Giuliani: The Rise and Tragic Fall of America's Mayor

"A diagnostic study of Giuliani’s auto-destruct apparatus is probably beyond the capabilities of psychiatric case study. . . . [Kirtzman] possesses the salient advantage of having covered Giuliani close up for decades, witnessing his evolution from an Eliot Ness crimebuster to the Sheriff of Rottingham. . . . . . . . .Whatxa0this biography conveys is that Rudy’s breaking bad wasn’t a sudden turn to the dark side. The hairline cracks in his moral and behavioural make-up were there from the outset." -- James Wolcott ― The London Review of Books “Cuts through the myth and caricature that has too often defined Giuliani. . . . As a former television reporter for NY1, Kirtzman knows the man better than the pundits who have often scratched their heads about the Giuliani they thought they knew. . . . If Giuliani’s story is a tragedy, Kirtzman argues that it’s self-inflicted through a combination of alcohol, sanctimony and a bottomless need for attention.” -- Chris Megerian ― Los Angeles Times “Masterful and engrossing. . . . Capture[s] what made the man tick and what led to his fall from grace. Kirtzman’s critique is leavened with bittersweet impressions and references to Giuliani’s accomplishments.” -- Lloyd Green ― The Guardian "A lively new biography explores how the man once celebrated as 'America’s mayor'xa0fell into disgrace." -- Louis Menand ― The New Yorker "The same 'fanatical sense of righteousness'xa0that propelled Rudy Giuliani’s rise set him on the road to ruin, according to this richly detailed biography. . . . Axa0comprehensive and alarming portrait of Giuliani’s downfall."xa0 ― Publishers Weekly "With a cinematic made-for-TV sense of scene and pacing, gossipy insider revelations, and sharp analysis, Kirtzman vibrantly depicts the sad and tawdry unraveling of Giuliani’s reputation." ― Booklist (starred review) "A veteran political reporter ventures an answer to the question so many have asked in recent years about Rudy Giuliani: 'What happened?'. . . .xa0A sad tale, expertly told, of corruption, bad judgment, avarice, and treason." ― Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Andrew Kirtzman has covered Rudy Giuliani for three decades as a political reporter for print and television. He began as a City Hall reporter and then wrote what is considered a definitive book about Giuliani’s mayoralty. He was with Giuliani on the morning of September 11th and chronicled their experience together. He has covered more than a dozen national political campaigns and hosted two of New York’s most widely watched political shows, winning multiple Emmy Awards. He has written for The New York Times , The Washington Post , Thexa0New Republic , and other publications, and authored a book about the Bernie Madoff scandal. He appears regularly on CNN and MSNBC to discuss politics and government.