A G-Man's Life: The FBI, Being 'Deep Throat, ' and the Struggle for Honor in Washington

by Mark Felt, John D. O'Connor, John O'Connor

Book Overview

Mark Felt's role in history was secured when he decided to share his views on the Watergate break-in with a young reporter on the Washington Post named Bob Woodward. He made sure that the greatest... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1586483773
• ISBN13: 9781586483777
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: PublicAffairs
• Length: 319 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

WATERGATE'S REAL HERO

Stuck in the middle of possibly the greatest scandal in the history of the government's Executive Branch, Mark Felt was more responsible for the destruction of the Watergate/White House cover-up than any other person in Washington. This book gives a great account of Felt's illustrious FBI career and clarify's his motives behind the secret meetings with Bob Woodward of the Washington Post. This is a "must-read" for everyone who was sruck by the Watergate mystique!!!

William Mark Felt, retired associate director of the FBI, revealed his true identity as Deep Throat

In 2005 after nearly 33 years of secrecy, William Mark Felt, retired associate director of the FBI, revealed his true identity as Deep Throat, the secret source behind the Watergate case's public exposure - and in A G-Man's Life, Felt tells his own story of how the Watergate case grew to create personal challenges, isolation, and the dilemma of whether his duty as an FBI official superseded his duty to expose the truth. Both college-level collections strong in social and political American history and general-interest libraries strong in true crime and autobiography will find this an absorbing discussion. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

An Interesting Life that I Wouldn't Have Wanted to Live

I give this book a high grade but with a caveat. And the caveat is that this is not relly a book on Watergate. It is a book on 'A G-Man's Life.' This book really has several parts, any of which would make a book on their own. ==First is the introduction by John O'Connor. This covers Mr. Felt's role in Watergate, the relationship with Woodward, and particularily the decision to become public. Second is a history of being in the FBI. Mr. Felt entered the FBI in January 1942, just in time for the counter spy efforts of World War II. He went on to spend thirty years as an agent. Then there is the story of the witch hunts that the Government was going through as part of Watergate and it's aftermath. During this time he was tried and found guilty of making 'black bag jobs.' He had made them, but was doing so in what he felt was the best interest of the country's fight against terrorism. He was pardoned by the President. All in all, a most interesting book that presents a slightly different view than that of Woodward's 'The Secret Man.'

Loyalty, tragedy and the importance of an independent FBI

John O'Connor writes a clear and compelling story about a man who spent his life being Hoover's ideal G-Man, smart, hard-working and above all loyal; a public servant dedicated to getting the bad-guys who threatened America's citizens, values and democracy. He fought the Mafia, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Weathermen. He also fought Nixon's attempts to make the FBI the President's enforcer by exposing Nixon's efforts to quash the Watergate investigation. His tireless dedication alienated him from his family and ultimately led to his being disgraced by a politicized Justice Department bent on revenge. It is important to understand the potential consequences of an FBI headed by a political appointee assigned to do the President's bidding. Ann S.

Looking Backwards

Mark Felt dedicated this book to the stalwart Special Agents of the modern FBI who served their country. "When permitted to do their jobs" they evenly enforced the laws against criminals and terrorists. John O'Connor dedicated his work to his father, a former FBI Agent. His 'Introduction' tells how "Nixon's men had subverted the democratic electoral process and obstructed the criminal justice system" (p.ix). Government agencies were manipulated to punish political enemies and harass opponents. Bob Woodward used a source to point him in the right direction to expose the crime and corruption behind the burglary at Watergate. This book explains why Mark Felt acted as a confidential source: to guard the FBI's integrity (p.xiii). Ironically, Mark Felt himself was convicted for illegal break-ins (p.xiv)! Felt helped to stop the "Huston plan" for massive surveillance of the public (pp.xvii-xviii). When Patrick L. Gray was appointed head of the FBI, Felt stayed on to actually run the FBI (p.xviii). Felt leaked information to Bob Woodward for his story on the Wallace shooting that portrayed Bremer as a "lone gunman". Felt later took responsibility for warrant-less break-ins against terrorists. Felt graduated from George Washington University Law School after graduating from the University of Idaho. He worked in the office for the Senator from Idaho. His law degree allowed him to join the FBI. Page xxxix repeats Felt's careful language in denying being a source to Woodward and Bernstein; close reading suggests this denial confirms the suspicions. The 'Contents' provides a guide to Felt's rising career in the FBI. Good luck favors the well-prepared. Chapter 1 tells of his first private meeting with J. Edgar Hoover in the spring of 1954. Felt suggested that low-level employees could be investigated by the Civil Service Commission. Felt believes this started his rise in the FBI hierarchy (p.3). Felt was skilled in writing memoranda with a short abstract (pp.4-5). Hoover effected close control over the FBI from the apex of the pyramid; this prevented slacking-off (p.6). The weight charts did not allow for aging. [Did they ever have any scientific basis?] A report on wartime plant protection brought Felt his first commendation (p.14). Chapter 3 tells how Felt was able to catch an overlooked Nazi spy (p.18). [It seems that parts of this book were taken from Felt's earlier book.] The remaining chapters tell of his career at the FBI. The chapter on "Watergate" is the most important (p.226). The 'Epilogue' explains how movies and radio were used to glorify the "G-Men" (p.284). FBI agents and their offices were interchangeable - the hardship was on their families (p.286). Felt's job in the Inspection Division limited his closeness to other agents, and allowed him to mete out punishment that was severe but not unjust (p.288). His long hours took a toll on his family (pp.289-291). Felt's long life took a toll on him, but he is at peace. The Supreme Court now permi