Six Crises

Six Crises details Richard Nixon's experiences with six major political challenges during his early career in public service. The book spans his time as a congressman, senator, vice president, and presidential candidate through 1962. Nixon wrote this memoir in direct response to John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage, after his 1960 presidential defeat to Kennedy. The project began at the urging of Mamie Eisenhower and with encouragement from Kennedy himself during a White House visit in 1961. The writing process involved Nixon dictating his recollections into a tape recorder, with assistance from ghostwriter Charles Lichenstein, though Nixon ultimately wrote some portions himself. The manuscript was developed with Doubleday editor Kenneth McCormick, who worked closely with Nixon to shape the final text. The book examines how personal resilience and political strategy intersect during moments of intense pressure, offering insight into Nixon's early character development and his emergence as a national political figure.

Readers describe this as a revealing self-portrait of Nixon during major challenges in his early political career. The book offers firsthand accounts of events like the Alger Hiss case and Nixon's 1960 presidential campaign. Readers appreciated: - Behind-the-scenes details of key historical moments - Nixon's candid writing style - Personal insights into his decision-making process - Detailed coverage of the famous Kitchen Debate with Khrushchev Common criticisms: - Self-serving narrative that downplays Nixon's mistakes - Defensive tone when discussing controversies - Some sections feel overly long and repetitive - Limited perspective on opposing viewpoints Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (124 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (31 reviews) "Nixon comes across as more human and relatable than his public image," noted one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads user countered: "The constant self-justification becomes tiresome, though the historical details are fascinating."

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⚫ The book was published in 1962, during Nixon's "wilderness years" between his failed 1960 presidential campaign and his successful 1968 bid for the presidency. ⚫ One of the six crises covered is the famous "Checkers Speech" of 1952, where Nixon saved his vice-presidential candidacy through a groundbreaking televised address - the first time a politician used TV to appeal directly to voters. ⚫ The memoir sold over 300,000 copies in its first year and helped Nixon financially during a period when he claimed to be nearly broke after his California gubernatorial defeat. ⚫ The book's concept was suggested by Nixon's literary agent John Schaffner, who believed a response to Kennedy's "Profiles in Courage" would help rehabilitate Nixon's image after his 1960 loss. ⚫ Nixon wrote much of the book while commuting between New York and Los Angeles, often drafting chapters on yellow legal pads during cross-country flights.