Political Fictions

In these bold essays, Joan Didion dissects the American political process at all levels, exploring the way campaigns are engineered to appeal to voters. Through the deconstruction of the sound bites and photo ops of three presidential campaigns, one presidential impeachment, and an unforgettable sex scandal, Didion reveals the mechanics of American politics. She tells us the uncomfortable truth about the way we vote, the candidates we vote for, and the people who tell us to vote for them. These pieces build, one on the other, into a disturbing portrait of our democracy—an essential reading of our democracy.