The Rise of David Duke [Paperback]

Tyler Bridges (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1995

This is the biography of David Duke, the controversial politician, and his quest for political legitimacy. He began by denouncing Jews and blacks at his school's weekly free-speech forum, and has gone on to become a Nazi sympathizer and a gRAND Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Journalist Bridges's book is the second biography available on right-wing Louisiana politician David Duke. Michael Zatarain's David Duke: Evolution of a Klansman (Pelican, 1990) offers a good account of Duke's life and political career through his election to the Louisiana State legislature in 1989, but its publication date precludes an examination of Duke's subsequent unsuccessful races for the U.S. Senate, the Louisiana governorship, and the Republican presidential nomination. Bridges's biography examines these three campaigns and also provides a good analysis of how Duke blends traditional Southern racism with anti-Semitism. For these reasons, it is probably a better choice for general readers, despite its organizational deficiencies and repetitions. Scholars will find The Emergence of David Duke and the Politics of Race (LJ 6/1/92), edited by Douglas Rose, to be more useful.
Thomas H. Ferrell, Univ. of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In a previous biography, Michael Zatarain's David Duke: Evolution of a Klansman (1990), Duke received a rather sympathetic hearing. Bridges, a reporter who covered his campaigns for office in Louisiana, is not so generous. He backs his experience with further interviews and research, focusing on Duke's public life. Only a brief amount of personal data appears, but by following the public trail closely, Bridges uses Duke's own words and actions to nail down the charges of bigotry from 1971 through his last campaign. No major new events are reported, but Bridges' larger pool of sources on college, Klan, and political performances yields increased insights into Duke's psyche. Much attention is given to his anti-Semitism, with sharper detail added to the political races. This view of Duke shows a gifted intelligence warped into petty cleverness. Crisp, readable, but not a definitive biography. Virginia Dwyer --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Mississippi (September 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087805684X
• ISBN-13: 978-0878056842
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,776,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A completely unfair analysis of a dynamic American Populist, January 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rise of David Duke (Hardcover)

I first saw David Duke on television when I was 14 years old. Left wing columnist Carl Rowan was screaming in his face while Mr. Duke made one excellent point after another. Ever since I have been fascinated with David Duke, who has become the ultimate political pariah. This is a double standard because others who speak out on behalf of their people and culture are treated with great reverence by the so called mainstream media. The Rise of David Duke is yet another one sided smear of this courageous patriot. Every possible negative slant is presented in this work, with not ONE single positive comment in regard to David Duke. How can someone (Mr. Duke) who managed to capture 60 percent of the white vote in the 1990 Louisiana senatorial election AND the 1991 gubernatorial election have nothing at all positive to offer? The aforementioned votes captured by David Duke were in the face of overwhelming media hositility, as well as threats of boycotts of Louisiana. Nonetheless, this ultraliberal Tyler Bridges pounds away at Duke, page after page. I've read several biographies of Adolf Hitler that have more objectivity than this book. This author has absolutely no feel or understanding of the cultural, political, economic and social factors which have driven the Duke phenomenon (which is on the rise once again with the resignation of Rep. Bob Livingston of Louisiana's 1st Congressional District). The only saving grace of this book is the biographical information on David Duke. I'ts a shame that a more sympathetic author couldn't have weaved this fascinating story together, for in this era of bland, cautious, anbitious and slimy political hacks, David Duke stands almost alone as a true man of courage who articulates his beliefs and convictions without concern for the narrow minded, biased hypocrites who denounce him. If a true portrait of Duke could be presented to all of the American people, he would become President of the United States. Tyler Bridges' "The Rise of David Duke" is not that portrait and anyone wishing to learn more about David Duke and what he really believes in and represents are advised by this reviewer to search elsewhere.

21 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Slander continued, April 13, 2005

By 

Rayzam - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rise of David Duke (Paperback)

An utterly boring onesided attempt to make money out of lukewarm slander once again. The supposed research is a mixture of the author's regurgitated articles with a liberal dose of citations from Mr. Duke's works, presented completely out of perspective.
Repetetive, narrow minded, and out of date.

27 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars More liberal propanganda., March 27, 2002

By 

"sots73" (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rise of David Duke (Hardcover)

This garbage is almost funny in a sick sort of way.I guess according to Bridges you are a "bigot" if you are white and proud.I picked this book up by mistake,but read it anyway,a complete waste of my time.It is nothing more than a biased slander of a great man of integrity.If you want to know the REAL David Duke,I suggest you purchase My Awakening by Duke himself and avoid the out of context quotes that this book is full of.This is little more than another ... attempt to make European Americans feel guility,and to believe that men like Duke are a "danger".The wolves have convinced the sheep that the dogs are dangerous.