Richard Nixon

School Library Journal

Gr 5-7-- This general biography is neither as detailed nor as analytical as Larsen's Richard Nixon: The Rise and Fall of a President (Watts, 1991) or Nadel's The Great Stream of History: A Biography of Richard Nixon (Atheneum, 1991), but it is well suited to readers who need information about the former president. Pious is objective, pointing out both Nixon's strengths and weaknesses in the context of their effects on his life and career and allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. He covers Nixon's whole life, but does not provide extensive background about either domestic or foreign affairs. There is, however, a good reading list with titles in varying degrees of difficulty to direct readers to other sources. The attractive volume is clearly written and easy to understand, with generous use of primary sources, including Nixon's own writings, and average-quality black - and - white photographs. --Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High Sch . , MO