It’s a complicated story that Cowan keeps lively, mostly avoiding the he-said-he-said of old-timey politicking, but readers who dive in for a feel-good story of how Americans got to choose their parties’ nominees may end up depressed if enlightened.
There has been a great deal written about Roosevelt ... By focusing on the 1912 primaries, Cowan brings new insight to a well-worn story. His painstaking recounting of each primary, however, can overwhelm the reader, who may have difficulty keeping track of a whirl of delegate counts, party hacks and campaign stops.
