Companions in Crisis: Johnson, Nixon, and the Historiography of Presidencies in Turmoil

A Companion to Lyndon B. Johnson. Edited by Mitchell B. Lerner. West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, 2012. 604 pp. A Companion to Richard M. Nixon. Edited by Melvin Small. West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, 2011. 630 pp. The only disappointing thing about either of these volumes is the undeniable reality that as time marches on, so will historians' interest in and discussion of the lives and legacies of both Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon. In and of itself, that interest is by no means a bad thing. But were it not so, these latest additions to the Blackwell Companions to American History series would unquestionably stand for quite a long time as the definitive historiographical syntheses on presidential politics in the United States from 1963 to 1974. They may very well stand as such, anyway. To put it more plainly, historians Mitchell B. Lerner and Melvin Small--both distinguished scholars of the Johnson and Nixon eras--have each compiled and edited a minor masterpiece. These volumes effectively trace the mountainous but ever-shifting scholarship related to the Johnson and Nixon presidencies, respectively, providing judicious balance when called for and fresh interpretation when possible. Each book will be of use to both graduate and advanced undergraduate history students alike, not to mention political scientists, professional historians in and out of the academy, as well as pundits, journalists, and political analysts of all stripes. Both books feature a collection of 29 essays, written by many of the nation's leading political scholars, covering virtually every topic related to these two giants of postwar American history. Though organized with a semblance of chronology in mind, each of the individual essays in these two books is distinctly thematic and entirely useful as a stand-alone contribution. Most of the essays are framed by the relevant historiography, though a few of the essays simultaneously offer a stronger sense of narrative flow than do others. Almost without exception, the essays are carefully written, analytically balanced, and as comprehensive as should be expected. Several contributors also incorporated recently declassified documents, recorded or transcribed phone conversations, and other previously unutilized archival records from both presidential administrations, drawing conclusions from long-standing bodies of scholarship while at the same time suggesting potential new avenues of research. Each essay additionally provides references and a list of recommendations for further reading. One could easily quibble with such lists, exaggerating, for instance, an occasional omission or oversight. But this is typically the pettiest form of scholarly criticism, for it is always possible to ask one to do more. In the case of these two books, the collective historiographical treatment is excellent. It may not be exhaustive, but it is certainly close enough, definitely thorough, and very impressive. All of the authors should be lauded for their fine work, as should both Lerner and Small. It almost goes without saying that the intriguing nature of these volumes has much to do with the intriguing nature of Johnson and Nixon themselves--their multifaceted lives and careers, and the consequentiality of their presidencies. To a degree, that intrigue is common to the study of almost any former president. One quick look at the biography section in a typical chain bookstore will almost certainly confirm that most presidents, past and present, have an inherent ability to fascinate. But there is something different about Johnson and Nixon. Few presidents, at least in recent years, have been as controversial or as debated as these two. Few have had as significant an impact on the long-term trajectory of American politics. And few have suffered more humiliating downfalls. From civil rights and foreign affairs to fundamental questions about leadership and the role of government in people's lives, the Johnson and Nixon eras remain saturated with significance. …