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Primary Colors (novel)

January 19, 2024

Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics is a 1996 book by columnist Joe Klein, published anonymously, about the presidential campaign of a southern governor. It is a roman à clef (a work of fiction based on real people and events) about Bill Clinton's first presidential campaign in 1992. It was adapted as a film of the same name in 1998.

Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics
Author"Anonymous"
later revealed as Joe Klein
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenrePolitical novel
PublisherRandom House
Publication date
January 16, 1996
Media typeHardcover and Paperback
Pages366 (hc)
ISBN0-679-44859-4 (hc)
OCLC33166616
813/.54 20
LC ClassPS3550.A1 P75 1996
Followed byThe Running Mate 

The book has been compared to two other novels about American politics: Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men (1946)[1] and O: A Presidential Novel (2011).[2]

Klein was identified as the author several months after its publication. He wrote a sequel, The Running Mate in 2000, focusing on Primary Colors character Charlie Martin.[3]

Plot summary edit

The book begins as an idealistic former congressional worker, Henry Burton, joins the presidential campaign of Southern governor Jack Stanton, a thinly disguised stand-in for Bill Clinton. The plot then follows the primary election calendar beginning in New Hampshire where Stanton's affair with Cashmere, his wife's hairdresser, and his participation in a Vietnam War era protest come to light and threaten to derail his presidential prospects. In Florida, Stanton revives his campaign by disingenuously portraying his Democratic opponent as insufficiently pro-Israel and as a weak supporter of Social Security. Burton becomes increasingly disillusioned with Stanton, who is a policy wonk who talks too long, eats too much and is overly flirtatious toward women. Stanton is also revealed to be insincere in his beliefs, saying whatever will help him to win. Matters finally come to a head, and Burton is forced to choose between idealism and realism.[4]

Identity of the author edit

An early reviewer opined that the author wished to remain unknown because "Anonymity makes truthfulness much easier".[4] Later commentators called the publishing of the book under an anonymous identity an effective marketing strategy that produced more publicity for the book, and thus more sales, without calling into question the author's actual inside knowledge.[2]

External videos
  "Primary Colors Author Announcement" with Joe Klein and Random House publisher Harold Evans, July 17, 1996, C-SPAN

Several people, including former Clinton speechwriter David Kusnet, believed the style of writing had similarities to that of Klein. This was also supported by a quantitative stylometric analysis of the book by Vassar professor Donald Foster.[5] Klein initially denied writing the book and publicly condemned Foster.[6][7] Klein denied authorship again in Newsweek, speculating that another writer wrote it. Washington Post Style editor David Von Drehle, in an interview, asked Klein if he was willing to stake his journalistic credibility on his denial, to which Klein agreed.[8]

In July 1996, after The Washington Post published the results of a handwriting analysis of notes made on an early manuscript of the book, Klein finally admitted that he was the author.[9]

Reception edit

The New York Daily News described the book as a farce and praised it as funny, truthful, and as containing "uncannily accurate" portraits of its thinly disguised characters.[4]

The book was #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list for fiction, for nine weeks in 1996.[10]

