A MAGNIFICENT CATASTROPHE The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America's First Presidential Campaign

As we near the 2008 election, this book offers an in-depth view of the first true presidential campaign, the 1800 election involving John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, and Charles Pinckney. But the Electoral vote ended up in a tie, and the decision was left to the House of Representatives, who chose Jefferson and Burr. The overall election was heated and bitter to the point that it makes today's political disagreements seem almost tame. Narrator John Dossett has a brisk reading style that's easy to follow. He slows his delivery whenever he's reading a direct quotation, a helpful distinction, and uses a slightly aristocratic Southern accent for Jefferson's quotes. The book itself is so detailed that only listeners keenly interested in politics will enjoy even the abridgment fully. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 08]