Books

In Washington , D.C. , where little stays secret for long, the identity of Deep Throat — the mysterious source who helped Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein break open the Watergate scandal in 1972 — remained hidden for 33 years. Now, Woodward tells the story of his long, complex relationship with W. Mark Felt, the enigmatic former No. 2 man in the Federal Bureau of Investigation who helped end the presidency of Richard Nixon.

Bush at War is the behind-the-scenes story of how President George W. Bush and his top national security advisers, after the initial shock of the September 11 attacks, led the nation to war. Based on interviews with more than a hundred sources and four hours of exclusive interviews with the president, Bush at War reveals Bush’s sweeping, almost grandiose, vision for remaking the world. “I’m not a textbook player, I’m a gut player,” the president said.

Twenty-five years ago, after Richard Nixon resigned the presidency, Gerald Ford promised a return to normalcy. “My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over,” President Ford declared. But it was not. The Watergate scandal, and the remedies against future abuses of power, would have an enduring impact on presidents and the country.

Working behind the scenes for the 18 months following Bill’s election, Bob Woodward has discovered how the Clinton White House really works. In The Agenda, he offers one of the most intimate portraits of a sitting president ever published, taking us not only to the highest level meetings, the hard-fought debates, and most difficult decisions but also to the very heart of this presidency — and of this man.

“Everyone always says more than they’re supposed to,” Central Intelligence Agency Director William J. Casey told Bob Woodward in one of their major interviews for this book. Using hundreds of inside sources and secret documents, Woodward has pieced together an unparalleled account of the CIA, its Director, and the United States government.

In Washington on most Friday afternoons, nine men gather together in a private room to decide some of the nation’s most important disputes. This weekly conference of the Justices of the United States Supreme Court is probably the most important regular meeting in the country — and the most secret.