They told Nixon that I had worked in the Senate, but was now at Cambridge, studying toward an advanced degree in International Relations.

Nixon didn't miss a beat. First the charm: "Most Americans think Oxford is the best but all the smart guys go to Cambridge." As with Frost, Nixon had charmed me in a flash. But in the course of our chat -- Nixon clearly enjoyed talking international relations -- he asked me an odd question in a newly sincere tone: "Are they treating you OK there?"

I guess with my Southern accent and lack of sophistication, he assumed that I, too, was a victim of highbred elitism.

Ironically, just like David Frost in the movie, my response shocked him. I felt totally at ease with the university and my many friends. Nixon shrugged off the subject and proceeded to allow me to question him for my dissertation. I had lucked out.

And therein lies the essence of this stellar film. Richard Nixon could be both a charmer and his own worst enemy. In displaying his insecurities about a real or imagined world of "elites," he was an early embodiment of the "Paranoid Nation" I describe in my book.

I guess the only difference between most people he met and me was that I still admired much of what the man had achieved and I appreciated that he tried so hard to be loved.

Take the time to see "Frost/Nixon." It will be as special as a chance encounter with the man would have been; and it will bring him to life far better than my meager words can alone.