Grass Roots

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Duncan's sympathetic narrative follows a handful of campaign volunteers in New Hampshire's Cheshire County during the year leading up to and including Presidential Primary Day 1988. He describes what prompted each of these grass-rooters to become involved in politics, how they chose a candidate to support and the tasks they performed throughout the hectic 12 months. The candidates, among them Jack Kemp, Pat Robertson and Paul Simon, are seen in close-up as they fumblingly launch themselves in living-room chats, on street corners and in workplaces. But Duncan, national press secretary for the Dukakis presidential campaign, mainly traces the emotional peaks and troughs of the volunteers as they perform their foot-soldier drudgeries. Bush and Dukakis, of course, prevailed in the February 16 voting; and the primary's amazing record remains unblemished: no one wins the White House who doesn't first win in New Hampshire. Duncan has supplied a rare warmhearted look at the electoral process. Photos. Author tour. (Feb.)

Library Journal

Journalist and author Duncan ( Out West , Viking, 1987) examines the 1986 New Hampshire primary from the perspectives of volunteers who worked for both parties' candidates in one of the state's counties. He details the ``grass roots'' tasks they performed--operating phone banks, mailing campaign literature, canvassing door-to-door--and illuminates the ideological, religious, and other motivations that led them to become involved in campaign politics. Himself a participant in Democratic party politics, Duncan treats activists of both parties evenhandedly, with obvious empathy and appreciation for the vital part they play in the democratic process. Politically informed general readers and undergraduate students of the electoral process will find his book both enjoyable and informative. Highly recommended for public and university libraries.-- Thomas H. Ferrell, Univ. of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette