about the fifth guy I've heard claim he got over his fear of lightning by standing high in a tree or on top of a barn or house during a thunderstorm.
And if you're looking for a scoop on Watergate, forget it. Nothing in here you haven't heard: Liddy feels betrayed, is loyal to Nixon's memory, and hates Dean. There, now you don't need to read the book.
Will! Indeed. I prefer Chutzpah. I dare say Mr. Liddy's editors and literary critics lack much life experience (male macho type at least) and got themselves fooled. G. Gordon has manufactured a lot of old baloney, and it has been received as filet mignon.
Rating:
Summary: A Vivid and Well Written Autobiography
Review: When Watergate was actually unfolding in the news, G. Gordon Liddy was a mysterious entity because he would not talk. He was the only one (or at least the most famous) of those involved in the actual conspiracies to remain silent. He gained an exotic fearsomeness because he remained true to his beliefs in the face of overwhelming social and judicial disapproval and was willing to receive more severe punishment rather than bend and tell what he knew (compare Liddy to John Dean since they were both involved in the same plots and you can easily see the difference). There were also rumors of his behavior from prison that made him out to be a very tough hombre, but I certainly didn't know much about him as a person. This is his very frank autobiography. He begins by admitting that he was a frail child and takes us through his growing up and his obsession with controlling his own fear. At times this becomes a very strange story. For example, not many of us would feel the need to catch, kill, and eat a rat to prove to ourselves that we were no longer afraid of rats. When we get to the Watergate stuff it is surprising how open and frank Liddy is especially when you consider how silent he was at the time. The whole of Watergate seems strange from the vantage point of today. I don't want to argue or debate any of the various faiths that have grown up around those events. You almost certainly have your own views and hold them strongly. Liddy certainly does. What is compelling is that this telling is from someone who was deep inside the events even if outside the Oval Office. John Dean, with whom Liddy worked closely, certainly comes across differently than his media image. This well written and engaging book ends when Liddy leaves prison after serving longer than anyone else related to Watergate. Liddy has had a very interesting career since then including, and this may be the strangest part, going on a debate tour with Timothy Leary. When Liddy was with the FBI he was involved in a raid on Leary's home which turned up nothing but is described in vivid and humorous terms in the book. Today, Liddy is a successful host of a radio talk show and has another best selling book entitled, "When I Was a Kid, This Was a Free Country". This book is a worthwhile read on its own merits. When you add the interesting insights you can get about the events and people involved in Watergate, there is even more reason to read it.
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