"As Mark Stein makes clear in The Presidential Fringe, his amusing and strangely inspiring chronicle of little-known candidates in American history, there are presidential hopefuls who really do give their all with no hope of glory."—Dave Shiflett, Wall Street Journal
"Every four years, Americans awake the first Wednesday after the first Monday of November to learn which of two contenders has been elected president. But closer examination of results often shows more than two candidates actually having campaigned—often many more. In this one-stop history of third-party presidential candidates, Stein (Vice Capades, 2017) details how these outliers have provided a politics-weary populace plenty of distraction, much of it comic. . . . With a clear and discerning eye, Stein writes of all these questers as he invites readers to take underlying concerns for a free and democratic society seriously."—Mark Knoblauch, Booklist, starred review
"Informative and entertaining, forcing American readers to take some glances into what at times is an unflattering mirror."—Kirkus Reviews
“Mark Stein once again holds a brilliant mirror up to American society and history, this time refracted through the lens of fringe presidential candidates, ranging from the profound to the pathetic. In humorous, incisive, and telling narratives, he shows us that two of our most enduring national traits are optimism and hope.”—Mark Olshaker, coauthor of Mindhunter and Deadliest Enemy
“If ever there was a time to seriously consider the value of candidates who lampoon our electoral system, it is now during the presidency of Donald Trump. Outrageous claims, promises that can never be kept, and shameless, self-serving tactics to win attention at all costs—the candidates described in this book have done it all before. Perhaps if we had understood these candidates’ efforts, we wouldn’t have the current clown in the Oval Office. This book gives us the chance to reexamine our democratic traditions, and nothing could be more timely.”—Gabriel Gomez, professor of education at Chicago State University and co-producer/director of the Drag In for Votes documentary on the presidential campaign of Joan Jett Blakk
