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| Puppetmaster: The Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover | 
 enlarge | Author: Richard Hack
Publisher: Phoenix Books
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $10.06
You Save: $6.89 (41%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (15 reviews)
Sales Rank: 405029
Format: Illustrated
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 455
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6 x 1.1
ISBN: 1597775126
Dewey Decimal Number: 320
EAN: 9781597775120
ASIN: 1597775126
Publication Date: August 1, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
J. Edgar Hoover, the most powerful lawman in America for over fifty years, was also the country's most controversial and feared public servant. His career as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation spanned nine different presidential administrations and survived a dozen attempts to sweep him from office. During that time, Hoover completely reshaped domestic law enforcement as he expanded the reach of the FBI and transformed his G-men into an elite national crime fighting division. Despite his contributions to the criminal justice system, Hoover fell from favor soon after his death, the victim of rampant rumors and innuendo. In
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| Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
An evenhanded look June 11, 2008
This great bio by Richard Hack follows the life of the long time director of the F.B.I
J. Edgar Hoover starting with his boyhood in the Washington area and following him through his school days and onward to the seat of power. We get an interesting look at Hoover from the days of the mid-west gangsters to hilarious rants on Martin Luther King that border on paranoia.
Before when I thought of J. Edgar Hoover I always had a vague picture an evil man who indulged in activates in secret that he ruined other people for. It is interesting to see the interpretation in this book; it was not the man that was evil it was just that as time went on he used evil methods to hold on to his power.
While it is tempting for some to want a watershed moment where Hoover would either "get with it" or retire it never arrives. Instead Hoover goes on becoming less and less relevant and that if nothing else can be considered a form of poetic justice.
A well written, entertaining biography of a strange man. January 23, 2008
Before I read this I had a reasonably good general knowledge of Hoover from reading books about 20th Century US History in general. However, I had not read a dedicated biography of Hoover himself. Some reviewers have remarked that Hack's book does not add anything really new. This may or may not be true. However, I found it to be a good read and a well paced, well written, well laid out biography of a very strange and important man.
One thing that was jarring about Hack's book is that occassionally he will delve into internal dialogue that is clearly speculation on his part. For example, he will describe what Hoover was thinking as he lay in bed at night, or what he was thinking in the shower. Without sources, such as a diary entry, this is clearly just speculative embellishment. Hack also describes some personal lunch conversations that appear to be speculative as well. The speculation seems reasonable, however, and is not salacious or scandalous.
In fact, one thing that probably sets this biography apart from others (not that I have read others, but I am familiar with accusations in other biographies of Hoover), is that Hack concludes that Hoover was probably not an actively homosexual man and that his strange relationship with Clyde Tolson was platonic. More accurately, he claims that there is no real evidence that the relationship with Tolson was non-platonic.
Hack provides a very balanced portrait of Hoover, giving credit to his incredible drive, patriotism, and loyalty to his ideal of the American Way. Hack also presents a Hoover who was constantly self-promoting, paranoid, and who used his office for personal gain in the form of book royalties, government paid vacations, graft from "friends" and government paid improvements to his house. While Hoover's disregard of civil liberties is clear to all, Hoover's lack of financial integrity somehow left a deeper impression with this reader.
I recommend this book. In understanding Hoover's long life as a civil servant, the reader gains a deeper understanding of America from before the First World War to just before Watergate.
 An insider view January 12, 2007
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
None of these reviewers seem to have been in the circus. No mention of Judge Williaml Webster in 1950 in Hack's book. Surprise that JE was friendly to Robert Kennedy and the others in that clan, other accounts had it that they did not work together well. Hack's book id a sort of aerial view of Mr.Hoover's career.
Good book! January 11, 2007
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book was exactly what I wanted...to learn about J. Edgar Hoover's life. It was interesting!
absolute power . . . December 23, 2004
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
I knew nothing about Hoover before reading this book, but Hack does a comprehensive job in this bio. Hoover is portrayed as a higly intelligent, organized man, who had too much power for his (or the country's) good.
Hoover's need for fame was a double edged sword: It helped promote the FBI and it's intentions, but it also put public image over real substance. The most interesting parts of the book were Hoover tracking down old-time mobsters, and his obsession with Martin Luther King Jr. and his ties to the communist party.
The biggest problems with the book were lack of technical details (Hack throughout mentions illegal wire taps and "black bag jobs", but never goes into details of how they were implemented), and apparent embellishment of the truth. For example, Hack goes into detail in converstaions between 2 people which there are no sources for. This is confusing and detracts from the overall authenticity of the book.
Overall, this was a great book to learn about this unusual leader. I think it paints a farily balanced picture of him, not as an evil man, but of a smart control freak and media hound that was given too much power for too long.
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