The Secret Man: The Story of Watergate's Deep Throat

by Bob Woodward

Book Overview

Presents an examination of the author's long and complex relationship with the FBI official responsible for providing him with the details of the Watergate break-in, which ultimately resulted in the resignation of President Nixon.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743287150
• ISBN13: 9780743287159
• Release Date: July 2005
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 249 Pages
• Weight: 0.91 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Great American Mystery

For more than 33 years, people have wondered about the identity of "Deep Throat". The man that brought down the Nixon White House hid for a number of reasons and many wondered if the world would ever know his identity. In "The Secret Man", Bob Woodard adds the final piece to the Watergate puzzle. When Mark Felt chose to reveal his identity, the trilogy of books that began with the legandary "All the President's Men" was completed. Simultaneously, a great piece of American history was made available for all to see. While few new details are added to Watergate, the relationship between Felt and Woodward becomes the prime focus of the book. Having met by chance, Felt began to serve as a mentor for the young Bob Woodward. When Watergate broke, Felt chose to initiate the relationship that leaked information about the president's crimes. Because Felt is currently ill with dementia, we may never know his motives for the leaks. He was shunned in not being appointed to the head of the FBI after J. Edgar Hoover's death. He was also disturbed by the White House's attempts to control the FBI. Yet these may not be the root of his true motive. Obviously, Felt was successful in covering his tracks. While few guessed correctly that Felt was "Deep Throat", most remained in the dark until recently. The question as to whether Felt is a hero is open to debate for some. Clearly Woodward makes the case that Felt was doing what he saw as the best interest of his country. Based on Nixon's violation of the electoral process and attempt to cover his crimes, Felt was acting in the best interest of his country in my judgement. While I was hoping for much more in this book, my expectations are unattainable. Much of Felt's thoughts and feelings can and will never be expressed because of his mental state. This is a great misfortune. Yet Woodward still does a commendable job of presenting the new piece of the Watergate puzzle.

An Enduring Mystery Revealed

Unquestionably the most enduring mystery in American political history has been the identity of Deep Throat. Bob Woodward's book is also an inspiring story of investigative journalism intent on discovering the truth and exposing that truth during a tumultuous period in American history. This text is also about constitutional rights, and the necessary right of a journalist to protect their sources, which arguably is a fine ethical line that requires further debate. However Woodward protected the identity of Deep Throat for over thirty years, setting a professional precedent for him personally, gaining the trust of sources in Washington's political arena, that otherwise would have remained silent. For the most part, though, Woodward explores the multifaceted relationship with W. Mark Felt, (Deep Throat) the former number two man in the FBI. What was Felt's motivation to lead Woodward and Bernstein in the direction of criminal activities in the highest echelons of government, eventually leading to the disgraced downfall of a president? What did Felt have to gain? Woodward attempts in this highly readable text to examine these motivations and his own conscience in regards to exposing Deep Throat to the world. Despite the passing of a third of a century, the Watergate scandal continues to remain fresh in the minds for many people across the world. Why? Watergate was a striking example for the common citizen that even those in the highest realms of power cannot escape the hands of justice. It also showed how a free democracy with a free press could question authority, exposing the abuses of power, seeking the truth, and justice being served. The resignation of president Nixon in 1974 was instigated, the final death blow, the so-called smoking gun, by the infamous Nixon tapes, when Nixon ordered the CIA to ask the FBI to stop their investigation on false national security grounds. This blew the lid sky high, and the message was clear: the tapes recorded Nixon ordering the cover-up revealing the president and his cronies were lying and their attempt to bury the scandal. Woodward paints an interesting picture of Deep Throat: a solid FBI man who had a great admiration for J. Edgar Hoover, and was passed over for the number one spot at the agency not once but twice. After Hoover died, Nixon, politicising the agency, appointed Patrick Gray number one, and Felt was left doing all the work with none of the perks. Later in the text, it becomes clear that Felt was not acting on a personal vendetta, but saw his beloved FBI being tainted with political skulduggery, and wanted to do something about it. I believe this was his initial motivation for developing his relationship with Woodward as Deep Throat. This is an entertaining read as Woodward has that ability as a writer to combine journalism with a novelist's flair. The Secret Man fills that gap in American history, which has remained a mystery for over thirty years.

Woodward's Take on the Paradox of Personality

The Watergate story broke just as I was beginning to pay attention to national politics. Woodward and Bernstein's reporting was used as a standard of excellence in my first high school journalism class and ultimately led me to obtaining a degree in this field. I've followed the Watergate saga ever since and always had a passing interest in the identity of Deep Throat. When this source was finally revealed a few months back, I'm glad I didn't have to wait too long for Bob Woodward's take on the revelation. The Secret Man did not disappoint. It's like the final chapter to the story. Woodward reveals intimate feelings about his days as a young reporter and how he feels today about being a part of what turned out to be the most important story of the century. His integrity as a journalist, his humanity, his compassion and intelligence shine through in this succinct account of how he met Mark Felt (aka Deep Throat) and pursued him as a source on the Watergate ordeal. Felt was his mentor, and like Ben Bradlee at the Washington Post, another father figure. The strongest part of this book is Woodward's account of his meeting with Felt in Santa Rosa, CA in February 2000, when it became apparent that Felt was suffering from dementia. As a result of this meeting Woodward faced the troubling notion that he may never have the journalist's most important question answered: WHY did Felt do it. What was his true motivation? Carl Bernstein includes a brief assessment in the end, rounding out this superstar team's account of the now solved mystery of Deep Throat. "The reporters had to set his or her own course," he writes, "had to push back against editors at times, to roam and be free to explore, to defy the conventional wisdom if necessary. . . (reporters) had to find the inside stories, get to the bottom of things . . ." I, for one, am grateful that Woodward and Bernstein found Deep Throat and got to the bottom of the Watergate story. For anyone interested in this chapter of American history and American journalism, this is a must read. From the author of "I'm Living Your Dream Life," and "The Things I Wish I'd Said," McKenna Publishing Group.

An excellent book.

"The Secret Man" has all the marks of Woodward's style. Its prose is brisk and sharp. The details provided are never superfluous. It reads in two levels: the corollary of a story whose elements are finally bared and put together, as well as a last meditation about a chapter of American history and the earlier years of a distinguished journalistic career. For those interested in journalism as a craft, these pages cannot but represent a mine of interesting points. The first example comes early in the book: The description of the first meeting between Felt and Woodward is a lesson that stands alone in the art of contacting potential sources. Obvious statement: Anyone interested in Watergate should consider this title required reading. Less obvious may be to state that Woodward's book should be read along Felt's "The FBI Pyramid", and that a re-reading of "All The President's Men" and "The Last Days" is, at the very least, necessary. Those titles complement each other, presenting a fascinating picture of the government and the press, byzantine in its dimension and intrigue.