Master of Deceit

J. Edgar Hoover and America in the Age of Lies

By Marc Aronson | Publisher: Candlewick Press

About the book

A fascinating and timely biography of J. Edgar Hoover from a Sibert Medalist.

\"King, there is only one thing left for you to do. You know what it is. . . . You better take it before your filthy, abnormal, fraudulent self is bared to the nation.” 

Dr. Martin Luther King received this demand in an anonymous letter in 1964. He believed that the letter was telling him to commit suicide. Who wrote this anonymous letter? The FBI. And the man behind it all was J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI's first director. In this unsparing exploration of one of the most powerful Americans of the twentieth century, accomplished historian Marc Aronson unmasks the man behind the Bureau- his tangled family history and personal relationships; his own need for secrecy, deceit, and control; and the broad trends in American society that shaped his world. Hoover may have given America the security it wanted, but the secrets he knew gave him — and the Bureau — all the power he wanted. Using photographs, cartoons, movie posters, and FBI transcripts, Master of Deceit gives readers the necessary evidence to make their own conclusions. Here is a book about the twentieth century that blazes with questions and insights about our choices in the twenty-first. Back matter includes an epilogue, an author’s note, source notes, a bibliography, and an index.

Editions of Master of Deceit

Hardcover
ISBN 9780763650254
Paperback
ISBN 9781536206302

Read an Excerpt

A fascinating and timely biography of J. Edgar Hoover from a Sibert Medalist.

\"King, there is only one thing left for you to do. You know what it is. . . . You better take it before your filthy, abnormal, fraudulent self is bared to the nation.” 

Dr. Martin Luther King received this demand in an anonymous letter in 1964. He believed that the letter was telling him to commit suicide. Who wrote this anonymous letter? The FBI. And the man behind it all was J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI's first director. In this unsparing exploration of one of the most powerful Americans of the twentieth century, accomplished historian Marc Aronson unmasks the man behind the Bureau- his tangled family history and personal relationships; his own need for secrecy, deceit, and control; and the broad trends in American society that shaped his world. Hoover may have given America the security it wanted, but the secrets he knew gave him — and the Bureau — all the power he wanted. Using photographs, cartoons, movie posters, and FBI transcripts, Master of Deceit gives readers the necessary evidence to make their own conclusions. Here is a book about the twentieth century that blazes with questions and insights about our choices in the twenty-first. Back matter includes an epilogue, an author’s note, source notes, a bibliography, and an index.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Master of Deceit about?

A fascinating and timely biography of J. Edgar Hoover from a Sibert Medalist.

\"King, there is only one thing left for you to do. You know what it is. . . . You better take it before your filthy, abnormal, fraudulent self is bared to the nation.” 

Dr. Martin Luther King received this demand in an anonymous letter in 1964. He believed that the letter was telling him to commit suicide. Who wrote this anonymous letter? The FBI. And the man behind it all was J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI's first director. In this unsparing exploration of one of the most powerful Americans of the twentieth century, accomplished historian Marc Aronson unmasks the man behind the Bureau- his tangled family history and personal relationships; his own need for secrecy, deceit, and control; and the broad trends in American society that shaped his world. Hoover may have given America the security it wanted, but the secrets he knew gave him — and the Bureau — all the power he wanted. Using photographs, cartoons, movie posters, and FBI transcripts, Master of Deceit gives readers the necessary evidence to make their own conclusions. Here is a book about the twentieth century that blazes with questions and insights about our choices in the twenty-first. Back matter includes an epilogue, an author’s note, source notes, a bibliography, and an index.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Master of Deceit?

Children’s, Teenage and Educational > Children’s / Teenage: General interest > Children’s / Teenage general interest: Biography and autobiography

Where can I read a sample of Master of Deceit?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780763650254

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Master of Deceit?

Marc Aronson

Who is the Publisher of the book Master of Deceit?

Candlewick Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Master of Deceit is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780763650254) and paperback(ISBN 9781536206302)

Where can I buy Master of Deceit online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy Master of Deceit from below

Where can I buy Master of Deceit?