his book is not and should not be just about Hoover,” Aronson (Trapped) tells readers in the epilogue to this wide-ranging, extensively researched, and detailed biography of the controversial 20th-century FBI director. He’s not kidding: Hoover’s story unfolds against the tumultuous immigrant history of the U.S. and the growth of the FBI, which Hoover molded for more than 40 years. Hoover emerges as a magnified example of abusive governmental power, portrayed as a controlling conformist who was organized, intelligent, sexually suppressed, and manipulative. Aronson’s stimulating questions (“ho is the bigger liar: the capitalist who teases the poor with images of goods they cannot afford or the Communist who hypnotizes the masses with empty slogans and false ideals?”), and his occasional use of first- and second-person, will wake up readers accustomed to less in-your-face historical narratives. The book does an excellent job of creating parallels between America’s anticommunist efforts and the current fight against terrorism as it questions the price of security and the media’s roles in keeping secrets. Period photographs, movie posters, cartoons, and FBI documents supplement a biography abounding in historical context. Ages 14–up. Agent: Ken Wright, Writers House. (Apr.)

MASTER OF DECEIT is a masterpiece of historical narrative, with the momentum of a thrilling novel and the historical detail of the best nonfiction... This is as much about how history is written as it is about Hoover and his times... Written with the authority of a fine writer with an inquiring mind, this dramatic story is history writing at its best.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Aronson’s stimulating questions and his occasional use of first- and second-person, will wake up readers accustomed to less in-your-face historical narratives. The book does an excellent job of creating parallels between America’s anticommunist efforts and the current fight against terrorism as it questions the price of security and the media’s roles in keeping secrets. Period photographs, movie posters, cartoons, and FBI documents supplement a biography abounding in historical context.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Relying on wide reading and vast research, Aronson paints a nuanced and evenhanded portrait of a man who was complicated, almost certainly neurotic, and who had an iron will to control–both himself and others. Thoroughly discussing the FBI’s role in law enforcement, the McCarthy witch hunts and HUAC, campaigns against Dr. King and civil rights, and comparing the egregious violations of individual rights and due process committed by the agency to the conduct of post-9/11 containment and treatment of Arab Americans, this book is a must for high school students.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

The biography of an American villain, a history of America during the last century, and a meditation on what it means to be American in the present era—Aronson delivers another provocative book.
—The Horn Book

This biography is an unflinching portrait of an insecure, scheming zealot who conflated communism, civil rights, and the antiwar movement into a singular, immeasurable menace and dedicated himself to eradicating it... Large black-and-white reproductions of photos, internal memos, and cultural artifacts document a troubled man on a mission... Most compelling is the afterword, wherein the author expresses the challenges and fears he faced exposing the underbelly of the FBI under Hoover, making this both a gripping historical investigation and an instructive example of the researched communication of ideas.
—Booklist

Between the photographs and documents, Aronson allows readers to pause and contemplate the viewpoint presented. Even as he seamlessly connects political and social past and present, there is a stunning amount of detail. In the age of multimedia, Aronson dutifully ties in movie titles and Internet sources to supplement specific incidents, constructing a richly researched biography highlighting a tumultuous period of American civil rights.
—VOYA

Marc Aronson has written a powerful and thought-provoking book. His devastating, but nuanced portrait of the life and career of J. Edgar Hoover captures the impact of the long-term FBI director on American politics and thought. His is a cautionary tale of the costs of secrecy and of the fears engendered by blind fears over hyped security threats.
—Athan Theoharis, professor emeritus at Marquette University, expert on J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI

MASTER OF DECEIT is simply outstanding. Marc Aronson explores the intersection of personality and history in a way that not only records the times and events, but actually illuminates them.
—Walker Dean Myers, a three-time finalist for the National Book Award and author of MONSTER, winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award

A powerful book that serves its title well. Aronson untangles the complex history of a master (J. Edgar Hoover) who created, manipulated, and guarded the nation’s “truth.” This is an important book, not just for its subject matter but also for its approach. Aronson skillfully shows that history is more than fact; history is a location: it’s where the reader positions himself or herself and what the “masters” do with the facts. A riveting read.
—Susan Campbell Bartoletti, author of HITLER YOUTH, a Newbery Honor Book and a Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

