Marathon (1977)

Carter's rise, 1972 to 1976 The book on how Jimmy Carter came from outside the national conversation to win the presidency. Witcover traces the 1976 race from its beginnings in 1972, and his central point is that the spread of primaries had turned the pursuit of the presidency into a grueling, years-long ordeal. That is still how campaigns work, which is the main reason to read it now. Be warned that it runs to more than 650 pages, and at least one reviewer at the time found it short of a point of view. It suits readers who want the mechanics of a primary season in full rather than a story told with flair.