Inside the Wigwam: Chicago Presidential Conventions 1860-1996

This narrative looks at each one of the more than two dozen Presidential conventions held in Chicago from 1860 through 1996. Readers learn about each convention, the candidates, issues, and the outcome that followed in the November election. We see where each convention was held (the Wigwam, Chicago Coliseum, Chicago Stadium, etc.), plus there's illustrations, photos, and interesting anecdotes. The first convention in 1860 saw the Republicans pass over their front runner to select a country lawyer named Abraham Lincoln. Other Presidents nominated in our city include Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman (as FDR's running mate), Dwight Eisenhower and Bill Clinton. Some famous people nominated here that lost in the fall election were William Jennings Bryan, Theodore Roosevelt (in 1912), Thomas Dewey, Richard Nixon (in 1960), and Hubert Humphrey. Chicago has hosted far more Presidential nominating conventions than any other city, and this book does a nice job of describing each of those conventions.

There are a lot of books on Chicago history; Inside the Wigwam takes a unique approach at the Windy City as a political powerhouse for the rest of the nation. It tells the stories of presidential nominating conventions from the unlikely candidacy of Republican Abraham Lincoln in 1860 to the bloody battle of the 1968 Democratic convention. Sautter and Burke have put together a magnificent tome, full of fascinating anecdotes and lively illustrations. The result is a popular history that never fails to entertain as it informs. This is my favorite book on Chicago history.

INSIDE THE WIGWAM is the "must have" book for anyone interested in political science and/or government. Authors Burke and Sautter have packed this fascinating book with the insights necessary to truly understand the American election process. This book should be required reading for every American voter.