The Contest: The 1968 Election and the War for America's Soul

Description

1968-rife with riots, assassinations, anti-Vietnam War protests, and realpolitik-was one of the most tumultuous years in the twentieth century, culminating in one of the most consequential presidential elections in American history. The Contest tells the story of that contentious election and that remarkable year, giving us the long view of a turning point in American culture and politics.

Michael Schumacher is the author and editor of many books, including biographies of Eric Clapton, Phil Ochs, Francis Ford Coppola, and Allen Ginsberg. Dharma Lion: A Biography of Allen Ginsberg; First Thought: Conversations with Allen Ginsberg; and There But for Fortune: The Life of Phil Ochs were published by the University of Minnesota Press.

"Michael Schumacher's The Contest is a brilliant revisiting of the 1968 presidential election, which forever changed America and the world. Every page sparkles with historical wisdom, clear-headed analysis, and fresh facts. Out of all the books I've read on the 1968 election, this is the very best. Highly recommended!"-Douglas Brinkley, author of Cronkite "Michael Schumacher has brought to life a presidential campaign for the ages. Comprehensive and deeply researched, here is an essential guide to the earth-shaking events and larger-than-life personalities of a year that lives on in history."-Roberta Walburn, author of Miles Lord: The Maverick Judge Who Brought Corporate America to Justice "Readers seeking an entertaining and informative study of the 1968 campaign would do well to start here."-Kirkus Reviews "A rigorously researched and detailed book that not only conveys all the volatility, rage, intrigue, and belief in the possibility of change that characterized the election of 1968 but provides a deeply human record of the lives of the powerful figures whose decisions would chart the course of history."-Foreword Reviews "This durable history underlines all the nuances for readers who lived it and showcases the period's drama for readers new to one of the defining sagas of the '60s."-Publishers Weekly "A fine choice as an introduction to the election and for those who enjoyed Lawrence O'Donnell's Playing with Fire or Michael Cohen's American Maelstrom."-Library Journal "It's difficult to imagine a more compelling and comprehensive look at the 1968 election . . . and it's impossible to read without noting the parallels between then and now, as a nation struggles to keep believing in itself."-Star Tribune