This three-volume reference presents the history of all major and minor third political parties and independent candidacies from the early American republic to the present. The alphabetically arranged entries provide extensive details of 155-plus parties from the well known to the obscure, as well as brief biographies of the major players and candidates. Coverage ranges from national, regional, and state parties to the major political parties that predate the Democrats and Republicans. Divided into four parts, information includes a series of eight historical essays in chronological order, 40 maps that outline the patterns of voter support for major third-party presidential electoral efforts, entries on the various third parties in alphabetical order, and biographies. Contains subject, biographical, and geographical indexes, cross-references, and many b&w photographs. Edited by Ness (Brooklyn College) and Ciment (New School University). Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Read Less