Mark Felt

The Man Who Brought Down the White House

By: Mark Felt, John O'Connor

Narrated by: Michael Prichard

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 political scandal in the 20th century, which would besmirch an entire administration and bring down a presidency, was revealed in an unchallengeable way.

This absorbing account of Felt's FBI career, from the end of the great American crime wave through World War II, the culture wars of the 1960s, and his conviction for his role in penetrating the Weather Underground, provides a rich historical and personal context to the "Deep Throat" chapter of his life. It also provides Felt's personal recollections of the Watergate scandal, which he wrote in 1982 and kept secret, in which he explains how he came to feel that the FBI needed a "Lone Ranger" to protect it from White House corruption. Much more than a Watergate procedural, Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House (previously published as A G-Man's Life) is about life as a spy, the culture of the FBI, and the internal political struggles of mid-20th century America.

©2006 Mark Felt and John O'Connor (P)2006 Tantor Audio

Critic reviews

"As history attests, Felt's is a valuable insider's perspective." ( Publishers Weekly)

Interesting look at our shared history

Any additional comments?

Felt and O'Connor paint a fascinating, if not troubling, view on our shared history. Felt seems to have confused when right is wrong and when wrong is right. He was proud of his work with the FBI and their denying of constitutional rights. He justified in his own mind that youth, including his own daughter, had no right to go against government and that is was perfectly fine to deny constitutional rights in name of national security. Juxtapose that with his near-embarrassment at having been Deep Throat - probably one of the greatest services ever done for this country. His bitterness at Nixon and L. Patrick Gray flow just under the surface and seem to be his underlying reasons for helping Woodward - understandable if not troubling.

I found myself squirming in my seat while listening, uncomfortable with the tales of constitutional violations so I found myself having to remind me that this is about history, not my own personal sense of moral and ethical outrage.

It is a fascinating "audio-read" - I'm just so grateful to have learned the ultimate identity of Deep Throat in my life time and for that I am eternally grateful.

"The facts 'mam just the facts "

Like the old TV show Dragnet it is a little dry but they perspective is unique I see the whole watergate events somewhat differently!

Love this narrator!

love Michael Prichard, wish he did more WW2 books. Like hearing an old friend each time I listen to him.

Good story about a complex person

I'm torn about this book. It is a very good account about a lifelong FBI agent who was involved deeply in history and who uput honor and loyalty to the Bureau above all else. At the same time he betrays his country by taking on the role of "Deep Throat." The book doesn't give Felt's reason to leak info regarding Watergate to Bob Woodward, hiding the fact for decades from the agents and organization he professed to love. At times I want to like and even admire him, but I can't shake his disloyalty and betrayal. For me, Mark Felt will always be "Deep Throat," someone who, no matter how noble his intentions, lied to the world, lied to hiis agency, the American people and his family.

This was the other deeep throat

This autobiography shows the emergence of the FBI from a major leader in its empowerment reach his pinnacle of disgust and become a whistleblower so powerful he takes a president down. Felt is the icon of espionage leading the nieve journalists to connect the dots to encircle Nixion's corruption without ever blowing his cover. The book is spellbinding.