1960 - Paperback

by David Pietrusza (Author)

"1960 aims to take us deeper into the campaign than Theodore White's famous The Making of the President, 1960. And it does." --Chicago Sun-Times Award-winning historian David Pietrusza's hard-edged account of the 1960 Presidential Campaign--the bare-knuckle politics of the primaries, the party conventions' backroom dealings, the unprecedented television debates, along with hot-button issues of race, religion, and foreign policy. And, at the center of it all, three future presidents--LBJ, JFK, and Nixon. "Terrific!" --Robert A. Caro, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes and the National Book Award It was the election that ultimately gave America "Camelot" and its tragic aftermath. 1960 is a stunning recreation of the bare-knuckle politics of the primaries, the party conventions' backroom dealings, the unprecedented television debates, along with hot-button issues of race, religion, and foreign policy. And, at the center of it all, three future presidents--Lyndon Johnson, John F. Kennedy, and Richard Nixon. In this essential work of history, David Pietrusza chronicles 1960's struggle for power by bringing to life its towering events and personalities, unlocking its secrets, and turning expert scholarship into rich, human storytelling. "A stirring, hard-edged political saga... An outstanding reexamination." --Booklist "1960 provides new insights into that year's hard-fought, pivotal election, but, more than that, 1960 is great storytelling--a fascinating, can't-put-it-down account of how American politics really works." --Former United States Attorney General Richard Thornburgh "Pietrusza's 1960 is essential for understanding the political forces that in many ways shaped the world we live in today." --David Mark, journalist, political analyst, and author of Going Dirty: The Art of Negative Campaigning

Author Biography

David Pietrusza's books include Rothstein: The Life, Times, and Murder of the Criminal Genius Who Fixed the 1919 World Series; 1920: The Year of Six Presidents; 1948: Harry Truman's Improbable Victory and the Year that Transformed America's Role in the World; 1960: LBJ vs. JFK vs. Nixon: The Epic Campaign that Forged Three Presidencies; and Roosevelt Sweeps Nation: FDR's 1936 Landslide and the Triumph of the Liberal Ideal. Rothstein was a finalist for an Edgar Award in the Best Fact Crime category, and 1920 was honored by Kirkus Reviews as among their Books of the Year.

Pietrusza has appeared on Good Morning America, Morning Joe, The Voice of America, The History Channel, ESPN, NPR, AMC, and C-SPAN. He has spoken at The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, The National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, and various universities and festivals.

He lives in Scotia, New York.

Visit davidpietrusza.com