"What was it really like to be Richard Nixon? Evan Thomas tackles this fascinating question by peeling back the layers of a man driven by a poignant mix of optimism and fear. The result is both insightful history and an astonishingly compelling psychological portrait of an anxious introvert who struggled to be a transformative statesman."--Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs

Introduction: The fatalistic optimist -- Part I. The striver -- Lives of great men remind us -- Pat and Dick -- The greenest congressman -- Rock 'em, sock 'em -- Checkers -- "El gringo tiene cajones" -- Jack -- Over the wall we go -- The new Nixon -- October surprise -- Part II. At the mountaintop -- "He loves being P!" -- Statesman and mad man -- "Need for joy" -- Silent majority -- The movie goer -- Hippies and hardhats -- Department of dirty tricks -- Father of the bride -- "Blow the safe" -- Part III. The fall -- Big plays -- Speak quietly -- Triumph and tragedy -- "An exciting prospect" -- Peace at last -- Ides of March -- Praying not to wake up -- Saturday Night Massacre -- "I hope I haven't let you down" -- "Richard! Wake up!" -- Elder statesman -- Epilogue: Rise again.