Documents from the late FBI director's secret files reveal for the first time the shocking extent of FBI activities in spying on prominent Americans and political groups. A grimly fascinating-and profoundly disturbing-self-exposure by one of the false American deities of the 20th century. -Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. Today, years after his death, Hoover's name still sends shivers down many a spine in Washington. Theoharis, a coauthor with John Stuart Cox of a previous Hoover biography, The Boss ( LJ 6/1/88), has made skillful use of the Freedom of Information Act and public documents to compile a sketch via FBI files of Hoover's propensity for wiretapping, bugging, and developing files on public persons with or without the knowledge of his nominal boss, the U.S. Attorney General. After an insightful history of the Bureau, section one presents selected files examining the alleged and real sexual indiscretions of JFK, Robert Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King Jr. Pointing out evidence against King, Theoharis notes that King tried to have Hoover fired, earning him the wrath of the FBI. Subsequent chapters examine the FBI's "investigative" techniques, its relationship with Presidents and the McCarthy committee, and the uses of public relations and the role of the director. Highly recommended for general libraries and specialized researchers. See also Curt Gentry's J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets , reviewed in this issue, p. 110.--Ed. -Frank Kessler, Missouri Western State Coll., St. Joseph Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. “Hoover may have died without leaving us an autobiography that might have enriched history and gossip, but that loss has been handsomely repaired by Professor Athan Theoharis.” ―Murray Kempton, Newsday “Fascinating...this book simply cannot be dismissed.” ―Stanley Kutler, Chicago Tribune “Valuable.” ―Herbert Mitgang, The New York Times Used Book in Good Condition