An author, screenwriter, and playwright, Stein is best known for his bestselling How the States Got Their Shapes, the basis for the History Channel series of the same name. In his new book he casts his eye for the odd but telling corners of history with a look at fringe candidates running for the U.S. presidency. Canvassing the last two centuries, he presents thirty brief profiles of figures ranging from Victoria Woodhull and George E. Taylor, the first woman and the first African American to run, respectively, to the first openly gay cross-dressing candidate, Joan Jett Blakk. Far from negligible, these candidates have called awareness to overlooked constituencies and have had a measurable impact on the nation’s political landscape, influencing mainstream candidates and laying the ground for future elections.
