1920: The Year of the Six Presidents

The 1920 United States presidential election involved an unprecedented six once or future presidents: Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Theodore Roosevelt. Through parallel narratives, this book chronicles the interconnected paths of these political figures during this pivotal year. The narrative follows the Republican nomination battle, the Democratic Party's challenges, and the broader historical context of America emerging from World War I. Political maneuvering, behind-the-scenes negotiations, and public campaigns intersect against the backdrop of women's suffrage, prohibition, and labor unrest. David Pietrusza reconstructs the personal dynamics between the candidates and examines how their individual ambitions shaped the election's outcome. Campaign strategies, conventions, and key policy debates come into focus through primary sources and historical records. Through this electoral crossroads, the book reveals deeper patterns about American democracy, power transitions, and the forces that determine who reaches the presidency. The events of 1920 marked the end of one political era and the beginning of another.

Readers describe this as a deep dive into the interconnected lives of six presidents during the 1920 election. The book maintains focus despite juggling multiple biographical threads. Liked: - Clear explanations of complex political relationships - Rich details about lesser-known figures like Cox and Harding - Strong research and citations - Makes early 20th century politics relevant to modern readers Disliked: - Some sections drag with excess biographical detail - Too much focus on Warren Harding compared to other presidents - Limited coverage of policy issues and platforms - Occasional repetition of facts and anecdotes Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (280+ ratings) Sample reader comment: "Pietrusza excels at showing how these men's paths crossed and influenced each other, but gets bogged down in minor characters' life stories." - Goodreads reviewer Another notes: "The level of detail on campaign mechanics and backdoor dealings makes this a standout political history." - Amazon reviewer

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🗳️ Despite being a pivotal election year, 1920 was the first presidential election in which women could vote nationwide, leading to an unprecedented 8 million new eligible voters. 📜 All six men featured in the book (Harding, Wilson, Hoover, Roosevelt, Cox, and Coolidge) would eventually serve as U.S. President, though at different times. 🎭 Author David Pietrusza won the CASEY Award for baseball writing before turning his attention to political history, and has since written several acclaimed books about presidential elections. ⚖️ The 1920 election resulted in the largest popular vote percentage margin of victory (26.2%) in presidential election history until that time. 🏛️ The book details how the election marked the end of the Progressive Era and ushered in the "Return to Normalcy" that would define much of the 1920s, shifting American politics dramatically.