What will Kentucky Book Festival visitors find on your table?
Book Festival visitors will find an in-depth but highly accessible account of the creation of theElectoral College, a romp through its 237-year history, and an explanation of its operations in thepresent. I argue that our system for choosing the president has no foundation in any high-mindedpolitical principle, that its operations have changed dramatically over our history, and that itscurrent operations grossly distort our votes in ways we would not tolerate if we fully understoodthem.
Whom do you invite to stop by? Who will benefit from reading your book?
In particular, I invite citizens interested in the workings of American democracy to stop by andchat. Anyone who wants to unpack the myths surrounding the Electoral College and its operationswill benefit from reading this book.
Could you please tell us something curious about you and/or your book?
It is probably curious that a historian of American religion and of African American history decidedto research and write a book on the Electoral College. Exploring material outside the range of myusual interests was a thrill!
Is this your first time participating in Kentucky Book Festival? If yes – what are you lookingforward to the most? If you’ve participated before – what was your favorite experience atthe Festival?
I participated in the Kentucky Book Festival in 2013. I most enjoyed talking with people who lovebooks and ideas—it is what I am looking forward to again!
