Profiles individuals who have run for President outside of the Democratic and Republican parties, including Eugene V. Debs, Strom Thurman, John Anderson, and Ross Perot
Gr 7-10?Aaseng tells the stories of some of our country's most fascinating political figures, the individuals who have run for the presidency outside of the traditional party structure during this century. They cover a wide political spectrum, from the Socialist Eugene V. Debs to the Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond. Theodore Roosevelt, Robert La Follette, Henry Wallace, George Wallace, John Anderson, and Ross Perot are also included. Throughout the book, it is made clear that these men have revitalized the political system by infusing it with new ideas and new groups of voters. Each one is profiled in a similar format, with a short biographical introduction followed by an examination of his political career. The author emphasizes the ways each campaign changed some aspect of the political landscape, and explains why the issues were so important. He is positive about all of the candidates, but also describes some of their weaknesses and condemns those actions that were racist or divisive to the country. This book is attractive, with a clean layout and numerous black-and-white photos. Each chapter has a map that shows the election results. Traditional examinations of presidential campaigns, such as Diana Reische's Electing a U.S. President (Watts, 1992), often ignore or give limited attention to third-party candidates. Aaseng does a fine job of correcting that oversight; thus, this book fills a gap that occurs in most collections, and is a good choice for any library.?Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO
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