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Nader: Crusader, Spoiler, Icon
Few figures in our history have had the wide-ranging influence of Ralph Nader. Deemed by Rolling Stone the "most dangerous man in America," Nader has had a profound impact on our society and government.As a public figure, Nader is virtually without parallel, playing a lead role on the national stage for nearly four decades. The consummate public advocate and the "U.S.'s toughest customer" (Time), Nader has brought about the passage of groundbreaking laws covering everything from auto safety to hazardous x-rays to affordable insurance. Untold numbers of lives have been saved through his efforts.But the private man is shrouded in mystery and secrecy. For this probing biography, the first since 1975, Justin Martin spoke with Nader along with more than 300 people, including close associates, old friends, and family. The result is a sweeping portrait, covering Nader's small-town Connecticut boyhood, his days at Harvard Law, the David-and-Goliath battle with GM that launched him into the spotlight, and colorful encounters with characters as varied as Albert Einstein, Gloria Steinem, Fidel Castro, Phil Donahue, Susan Sarandon, Upton Sinclair, and Al Gore. The climax of this extraordinary story is an astonishingly revealing insider's account of the 2000 election. Nader is the definitive life of a fascinating, controversial man of our time-a true American icon.A Merloyd Lawrence Book
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2002
2 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Justin Martin
9 books51 followersMy latest is A Fierce Glory, out in September (Da Capo Press). It's a group biography treatment of Antietam, the Civil War's pivotal battle, still America's single bloodiest day. The rich cast includes: Robert E. Lee, pioneering war photographer Alexander Gardner, and Jonathan Letterman, the father of battlefield medicine. Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation are woven into my account far more than in a typical military history of Antietam.
My specialty is American history, meticulously researched, but delivered in a narrative style that’s akin to fiction. My previous book was Rebel Souls: Walt Whitman and America’s First Bohemians (Da Capo, 2014) about a decadent and incredibly influential artists’ circle that hung out at Pfaff’s saloon in NYC during the 1850s. Among its members: a young Walt Whitman; Artemus Ward, America’s first standup comic; psychedelic drug pioneer Fitz Hugh Ludlow; and Adah Isaacs Menken, an actress notorious for her “"Naked Lady" act. Rebel Souls, chosen as the outstanding biography of 2014 by the Victoria Society, New York, and as a finalist for the Marfield Prize, was also picked as one of the best books of that year by both the Kansas City Star and Choice magazine.
Before that, I wrote Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted (Da Capo, 2011). Genius tells the story of one of the most important figures in the history of America. Olmsted was a fervent abolitionist, noted journalist, Civil War hero, early environmentalist, and the landscape architect behind New York's Central Park, Boston's Emerald Necklace, Stanford University, the Biltmore Estate and dozens of other green spaces around the U.S.
Other subjects have included Alan Greenspan and Ralph Nader. My Greenspan bio was selected as a notable book for 2001 by the New York Times Book Review. My Nader bio was a primary source for An Unreasonable Man, an Academy Award nominated documentary. I have also written a number of children's books for use in the classroom, everything from biographies to fractured fairy tales to titles designed to help young readers learn parts of speech. I'm a generalist. I love to write on varied subjects for both kids and adults.
I'm a 1987 graduate of Rice University in Houston, TX. I live with my wife and twin sons in Forest Hills Gardens, NY, a neighborhood designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr.
My specialty is American history, meticulously researched, but delivered in a narrative style that’s akin to fiction. My previous book was Rebel Souls: Walt Whitman and America’s First Bohemians (Da Capo, 2014) about a decadent and incredibly influential artists’ circle that hung out at Pfaff’s saloon in NYC during the 1850s. Among its members: a young Walt Whitman; Artemus Ward, America’s first standup comic; psychedelic drug pioneer Fitz Hugh Ludlow; and Adah Isaacs Menken, an actress notorious for her “"Naked Lady" act. Rebel Souls, chosen as the outstanding biography of 2014 by the Victoria Society, New York, and as a finalist for the Marfield Prize, was also picked as one of the best books of that year by both the Kansas City Star and Choice magazine.
Before that, I wrote Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted (Da Capo, 2011). Genius tells the story of one of the most important figures in the history of America. Olmsted was a fervent abolitionist, noted journalist, Civil War hero, early environmentalist, and the landscape architect behind New York's Central Park, Boston's Emerald Necklace, Stanford University, the Biltmore Estate and dozens of other green spaces around the U.S.
Other subjects have included Alan Greenspan and Ralph Nader. My Greenspan bio was selected as a notable book for 2001 by the New York Times Book Review. My Nader bio was a primary source for An Unreasonable Man, an Academy Award nominated documentary. I have also written a number of children's books for use in the classroom, everything from biographies to fractured fairy tales to titles designed to help young readers learn parts of speech. I'm a generalist. I love to write on varied subjects for both kids and adults.
I'm a 1987 graduate of Rice University in Houston, TX. I live with my wife and twin sons in Forest Hills Gardens, NY, a neighborhood designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 11, 2018
When I hear Nader's name, I think of his presidential campaigns. Mainly, in 2000, when many people blamed him for Gore losing Florida. I am not old enough to have known the Nader of the 60s and 70s, but, after reading about him, I am amazed at everything he has achieved.
