Senator Sam Ervin, Last of the Founding Fathers
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.80 (639 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 1469614588 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 448 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2013-01-01 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
A sophisticated, clear-eyed and evenhanded biography that is likely to stand the test of time as the best work on one of North Carolina's most famous sons. We should be thankful that Campbell has forcefully introduced a long-neglected figure into the historiography of regional and national politics.--Journal of Southern HistoryIn a biography of Ervin Karl Campbell wrestles with many questions as he charts Ervin's life from his birth in Morganton to its climax in 1973-74 when he became America's folk hero as chair of the Senate Watergate hearings. Adds immeasurably to our understanding of the state and its politics.--The News and ObserverCampbell's gripping biography of Ervin uncove
The paradox of the senator's opposition to civil rights and defense of civil liberties lies at the heart of this biography of Sam Ervin.Drawing on newly opened archival material, Karl Campbell illuminates the character of the man and the historical forces that shaped him. Many Americans remember Senator Sam Ervin (1896-1985) as the affable, Bible-quoting, old country lawyer who chaired the Senate Watergate hearings in 1973. Ervin's stories from down home in North Carolina, his reciting literary passages ranging from Shakespeare to Aesop's fables, and his earnest lectures in defense of civil liberties and constitutional government contributed to the downfall of President Nixon and earned Senator Ervin a reputation as "the last of the founding fathers."Yet for most of his twenty years in the Senate, Ervin applied these same rhetorical devices to a very different purpose. The senator's distrust of centralized power, Campbell argues, helps explain his ironic reputation as a foe of civil rights and a champion of civil liberties. The issue central to that struggle, as well as to many of the other crusades in Ervin's life, remains a key question of the American experience today--how to exercise legitimate government power while protecting essential individual freedoms.. Campbell demonstrates that
. Campbell is associate professor of history at Appalachian State University. Karl E
Gary A. Eaton said senator sammy. dr campbell did excellent research on this old school southern democrat and his book extolls the senator's virtues, reveals his segregationist flaws and most importantly demonstrates his charming wit. an excellent read!gary e. New Biography Prof. Campbell succeeded in bringing out an excellent biography which is a pleasure to read. The work is scholarly and well researched. What emetges is as objective as possible portrait of (to me) a perfect Southern anachronism: how a small town lawyer, by dint of regional circ. Well written A great bio on Sam Ervin. One can see what motivated his decisions and lead him to becoming a senator for 20 years. Campbell does a great job in his writing style making the book an easy read. Definitely recommend this to anyone looking for some history reading.