Fictional characters and believed real-life inspirations edit

Related film edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Walter Shapiro (January 29, 1996). "Author! Author!". CNN All Politics. Time/CNN. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  2. ^ a b Eliza Larson (January 11, 2011). "Who Wrote 'O'? New Anonymous Novel Pictures Barack Obama's 2012 Presidential Campaign". ABC News. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  3. ^ "'Primary Colors' Author Joe Klein Talks About Political Truth and Fiction". Crossfire. CNN transcripts. CNN. May 2, 2000. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d Michael Aronson (January 22, 1996). "Politics Makes Funny Bedfellows". New York Daily News.
  5. ^ Author Unknown by Gavin McNett Salon November 2, 2000
  6. ^ Jamie Allen (December 6, 2000). . CNN. Archived from the original on June 9, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  7. ^ Mullan, John (January 12, 2008). . The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on January 13, 2008. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  8. ^ Tod Lindberg (July 29, 1996). "The Media's True Colors". The Weekly Standard.
  9. ^ Doreen Carvajal (July 18, 1996). "Columnist's Mea Culpa: I'm Anonymous". The New York Times. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  10. ^ "Up Front: Joe Klein". The New York Times. 2009-09-25. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  11. ^ a b Rupert Cornwell (February 16, 1996). "Here's to you Mr President". The Independent. London. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
  12. ^ Sherryl Connelly with Karen Ball (January 22, 1996). "Roman A Clinton Of 'Primary' Interest In D.C.; Who Knew The White House Well Enough To Paint Its 'Colors' Vividly In A Juicy New Novel?". New York Daily News. Retrieved January 20, 2011.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ Philip Potempa (March 6, 2008). "Former Clinton female press rep. Dee Dee Myers in Chicago with new memoir". nwi.com. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
  14. ^ Michael Lewis (September 21, 1997). "Bill Clinton's Garbage Man". The New York Times. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
  15. ^ Lizette Alvarex (January 4, 1998). "It's Andrew Cuomo's Turn at Bat". The New York Times. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
  16. ^ Erik Tarloff (April 23, 2000). "Loyalty, Decency, Compassion, Love - There's none of that stuff in the Washington of Joe Klein's new novel". The New York Times. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
  17. ^ Michiko Kakutani (January 19, 1996). "Books of the Times; A Roman a Clef to Recent Politics". The New York Times. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
  18. ^ "Political intrigue served with literary success". Boston Globe. March 17, 1996.
  19. ^ Lisa Schwarzbaum (March 27, 1998). "Primary Colors Reviewed". EW.com. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
  20. ^ Todd S. Burdum (February 1, 1996). "The Author Could Not Be Reached for Comment". The New York Times. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
  21. ^ Richard K. Thompson (April 1996). "Primary Colors: A Nover of Politics". Contemporary Review. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
  22. ^ "Gray gobbledygook". Arizona Daily Star. March 23, 1998.

