Why read about Spiro Agnew, a disgraced vice president from the Nixon era? It turns out to be a timely read given our current circumstances. The book is less about Agnew's misdeeds but more about the role of our legal system to uncover and right wrongs in the government. Agnew's road to justice was convoluted and incomplete but it does show the role of principled workers who did not turn a blind eye to wrongdoings. This was a surprisingly fast and riveting read about a piece of history that is often overshadowed.

I understand why this story was relevant when it was published, but I don't think it adds anything to what we already knew about the scandal.

It is mind boggling how corrupt Agnew was. A story that needs to be told and is told very well by Maddow. And without making it obvious the comparisons to our current president are scary.

When I learned about Watergate (remember how your teachers would rush through the decades as the end of the year approached?) my teacher said "....and Spiro Agnew resigned because of tax stuff..."

This was a very readable book about Agnew's "tax stuff" and I was glad I read it.

Rachel Maddow wrote a compelling book about the crimes of Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. Ironically, one of the phrases used by Agnew was to call the investigation into him a "witch hunt". Sound familiar? The parallels between the crimes of Agnew and our current President are pretty evident in this book. Ms. Maddow explores what happens when the biggest criminal is in the White House and there is a limited time to take action.

Maddow has found a topic of importance in the political world today. Is Donald J. Trump channeling Spiro T. Agnew? I was just beginning my first job when Watergate was in the news. Agnew??? I remember he resigned but nothing else. Maddow’s look at this crook is important for several reasons. She fleshes the story out and in doing so she shows how Agnew used the same gaslighting techniques as Trump is using in defending his illegal activities. Historically, though, the most important thing is she brings the background of the Office of Legal Counsel who developed the idea that a sitting president can’t be indicted. This memo was referred to by Robert Mueller in his investigation. Big difference between Trump and Agnew? Agnew wasn’t born rich, but he does have more than a third grade vocabulary.

I was only 10 then summer the Nixon-Agnew administration came crashing down, but I have vivid memories of the Watergate hearings playing out, day after day on the TV. I honestly had no idea that Agnew's indictment and resignation were caused by a completely different scandal.

Bag Man is a really well organized and thoroughly consuming telling of the man that was just a heartbeat away from becoming president. Rachel Maddow and Michael Yarvitz reveal all the details of what up that point, seemed like an implausible fall from the White House. Reading it now, it should have been a warning.

Spiro T. Agnew was crooked long before he came to Washington. The history of his efforts to cover up his crimes, reads like a page from the DJT playbook. (Still, here we are again!)

I found this so fascinating and easy to read. The storytelling engages you from the opening to the final period. It was amazing to learn all the new details that have come out decades after the crime. The foreshadowing of the corruption to follow is remarkable.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ms. Maddow and Mr. Yarvitz have written a compelling story about Spiro Agnew. I literally could not put it down, finishing the whole book in one day. So much information to digest, for me a lot of new data. Would totally recommend this book to anyone who enjoys political history. Well researched and told in a manner that was easy to understand and comprehend. Agnew reminded me of Trump, except he wasn't born rich and had more than a third grade vocabulary. Well done! I received an e-book from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.