Notes from the Trail

Presidential Politics from the Inside Out

The modern race for the presidency has become a national sport. We've seen the baby-kissing, the barbecues, and the photo-ops; news cameras have taken us inside Iowan living rooms leading up to the caucuses, and they've given us a bird's-eye view of the grand halls of political conventions. But what is it like to be on the inside of this spectacle? What happens when the candidate is your closest family member?

In her account of her father's bid for the presidency, Alexandra Kerry brings us inside the bubble. Her words and images lend an intimacy to our often overblown politics as she sheds light on some of the contradictions, ironies, and saving graces of our electoral process and our country.