Campaign of the century: Kennedy, Nixon, and the election of 1960

This is an important book. Although many people are familiar with the story lines of the 1960 campaign between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, this book reveals that much of what readers believe to be true of the campaign and the two men is wrong. Previous works approached the study of the campaign from Kennedy's perspective and in the process unfairly portrayed Nixon and deified Kennedy. Gellman convincingly argues that such a one-sided approach affected coverage of the campaign in 1960 and that subsequent studies, some by notable reporters and historians, relied heavily on the accounts of prominent Kennedy supporters and friends who perpetuated the Kennedy myth and painted an inaccurate picture of the campaign and of Kennedy and Nixon. Through extensive research, including the use of sources that have not been tapped before, Gellman debunks conclusions disseminated for decades regarding the role of Kennedy's Catholicism, the debates, and voter fraud, among many other issues. This is a must-read volume: it not only clears up misconceptions of the 1960 campaign but also highlights the importance of research and approaching subjects with a questioning eye. Summing Up: Essential. General readers through faculty. --Reed L. Welch, West Texas A&M University