Product Description

President Richard Nixon and his first vice president, Spiro Agnew, were an odd couple who began a political love affair that devolved over the span of five years into a very messy estrangement. From their initial lunch, during which Agnew garnered approval by disparaging Nixon's rival, Nelson Rockefeller, to Agnew's ignoble resignation in the face of a kickback scandal, it was a tumultuous five years. Witcover shows that their relationship reflected their personalities: Nixon, deeply vulnerable and misanthropic, wanted to be around a "man's man," which he believed Agnew was. Agnew's pride led him to crave more responsibility than the distrustful Nixon (and his close-knit White House) could ever give. Witcover expertly fills in the story of this administration, whose doom was almost pre-ordained.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #796309 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

Review
"I loved this wonderful book which is lucid, intimate real history. Sensational in every way" -- Bob Woodward

"Marvelous ...it might be his most insightful in his treatment of the White House inner circle. His everyday newspaper style makes easy reading." -- Buffalo News, March 25, 2007

"This book successfully portrays the complicated and dysfunctional relationship of these two men." -- The Oklahoman, May 6, 2007

"Witcover does an admirable job of briskly pacing the narrative. [It's] a period piece of the politics of the past." -- San Francisco Chronicle, May 30, 2007

"Witcover has done it again ...absolutely riveting reading... It's a terrific book... [Witcover] is still at the top of his game." -- The Hill, April 26, 2007

"Witcover is an old pro and his crisp, clear writing style keeps things moving... [It's] fast-paced, organized...[and] funny stuff indeed." -- Washington Times, June 3, 2007

"Witcover is at his best when he relates the unraveling of the Nixon presidency..." -- Library Journal, April 15, 2007

"fascinating...a riveting examination of a rarely visited side of the Nixon Presidency." -- American Heritage, May 16, 2007

"highly readable... The tale remains engrossing to this day." -- Bloomberg News, May 25, 2007

"wrapped up neatly in page after page--pettiness...and uncontained ambition of two men we will never see the like of again." -- USNews.com, May 3, 2007

About the Author
Jules Witcover is a longtime political reporter and syndicated columnist based at The Baltimore Sun and the author of many books, including The Resurrection of Richard Nixon. He lives in Washington, D.C.

Customer Reviews

ON THE MARK
For those of us who lived during the Nixon era, this book clears up a mystery. Witcover , by diligent research and first hand knowledge of his subjects, has produced a fascinating look into the lives and bizarre relationship of two men that has affected our national politics in a destructive way. The foibles and pettiness of both men is brought out in this book in a way that causes the reader to feel as if he were there and watching thiis tradgedy unfold before his eyes. Jules Witcover is able to do this not only by the power of his pen, but by his knowlege and experience as a writer who was there at the actual events . I strongly recommend this book.
BR

Ka-boom! Witcover delivers
As I began to read Jules Witcover's revealing book about the Nixon-Agnew relationship, I thought that this book must have limited appeal....especially to those of us who grew up during that time. Indeed, the author alludes to this point in his preface, but then again, "Very Strange Bedfellows" has overtones for today. One hopes that Witcover has another book in mind as he has already set foot in one of those intriguing relationships from the past... Nixon and Agnew.

Luck more or less got Agnew off on his trajectory and lack of luck finished him off. I didn't know that Agnew had been a Rockefeller man until I began reading the book, and how quickly things changed. The stars were aligned for Agnew. It's no wonder, however, that the smallness of Agnew eventually got him, as Witcover so describes.

The author is the perfect person to write this book. Having assessed the potential of Nixon and Agnew, his narrative is terrific. I lived through that very period and followed the two closely, but Jules Witcover has written an account that covers it all. It's a walk down memory lane. I highly recommend "Very Strange Bedfellows". It uncovers the the behind-the-scenes look at one of the weirdest political connections.

Another Great Witcover Contribution to Our Political History
As a political junky, I have always been puzzled by the Nixon-Agnew relationship which has received very little coverage. As I listened to the Nixon Tapes and his comments about Agnew, I wondered what went through Agnew's mind as he sat at the Nixon funeral. Witcover's book is riveting--as are all of his books-- and he answers many unanswered questions. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it.