This book is the best biography I have ever read. As a long time Richard Nixon fan and supporter, I found this to be the most in-depth, informative and objective portrait of our most brilliant, as well as most misunderstood, President. It brought a smile to my face at times, as well as some tears to my eyes. Having read many, many works about Nixon, I discovered information in Jonathan Aitken's book that I never knew or realized. It is an outstanding book, and Mr. Aitken is to be congratulated on a job very well done. I hope one day that all the people who think or remember only negative things about Nixon will read this book and come to know how truly great he was.

Richard Nixon will forever be associated with Watergate, but as Jonathan Aitken shows us, there was so much more to his life. Throughout this thoroughly researched study of the most villified American President in modern history, Aitken shows that view only scratches the surface of the real Richard Nixon. Aitken takes the reader through RN's modest upbringing in rural California, to his noble service in WWII, up to the Checkers speech, through the historic Kitchen Debate, and to his amazing politcal comeback in 68'. Aitken makes the reader feel as if they were there, backing up his writing with irrefutable evidence, experiencing these amazing events in person. The author's account of RN's historic trip to China, which brought about the normalization of relations, is worth the price alone. The back-channeling required and near disasters are riveting. These revelations only confirm the enormous part RN played in ending the Vietnam War as well as the Cold War. No Nixon book could be complete without addressing Watergate. Aitken, with his unequaled research, provides new insight as to who was responsible for what. Did Nixon give any orders? Who is Deepthroat? Did the plumbers go further than they'd been authorized? What about the missing minutes on the tapes? All these questions are answered in the fairest way, with thorough supportive evidence. If you're looking for an insight into one of the most infamous presidents in American history, this book is for you. Whatever your preconcieved notions are, you'll have to agree that this is the most unbiased book ever published about the 37th President of The United States Richard Milhous Nixon.

I couldn't recommend this book highly enough if you are interested in Richard Nixon's story/life. Aitken writes in a very entertaining manner and has obviously had access to Nixon that other writers may not have enjoyed. From my perspective as an Australian looking into American politics and history the book was well worth the read.

I think it takes a person with a more open sense of humor - or just a different sense of humor than my own, to enjoy this book. I just didn't find Buchwald's characters very funny; the more I read, the more dissatisfied I felt. I think it's a matter of Buchwald's style just not being my type, that's all. For example, I just didn't think Stella's descriptions of Heaven were funny. Portraying God as an absentee boss who gives orders from a distance and has no qualms about shipping someone from heaven to hell and Moses as a slave and everyone else in heaven as gossiping busybodies just wasn't funny to me. I guess the descriptions seemed cold and empty, even when describing what Stella liked about Heaven - maybe there was supposed to be humor in the pitifully meager joys of Heaven, but I just didn't get it. Stella's gripes about people bringing her food when she was sick, and her obsessive need to know every detail about her funeral wasn't funny or even interesting (Roger finally mentions that people tell funny stories about Stella, but doesn't give any examples), either - everything seemed to revolve around being a critic of someone who could possibly care. It wasn't even funny when Roger blew the money he'd received from Stella's life insurance policy, or how he had to sneak around to see his best friend when Stella was alive and now when she's dead, too. I thought it was sad. But again - it's just a matter of liking the author's style, which I didn't. If you like Buchwald's style, I'm sure you'll enjoy the book.

If you are looking for a few laughs and maybe even a couple of life's little lessons, Stella in Heaven is your ticket to the otherside. Even after Stella ascends to Heaven she dominates her Husban's life via a special phone granted as one of her three wishes awarded upon her arrival at the Pearly Gates. She assumes that he will be unable to manage his affairs without her, and organizes a celestial body to find him a new wife. She tries, she fails, and she tries again. Little does Stella know, that he will surprise her, and find his own wife when Stella least expects it. This little book is funny, refreshing, and very down to earth so to speak...I loved it, finished it in an afternoon, and look forward to reading other books by Buchwald.

Art Buchwald is one of my favorite humorists, and I was pleased to see the results of his "almost novel" in this book. I thought that this book captured his wry sense very well. Husband and wife relations can be just as funny as U.S.-Russian ones, after all! Having written political satire as newspaper columns, he has turned his hand here to writing what resemble satirical columns that are designed to read like daily diary entries. That format is probably why this was called an "almost novel" rather than a novel. I found that the format worked well for me. On the other hand, people who want a smooth, seamless novel will find this style jarring.

Here's the plot. Roger Folger, 61, is a widower. His wife, Stella, died two years earlier at 59 from smoking a pack a day, after 38 years of marriage. They have two children, Timmy who is 40 and Sarah who is 38. Roger lives with his mother, Mimi, and daughter. Roger misses Stella, because she always made all of the decisions. On the other hand, he has an ace in the hole. Stella has found a way to telephone him, and they chat every night. From Heaven, she tells him about her life there, and tries to run his life on earth. Her key priority is fixing him up with a new wife. But he doesn't want one. He loves Stella very much, and doesn't want to be with anyone else. Pretty soon, though, he starts enjoying his new found freedom to do things Stella wouldn't approve of, like helping more people and investing with his friend. Unfortunately, every so often someone dies and goes to Heaven, and they tell Stella what he has been up to. Then, Roger's life gets complicated. The story continues in the best tradition of the George Burns and Gracie Allen type of husband-and-wife monologue and dialogue humor.

The book is written in a series of short sequences that relate what is going on from either Stella's perspective in Heaven or Roger's on earth. These are each about the length of an individual newspaper column. I savored each one as a stand-alone, and found myself laughing frequently. Much of each one is a monologue, but occasional snatches of dialogue are included as well.

Here are a few of the story elements and complications that make for humor: Roger is a herpes researcher, occasionally people go to Heaven who didn't like each other on earth, Mimi and Sarah are dedicated protestors, and Sarah becomes a mother. Mr. Buchwald weaves all of this into one continuous fabric of satire with one fun twist after another. I cannot tell you any more without spoiling it for you, but a lot more happens in this story.

To me, the most interesting part of the book is the material about Heaven. I have not really thought that much about some of the circumstances in Heaven, and Buchwald's speculations were interesting to me. Stella regularly consults Moses to get advice. She also attends concerts with the original composers and takes cooking lessons with the great deceased chefs. On the other hand, there's no television because it's too violent to be allowed in Heaven. Stella says that her part of Heaven is like the Ritz Carlton in Florida (there's more than one, and she doesn't say which). Some people have to make do at the Four Seasons in Heaven.

Mr. Buchwald does manage to sneak in some political humor, mostly aimed at the Viet Nam era and misuses of authority. But you'd be disappointed if he didn't. These sections reminded me of Robert Heller's satires about the government.

I strongly recommend that you read this book, because it will both uplift your thinking as you contemplate Heaven and it will also help you see the humor in everyday conflicts. Have a great lot of laughs!

After you are done with the book, I encourage you to develop your own ideas about what the after-life may hold according to your own beliefs. If you don't have many beliefs in that area, I encourage you to seek out your religious or spiritual advisor and to do some reading on the subject. But don't limit yourself to Dante. His vision of Heaven is far less interesting than Mr. Buchwald's is.