Customer Reviews

Presidential Debates

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No one could have been less excited about the prospect of reading a book on debates than me. I put it off for as long as I could, finding every excuse not to begin. Once I picked up the book, however, I couldn't put it down. This book is filled with stories about the subtle moments in debates that have changed the course of elections and the course of history. Alan Schroeder's book is well-researched; I fact-checked some of the most unbelievable points and was pleased to discover that all were accurate.

If you are looking for a dry, academic book, this isn't for you. This a novel, complete with great characters, a plot that moves and lots of surprises. And the best part is, it's all true.

It never ceases to amaze me how much presentation and polish trumps content and character in politics. No where is there as evident as it is in Presidential debates. Alan Schroeder has taken the last forty-plus years of Presidential debates and analyzed them from a psychological standpoint; covering the elements that gave some candidates significant advantages as well as those that sank other campaigns. Equally as compelling is the coverage of the massive influences of preparation when the outcomes of the debates were nearly determined before they even began.

The book is articulated quite well never falling prey to the urge over analyze with theory. Schroeder includes a hefty number of examples in all aspects of the debates to substantiate his points leaving little doubt he has done his research. Perhaps lacking from the book is any real aspect of the speeches themselves. He refers to them constantly and often quotes pertinent lines, but no where in the book will you find the actual content. Given the purpose of the book this omission is by no means a detriment, but given the title it is certainly something I'd want to know before deciding to read the book.