This biography—which often resembles an ancient Greek tragedy—draws on a variety of sources to piece together the complex history of a man whose political aspirations began as a child listening in on conversations at the Bourbon County courthouse.
~Ace Magazine
A rich American story. With objectivity and insight, Tracy Campbell recounts the dramatic life of perhaps the most brilliant man of my generation.
~Arthur Schlesinger Jr.
A biography of Edward Prichard harkens back to why we read history at all. Prichard's story, the narrative of his life, and the knowledge of his career all help us learn more about not only Kentucky and America, but about the human condition, about cowardice and courage, and about ourselves as a people and as individuals.
~James C. Klotter
An astonishing story of a gifted but flawed individual who overcame a great personal tragedy to lead a productive and successful life.... His story will appeal to all who are interested in the brilliant men who helped chart the country's course earlier in this century.
~Katharine Graham
A well-written and well-researched biography about a gifted man who needed a moral code and common sense
~Kirkus Reviews
Bold and perceptive, one of the finest biographies ever written about any Kentuckian and one of the most accomplished volumes on the bookshelf of Kentucky history.
~Lexington Herald-Leader
A superb biography.... Offers convincing interpretations that will challenge conventional wisdom.... Bold and perceptive, one of the finest biographies ever written about any Kentuckian and one of the most accomplished volumes on the bookshelf of Kentucky history.
~Lexington Herald-Leader
An inspiring story, well-told.
~Louisville Courier-Journal
Campbell has produced a well-crafted biography that rescues Prichard from obscurity and recounts a tale likely to satisfy anyone with an interest in politics or human nature.
~Philadelphia Inquirer
A well-crafted biography that rescues Prichard from obscurity and recounts a tale likely to satisfy anyone with an interest in politics or human nature.
~Philadelphia Inquirer
Campbell traces Pritchard's life in conspicuously accurate detail, handling it affectionately but not uncritically.
~Southern Seen
A superb biography of the man regarded by many of his contemporaries as the most gifted of all the younger men who served FDR.
~American Historical Review
Where did the wunderkind go wrong? Such is the twisted tale Tracy Campbell unravels in this lively, full-scale biography, which rests on mountains of research, including interviews and an examination of the FBI files on Prichard.
~Brightleaf
Campbell tells a wonderful story of a rising star, a New Deal 'wonder boy' from Kentucky, who fell from grace and into jail because he forged 254 ballots during the 1948 elections.... The story of Prichard is also the story of the New Deal and corrupt politics in the South.
~Choice
A book of considerable merit.... Gives us real insight into Prichard's character.
~Faith & Mission
Will doubtless be the definitive study of Prichard for many years to come.
~Filson Club History Quarterly
A noteworthy and fascinating biography.
~H-Net Reviews
Fascinating and well-researched.... does justice to the complexities of Prichard's life and illuminates the history of the New Deal and the convoluted world of modern Kentucky politics.
~Journal of American History
An intriguing, meticulous, and evenhanded political biography of Edward F. Prichard Jr. (1915-1984), a legendary, complex, and ultimately tragic figure in Kentucky politics.
~Journal of Appalachian Studies
A compelling story, well told.
~Journal of Southern History
Campbell has used declassified FBI files, collections of papers, and extensive oral histories to write an intelligent biography; he is critical yet fairminded, and offers vivid anecdotes that lend his text considerable panache.
~Princeton Alumni Weekly
