And if you've ever visited King's house, you'd probably get the impression from the gargoyles that he identifies with his writings to a significant degree. Like Winston Churchill, one of his heroes and a prodigious writer ever in the public eye, he has been about getting others to read not just his words, but his ideas as well. Cohen's reputation as something of a maverick might come in part by projecting the personalities of the characters of his novels onto the author. Falcone gets the kind of hands-on involvement in international intrigue that must visit most elected officials only in the abstract. Amid the integrity-destroying influences stands one man bent on making a difference.
Tough times demand tough talk, demand tough words, and finally a readiness for tough action.
Cohen is wont to include characterizations of colleagues and friends in his novels, employing either pseudonyms or plays on their names. He sprinkles them liberally around in his plots. Almost all of his books demonstrate a heavy reliance on defense-related literature. The three non-fiction books have more universal appeal. Building on his reputation as an independent strait arrow, firmly established after his 1974 House vote in favor of impeaching Richard Nixon, Cohen joined Mitchell in critically examining the Iran-Contra affair.