Robert Mann's history work is so compelling that I was thrilled to find this book. Unlike all his other efforts, which are immense undertakings to dig to the bottom of BIG topics, this one has a very narrow field of focus: a study of the impact of the "Daisy Girl' ad on American Politics. The Daisy Girl ad is considered the ad that changed everything, and in common lore, it buried Goldwater. Mann's work tells us there is much more to the story and uses ample documentation and well-written history to deliver the information in a concise book.

The famous ad appeared at the moment between the early days of TV that offered poor use of television for campaigning before 1964 and the slick era that began in 1968 with Nixon's use of TV ads. Mann, a notable historian, is also chair of a Journalism school and uses the vantage point of his unique experiences to look at the big picture of the moment and its part in the change from informational ads to emotional moments to motivate people. His investigation foreshadows the use of advertisements that package and sell the candidate like cigarettes, soap, or soup but notes the moment when fear becomes the message. His long look back foretells the problems we live with today when fear as a motivator is the most common form of presidential advertisement.

This book, short as it is, is well worth reading.