The Tragic Hero of American Politics
Garry Wills’ Nixon Agonistes (1970) remains one of the most penetrating political biographies ever written, capturing Richard Nixon not merely as a politician but as a tragic figure embodying the contradictions of post-war American conservatism. Written before Watergate, the book’s prescience about Nixon’s character makes it all the more remarkable.
Beyond Simple Villainy
Wills refuses to reduce Nixon to caricature. Instead, he presents a complex portrait of a man driven by resentment and ambition, yet possessing genuine political talents. The Nixon that emerges is neither monster nor martyr, but something more unsettling: a mirror of American anxieties about class, power, and authenticity. He is, as Wills describes him, the best and worst of America in one man. The book’s strength lies in Wills’ ability to connect Nixon’s personal psychology to broader political currents. Nixon’s famous “Checkers speech” isn’t just political theater—it’s a crystallization of middle-class resentments and the politics of victimhood that would define conservative rhetoric for decades.
The Liberal Consensus and Its Discontents
One of my favorite passages in the book is Will’s observations as he attends a rally for candidate George Wallace, attended by the “comfortable discontented,” as he calls them. The insight into their thinking and the forces that shape their thinking are stunning.
Perhaps the book’s most enduring insight is its analysis of the “liberal consensus” that dominated American politics in the 1950s and 60s. Wills shows how Nixon both challenged and embodied this consensus, positioning himself as an outsider while desperately seeking insider status. This tension between populist rhetoric and elite aspiration would become a defining feature of American conservatism.
Wills traces how Nixon’s career paralleled the breakdown of this consensus, from his anti-communist crusades through his “Southern Strategy.” The book presciently identifies the racial and cultural anxieties that Nixon would exploit, transforming American politics in ways that still resonate today.
Style and Substance
Wills writes with literary flair rare in political biography. His prose crackles with allusions to classical literature (hence “Agonistes,” echoing Milton’s Samson Agonistes), yet never becomes pretentious. He has a journalist’s eye for the telling detail and a philosopher’s grasp of larger meanings, for those who are willing to read between the lines.
The book’s structure mirrors its subject’s complexity, weaving between biographical narrative, political analysis, and philosophical reflection. This approach can be demanding, but it rewards careful reading with insights that conventional biography might miss.
Prescient and Timeless
Written before Watergate, Nixon Agonistes eerily anticipates Nixon’s downfall. Wills identifies the paranoia, resentment, and will-to-power that would ultimately destroy Nixon’s presidency. Yet the book transcends its immediate subject, offering insights into American political culture that remain startlingly relevant. Wills goes into great detail to explain how exactly we got this Nixon, what forces shaped him. Ultimately, he identifies with liberalism and its three primary markets, as he calls them, which is an apt metaphor, for considering that is essentially the basis of locking in liberalism, their competition on an equal playing field, except we know such a thing does not exist and cannot exist. Fools has a poetic talent that can only be described as one of a kind. Each page seems to yield something you want to turn back to and read again and again, just for its beautiful prose. In our current era of populist resentment and political polarization, Wills’ analysis feels prophetic. Nixon’s ability to weaponize grievance, his attacks on media elites, his racial dog-whistles—all prefigure contemporary political strategies.
Minor Criticisms
The book’s density can be challenging. Wills assumes considerable knowledge of mid-20th century American politics, and his philosophical digressions, while enriching, occasionally slow the narrative momentum. Some readers might also find his sympathy for Nixon disconcerting, though this complexity is ultimately a strength. Personally, I found both of these qualities to be attractive. The last thing we need is another biography that reduces a figure to a caricature in history. Many such biographies have been written on Lincoln. All of them fail to reckon with the complexity of the man himself.
Conclusion
Nixon Agonistes stands as essential reading for understanding not just Richard Nixon, but American politics itself, and liberalism. Wills captures how personal psychology, political strategy, and historical forces converge in one fascinating, troubling figure. The book remains that rare achievement: a work of immediate journalism that has aged into a classic of political literature.
For anyone seeking to understand how American conservatism evolved from Eisenhower’s moderation to today’s populist insurgency, or how personal resentments can shape political movements, this book provides indispensable insights. Nearly five decades after publication, Nixon Agonistes remains urgently relevant—a testament to Wills’ perception and Nixon’s enduring, troubling legacy.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Essential reading for anyone interested in American politics, biography, or the intersection of personality and power.