1948: Harry Truman's Improbable Victory and the Year that Transformed America

The wild, combative inside story of the most stunning upset in the history of presidential elections—Harry Truman's victory over Tom Dewey: "Outstanding."—Minneapolis Star-Tribune

In this lively account, award-winning historian David Pietrusza unpacks the most ingloriously iconic headline in the history of presidential elections—DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN—to reveal the 1948 campaign's backstage events and recount the down-to-the-wire brawl fought against the background of an erupting Cold War, the Berlin Airlift, the birth of Israel, and a post-war America facing exploding storms over civil rights and domestic communism.

"Coherent, compelling...A skillful, authoritative investigation."—Kirkus Reviews

"A terrific book...a must-read."—Ron Faucheux, former editor-in-chief, Campaigns & Elections magazine

"Brilliantly portrays President Harry Truman's successful efforts to stave off the challenge of New York Gov. Tom Dewey, who was making a repeat bid as the Republican nominee."—David Mark, author of Going Dirty: The Art of Negative Campaigning

"Sweeping...compelling."—Library Journal

"Gripping detail."—The New York Journal of Books