External links edit

  • Random House - Book website and excerpt

January 19, 2024
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Primary Colors A Novel of Politics is a 1996 book by columnist Joe Klein published anonymously about the presidential campaign of a southern governor It is a roman a clef a work of fiction based on real people and events about Bill Clinton s first presidential campaign in 1992 It was adapted as a film of the same name in 1998 Primary Colors A Novel of PoliticsAuthor Anonymous later revealed as Joe KleinCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishGenrePolitical novelPublisherRandom HousePublication dateJanuary 16 1996Media typeHardcover and PaperbackPages366 hc ISBN0 679 44859 4 hc OCLC33166616Dewey Decimal813 54 20LC ClassPS3550 A1 P75 1996Followed byThe Running Mate The book has been compared to two other novels about American politics Robert Penn Warren s All the King s Men 1946 1 and O A Presidential Novel 2011 2 Klein was identified as the author several months after its publication He wrote a sequel The Running Mate in 2000 focusing on Primary Colors character Charlie Martin 3 Contents 1 Plot summary 2 Identity of the author 3 Reception 4 Fictional characters and believed real life inspirations 5 Related film 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksPlot summary editThe book begins as an idealistic former congressional worker Henry Burton joins the presidential campaign of Southern governor Jack Stanton a thinly disguised stand in for Bill Clinton The plot then follows the primary election calendar beginning in New Hampshire where Stanton s affair with Cashmere his wife s hairdresser and his participation in a Vietnam War era protest come to light and threaten to derail his presidential prospects In Florida Stanton revives his campaign by disingenuously portraying his Democratic opponent as insufficiently pro Israel and as a weak supporter of Social Security Burton becomes increasingly disillusioned with Stanton who is a policy wonk who talks too long eats too much and is overly flirtatious toward women Stanton is also revealed to be insincere in his beliefs saying whatever will help him to win Matters finally come to a head and Burton is forced to choose between idealism and realism 4 Identity of the author editAn early reviewer opined that the author wished to remain unknown because Anonymity makes truthfulness much easier 4 Later commentators called the publishing of the book under an anonymous identity an effective marketing strategy that produced more publicity for the book and thus more sales without calling into question the author s actual inside knowledge 2 External videos nbsp Primary Colors Author Announcement with Joe Klein and Random House publisher Harold Evans July 17 1996 C SPANSeveral people including former Clinton speechwriter David Kusnet believed the style of writing had similarities to that of Klein This was also supported by a quantitative stylometric analysis of the book by Vassar professor Donald Foster 5 Klein initially denied writing the book and publicly condemned Foster 6 7 Klein denied authorship again in Newsweek speculating that another writer wrote it Washington Post Style editor David Von Drehle in an interview asked Klein if he was willing to stake his journalistic credibility on his denial to which Klein agreed 8 In July 1996 after The Washington Post published the results of a handwriting analysis of notes made on an early manuscript of the book Klein finally admitted that he was the author 9 Reception editThe New York Daily News described the book as a farce and praised it as funny truthful and as containing uncannily accurate portraits of its thinly disguised characters 4 The book was 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list for fiction for nine weeks in 1996 10 Fictional characters and believed real life inspirations editJack Stanton southern governor Bill Clinton 1 Susan Stanton his wife Hillary Clinton 1 Henry Burton campaign manager George Stephanopoulos 1 Richard Jemmons campaign strategist James Carville 11 Daisy Green campaign media adviser Mandy Grunwald 12 or Dee Dee Myers 13 Howard Ferguson III campaign chief Harold Ickes Jr 14 Orlando Ozio New York governor Mario Cuomo 4 Jimmy Ozio his son Andrew Cuomo 15 Charlie Martin U S senator Bob Kerrey 16 Lawrence Harris former senator Paul Tsongas 17 Bart Nilson U S senator Tom Harkin 18 Freddy Picker former Florida Governor Jerry Brown Reubin Askew Harold Hughes Ross Perot 19 Richmond Rucker NYC Mayor David Dinkins 20 Luther Charles minister Jesse Jackson 21 Cashmere McLeod suspected lover of Jack Stanton Gennifer Flowers 1 Lucille Kauffman adviser to Susan Stanton Susan Thomases 1 Libby Holden campaign chief of staff Betsey Wright 1 11 Vince Foster 22 Related film editThe War Room a documentary of Clinton s 1992 campaign Primary Colors film a 1998 adaptation of the novel See also edit nbsp Novels portalPolitics in fictionReferences edit a b c d e f g Walter Shapiro January 29 1996 Author Author CNN All Politics Time CNN Retrieved January 20 2011 a b Eliza Larson January 11 2011 Who Wrote O New Anonymous Novel Pictures Barack Obama s 2012 Presidential Campaign ABC News Retrieved January 20 2011 Primary Colors Author Joe Klein Talks About Political Truth and Fiction Crossfire CNN transcripts CNN May 2 2000 Retrieved January 20 2011 a b c d Michael Aronson January 22 1996 Politics Makes Funny Bedfellows New York Daily News Author Unknown by Gavin McNett Salon November 2 2000 Jamie Allen December 6 2000 Don Foster enlightens readers with Author Unknown CNN Archived from the original on June 9 2009 Retrieved January 20 2011 Mullan John January 12 2008 The great unknown The Guardian London Archived from the original on January 13 2008 Retrieved May 22 2010 Tod Lindberg July 29 1996 The Media s True Colors The Weekly Standard Doreen Carvajal July 18 1996 Columnist s Mea Culpa I m Anonymous The New York Times Retrieved January 20 2011 Up Front Joe Klein The New York Times 2009 09 25 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2019 01 29 a b Rupert Cornwell February 16 1996 Here s to you Mr President The Independent London Retrieved January 22 2011 Sherryl Connelly with Karen Ball January 22 1996 Roman A Clinton Of Primary Interest In D C Who Knew The White House Well Enough To Paint Its Colors Vividly In A Juicy New Novel New York Daily News Retrieved January 20 2011 permanent dead link Philip Potempa March 6 2008 Former Clinton female press rep Dee Dee Myers in Chicago with new memoir nwi com Retrieved January 21 2011 Michael Lewis September 21 1997 Bill Clinton s Garbage Man The New York Times Retrieved January 21 2011 Lizette Alvarex January 4 1998 It s Andrew Cuomo s Turn at Bat The New York Times Retrieved January 21 2011 Erik Tarloff April 23 2000 Loyalty Decency Compassion Love There s none of that stuff in the Washington of Joe Klein s new novel The New York Times Retrieved January 21 2011 Michiko Kakutani January 19 1996 Books of the Times A Roman a Clef to Recent Politics The New York Times Retrieved January 21 2011 Political intrigue served with literary success Boston Globe March 17 1996 Lisa Schwarzbaum March 27 1998 Primary Colors Reviewed EW com Retrieved January 22 2011 Todd S Burdum February 1 1996 The Author Could Not Be Reached for Comment The New York Times Retrieved January 21 2011 Richard K Thompson April 1996 Primary Colors A Nover of Politics Contemporary Review Retrieved January 25 2011 Gray gobbledygook Arizona Daily Star March 23 1998 External links editRandom House Book website and excerpt Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Primary Colors novel amp oldid 1194427346, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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