Sandy Maisel's "Parties and Elections in America" draws on the author's active political involvement, the lessons he has learned as an effective teacher, and his comprehensive knowledge of political science research. The result is a text that is not only authoritative but also engaging, introducing students to the excitement and challenge of politics.
This eighth edition is a welcome update of Brewer and Maisel’s comprehensive, thoughtful, and accessible account of American political parties and elections, past and present. The authors carefully evaluate as well as describe the complex roles these institutions have evolved to play in our political system, with special attention to their effect on the quality of governance in the United States.
This eighth edition of a popular political science title is an excellent textbook for an upper-division undergraduate course in parties and elections. Written by Brewer (Univ. of Maine) and Maisel (Colby College), the book offers a summary of the literature on parties and elections that is quite excellent, with generous attention to historical perspective. The data offered is very good. . . This latest edition includes coverage of the 2016 US presidential election and the first year and a half of the Donald Trump administration. Other updates include the ongoing aftermath of the 2008–09 economic crisis, the failed Arab Spring, the upsurge of populism and the fragility of democracies, and elections in Nigeria. The bibliography is generally excellent, good enough that some instructors of graduate courses may choose to use the book.
Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty.
Creating a text on American political parties that is comprehensive, accessible, and lively is a major challenge. Brewer and Maisel have done an excellent job in responding to that challenge. Anyone seeking an introduction and beyond to parties and the vast number of studies about them can confidently rely on this text.
This eighth edition of a popular political science title is an excellent textbook for an upper-division undergraduate course in parties and elections. Written by Brewer (Univ. of Maine) and Maisel (Colby College), the book offers a summary of the literature on parties and elections that is quite excellent, with generous attention to historical perspective. The data offered is very good. . . This latest edition includes coverage of the 2016 US presidential election and the first year and a half of the Donald Trump administration. Other updates include the ongoing aftermath of the 2008–09 economic crisis, the failed Arab Spring, the upsurge of populism and the fragility of democracies, and elections in Nigeria. The bibliography is generally excellent, good enough that some instructors of graduate courses may choose to use the book.
Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty.
A great book... extremely readable and very accessible. Parties and Elections offers broad and comprehensive coverage of all aspects of political parties, especially campaign finance.
Parties and Elections in America has no rival as a text on parties and electoral politics. It is the only book with an impressively broad coverage of the electoral system that includes parties, elections, and interest groups. No other text so well integrates political history, nuts-and-bolts politics, and major theories about electoral behavior and the electoral system. College instructors will find it to be an excellent cornerstone text for a wide range of courses about American popular politics.
This text offers a comprehensive overview of subject matter, and focuses on topics I teach in my course ('American Campaigns and Elections') much better than other texts I have found.
The unique political structures of the United States and the unpredictable behavior of its citizenry often mystify the observers of this, the world's oldest functioning democracy. Maisel and Brewer provide a wealth of information, insight, and understanding to demystify the American electoral process.
Parties and Elections in America is comprehensive, readable, well-organized, and cost effective (only one book for my students to buy for the course). It was a great choice for my 'Political Parties and Participation' class.
