Indelibly, we recall the iconic newsphoto: jubilant underdog Harry Truman brandishing his copy of  the  Chicago Tribune  proclaiming "DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN." But far, far more exists to 1948's election that a single inglorious headline and a stunning upset victory. Award-winning author David Pietrusza goes beyond the headlines to reveal backstage events and to place in context a down-to-the-wire donnybrook fought against the background of an erupting Cold War, the Berlin Airlift, and the birth of Israel, a post-war America facing exploding storms over civil rights, and domestic communism. It's a war for the soul of the Democratic Party with accidental president Harry Truman pitted against his embittered left-wing predecessor as vice president, Henry Wallace, and stormy young South Carolina segregationist Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond. On the GOP side, it's a four-way battle between cold-as-ice New Yorker Tom Dewey, Minnesota upstart Harold Stassen, the stodgy but brilliant Ohio conservative Robert Taft, and the imperious but aged Douglas MacArthur.But Americans really want "none of the above." They do, however, "like IKE," but Dwight Eisenhower stubbornly resists draft movements in both parties to run--at least, that year. It's an election year featuring a uniquely stellar supporting cast. Alger Hiss, Whitaker Chambers and Richard Nixon. Civil rights crusader Hubert Humphrey. GOP VP choice Earl Warren. Henry Wallace activists Paul Robeson, Lillian Hellman, and Pete Seeger. A passel of FDR kin--including Eleanor--disgusted with HST. Wisconsin's Joe McCarthy, Clark Clifford, William O. Douglas, George C. Marshall, John Foster Dulles, Adlai Stevenson, Drew Pearson, "Landslide Lyndon" Johnson, H. L. Mencken, Harold Ickes, Clare and Henry Luce, the "Do-Nothing" 80th Congress, Curtis LeMay, Ronald Reagan, and, last, but not least, NBC's forever embarrassed H. V. Kaltenborn. David Pietrusza achieves for 1948's presidential race what he previously did in  1960: LBJ vs JFK vs Nixon --of which  Library Journal  (starred review) said "raises the bar with his winning and provocative chronicle. . . . Highly recommended." Pietrusza again brings history to life, spellbinding readers with tales of the highest drama while simultaneously presenting the issues, personalities, and controversies of this pivotal era with laser-like clarity. With 2012's crucial presidential election approaching, 1948 transforms the way readers see modern American history. Just a taste of what's inside David Pietrusza's riveting  1948: Harry Truman's Improbable Victory and the Year that Transformed America's Role in the World -- Vitriolic Westbrook Pegler's exposé of Henry Wallace's secret "Guru" letters. - Why the NAACP fired 80-old civil rights pioneer W. E. B. DuBois. - Why a disgusted Nina Warren voted for HST--and against Tom Dewey and her own husband Earl. - How A. Philip Randolph's threatened "March on Washington" integrated the army. - J. Strom Thurmond: Segregationist white knight--with an illegitimate black daughter. - The ground-breaking Oregon radio debate that settled a presidential nomination. - How "Bull" Connor arrested Henry Wallace's running mate--and nearly arrested Wallace himself. - The Case of the Missing President: HST's election night vanishing act. Named by the Wall Street Journal as among the "Top Five" Books on "Campaigns and Candidates." "sweeping...compelling" --Library Journal - "A masterpiece!"-- Roger Stone - "A terrific book...a must-read."-- Ron Faucheux, editor-in-chief, Campaigns & Elections magazine - "outstanding...by far the best yet about the fateful [1948] election" -- Minneapolis Star-Tribune "brilliantly portrays . . . Truman's successful efforts." --David Mark, Sr. Editor POLITICO - "A great book about American politics ... a must-read." --John Rothmann, KGO (SF) - "absorbing and fascinating" --Joe Donahue, "The Book Show" - "reads like a movie thriller waiting to be filmed" --Washington Times "vivid...important" --Senator Mitch McConnell - "lively...illuminating portraits of the four candidates...The account of the whistle-stop tour is gripping." --Albany Times-Union - "magnificent" --John Hancock, KMOX (St. Louis) - "a fine narrative" -- Long Island Business Press "coherent, compelling...A skillful, authoritative investigation'" --Kirkus Reviews - "a wonderful book...one of the best of the year." --David R. Stokes WAVA (Washington, DC) - "Pietrusza is the undisputed champion of chronicling American Presidential campaigns." --Anthony Bergen, Dead Presidents blog "If you think [2012] is wild, this is really wild--Harry Truman and Henry Wallace and Strom Thurmond and Tom Dewey." --Tom Brokaw - "A master of presidential history, Pietrusza gives away neither left nor right-leaning biases (he has also authored gems on Calvin Coolidge and JFK). Here he examines one of the greatest upsets in U.S. presidential history without drowning in mundane stats." ― Boating Long Island - "a must