Aronson chillingly recounts the extent to which many American lives were manipulated and ruined.
—The Washington Post

Using posters, photographs, comics, and a rich text, Aronson delivers information about a tumultuous period of American history and one of it’s most powerful figures.
—The Boston Globe

This title is highly recommended, and might even prompt some passionate discussions among parents and their teens.
—Reading Today online (International Reading Association)

It is clear from the opening of Aronson’s chronicle of the life, career, and death of first FBI director J. Edgar Hoover that he considers the director’s 48-year reign to be a dark time for American civil liberties. Part 1 of the book begins, “Nothing in this book matters until you care about Communism,” offering some background for the modern (teen) reader who may require a refresher as to the whys behind the man’s rise to power. Aronson does not refrain from digging at Hoover’s secrets, sharing photographic evidence to support speculation about his sexuality and racial heritage. For readers (like myself) who agree with the author’s editorial position, the story serves as a cautionary tale about the evils that can be done to U.S. citizens by individuals whose mission it is to protect us. A fascinating portrait of a flawed and not altogether likable historical figure.

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Gr 9 Up—The life of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover is explored in Marc Aronson's fascinating non-fiction offering (Candlewick, 2012). To learn about Hoover is to learn about 20th-century American history. World War I, gangsters, the Lindbergh kidnapping, World War II, the Cold War, and the civil rights movement—Hoover was there for it all. The author does a tremendous job of separating fact from fiction, and the result is a balanced portrait of a complicated man. Hoover's vision of law enforcement was to gather scientific information in well-organized files and use a team of experts to catch criminals. Aronson delves deeper, asking listeners to consider the price of safety. He makes parallels between Hoover's (often illegal) cold war tactics and post 9/11 methods of dealing with America's enemies. Narrator Luke Daniels turns in a strong, straightforward performance that keeps listeners interested. The bonus disc includes intriguing photos that teachers will find useful. A valuable addition to nonfiction collections.—Tricia Melgaard, formerly Broken Arrow Public Schools, Tulsa, OK

Luke Daniels adopts a serious and authoritative reportorial tone to deliver Aronson's important biography of J. Edgar Hoover and chronicle of his influence on the U.S. The result is a fascinating, and sometimes sinister, documentary—and a call to action for teens to educate themselves about today's governments and the people who occupy positions of power. Aronson engages with his teen audience by connecting the history to things they're more familiar with—9/11, the Patriot Act—and Daniels's strong, compelling reading drives the narrative. Well-done bonus material makes available the same photos and documents from the print book, complete with audio captions narrated by Daniels. Endnotes, read by the author, are personal and fascinating. There’s plenty to learn, and plenty to think about, for teens and adults alike. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

In fascinating detail, Aronson tells the story of America during J. Edgar Hoover's reign as head of the FBI and "the nearly fifty years of criminal activity that was his legacy." For today's students, Communism and anti-Communism are "just terms that appear on tests, like the Whig, Greenback, or Know-Nothing parties," but this volume brings alive the drama of the Cold War period and demonstrates its significance for readers now. Taking his title from Hoover's 1958 work on the dangers of Communism, Aronson writes about the dangers of a "security at all costs" mentality during the Cold War and, by extension, our post-9/11 world. He covers a large slice of history--the Palmer raids of 1919, the gangster era, the Scottsboro case, World War II, the Rosenbergs, Joseph McCarthy, the civil rights movement and Watergate--but this is no mere recitation of the facts; it's a masterpiece of historical narrative, with the momentum of a thrilling novel and the historical detail of the best nonfiction. With references as far-flung as Karl Marx, Stalin, Wordsworth, American Idol, The Hunger Games and The Lord of the Rings, this is as much about how history is written as it is about Hoover and his times. Extensive backmatter includes fascinating comments on the research, thorough source notes that are actually interesting to read and a lengthy bibliography. Written with the authority of a fine writer with an inquiring mind, this dramatic story is history writing at its best. (Nonfiction. 14 & up)