Category: History: U.S.: 20th Century

Copyright/published Year: 2008 by Sterling

ISBN: 1402777469

Binding: Paperback

It was the election that would ultimately give America ì "Camelot" and its tragic aftermath, a momentous contest when ì three giants who each would have a chance to shape the nation ì battled to win the presidency. Combining an engaging narrative ì with exhaustive research, Pietrusza chronicles the pivotal ì election of 1960, in which issues of civil rights and religion ì (Kennedy was only the second major-party Roman Catholic candidate ì ever) converged. The volatile primary clash between Senate ì Majority leader LBJ and the young JFK culminated in an improbable ì fusion ticket. The historic, legendary Kennedy-Nixon debates ì followed in its wake. The first presidential televised debates, ì they forever altered American politics when an exhausted Nixon ì was unkempt and tentative in their first showdown. With 80 ì million viewers passing judgment, Nixon's poll numbers dropped as ì the charismatic Kennedy's star rose. Nixon learned his lesson - ì resting before subsequent debates, reluctantly wearing makeup, ì and challenging JFK with a more aggressive stance - but the ì damage was done.

There's no one better to convey the drama of that tumultuous ì year than Pietrusza. He has 1,000 secrets to spill; a fascinating ì cast of characters to introduce (including a rogue's gallery of ì hangers-on and manipulators); and towering historical events to ì chronicle. And all of it is built on painstaking research and ì solid historical scholarship. Pietrusza tracks down every lead to ì create a winning, engaging, and very readable account.

This book is 'remaindered' and may have marks on the cover and/or bottom of pages.