Consumer rights advocate. This is commonly the word applied to Nader, but it fails to really encompass the issues he has been active in. Nader is a wonk. He loves diving into obscure issues that are dry and boring and then bringing them to light, often to the detriment of big business. He launched his career with a report that highlighted the pervasive dangerous design decisions being made by the automobile industry, especially the Chevy Corvair, before moving from obscure topic to obscure topic.
Raising awareness that consumers have a right to demand safety, inspiring a generation of young activists, starting organizations that carry on through today. Nader did all of these things—many times over—as the Washington outsider who worked well with the insiders and orchestrated the media coverage perfectly.
That is, until he didn't.
Perhaps times were changing. Perhaps Nader's intensity, lack of loyalty, and often brash manner finally lost it's charm. Perhaps he accomplished what was accomplishable. Whatever it way, Nader spectacularly fell from Washington's graces, and only cemented that downfall with his 2000 presidential run where many people felt that, not for him, Gore would have won Florida and the presidency (to be fair, I do not think you can blame Nader for this. There were many missteps on Gore's part and the correction of any one of them would have changed the outcome of the election).
This book was well-researched, well-written, and I greatly enjoyed it. Another great choice by my professor for my summer Social Justice class!
Consumer rights advocate. This is commonly the word applied to Nader, but it fails to really encompass the issues he has been active in. Nader is a wonk. He loves diving into obscure issues that are dry and boring and then bringing them to light, often to the detriment of big business. He launched his career with a report that highlighted the pervasive dangerous design decisions being made by the automobile industry, especially the Chevy Corvair, before moving from obscure topic to obscure topic.
Raising awareness that consumers have a right to demand safety, inspiring a generation of young activists, starting organizations that carry on through today. Nader did all of these things—many times over—as the Washington outsider who worked well with the insiders and orchestrated the media coverage perfectly.
That is, until he didn't.
Perhaps times were changing. Perhaps Nader's intensity, lack of loyalty, and often brash manner finally lost it's charm. Perhaps he accomplished what was accomplishable. Whatever it way, Nader spectacularly fell from Washington's graces, and only cemented that downfall with his 2000 presidential run where many people felt that, not for him, Gore would have won Florida and the presidency (to be fair, I do not think you can blame Nader for this. There were many missteps on Gore's part and the correction of any one of them would have changed the outcome of the election).
This book was well-researched, well-written, and I greatly enjoyed it. Another great choice by my professor for my summer Social Justice class!
April 19, 2023
As the book’s subtitle indicates Ralph Nader is an icon in the United States. And of course, what happens in the U.S. can extend across the globe – think of seatbelts.
Nader brought entirely new meaning to the word “consumer” – as in the rights of the consumer, protection of the consumer… Nader was in a constant fight against all corporations which he saw as anti-democratic; using their wealth and lawyers to trample over the rights of ordinary citizens.
During the 1960s Nader was working with the Democratic Party, when Lyndon Johnson was president, to make more consumer protection rights. He also advocated for more protection of whistle-blowers. Nader knew that it was disgruntled middle-management employees who could provide him with a wealth of knowledge about safety protocols that companies were ignoring – more so in the safety and health areas. He wanted more government oversight in the meat-packing industry. He spoke out against nuclear energy before it became a trend.
This is an excellent book describing the ups and downs of Ralph Nader’s long career. He made enemies, more so with people working with him and within the Democratic Party. As the author states he was likely expecting more results and inclusion with the Democrats, but due to his adversarial style he lost allies and made enemies.
Nader was thick-skinned and thought nothing of irritating friends or allies. He felt that his way was the only way and was not known to compromise. Little is known of his personal life. He kept everything private and was completely absorbed by his work, phoning for information or progress at all hours of the day or night. If you worked for Nader the salary would be low and the hours long. If one had a desire to be “loved” one should not work for Ralph Nader. To say he was dedicated to his career would be an understatement.
Nader ran for president in 1992, 1996, and again in 2000 when it could be said that Al Gore lost the presidency to George Bush due to thousands of votes Nader picked up in Florida. Gore lost Florida by less than one thousand votes.
Despite his self-righteousness, one must admire Ralph Nader and all he has accomplished. Corporations became frightened of his investigations. Nader had a mesmerizing ability to remember facts that he could summon at will before a Congressional panel. He made access to government information much more accessible by liberalizing the “Freedom of Information Act”. He instigated several consumer protection laws. Many other groups have now picked up the consumer torch.
Since the Reagan years, with the advent of deregulation and the lessening of government in the protection of citizens from large corporations, Nader’s consumer and anti-big business approach is even more relevant.
This book was published in 2002, so I do not know what Ralph Nader has been up to in the past twenty years.
Nader brought entirely new meaning to the word “consumer” – as in the rights of the consumer, protection of the consumer… Nader was in a constant fight against all corporations which he saw as anti-democratic; using their wealth and lawyers to trample over the rights of ordinary citizens.
During the 1960s Nader was working with the Democratic Party, when Lyndon Johnson was president, to make more consumer protection rights. He also advocated for more protection of whistle-blowers. Nader knew that it was disgruntled middle-management employees who could provide him with a wealth of knowledge about safety protocols that companies were ignoring – more so in the safety and health areas. He wanted more government oversight in the meat-packing industry. He spoke out against nuclear energy before it became a trend.
This is an excellent book describing the ups and downs of Ralph Nader’s long career. He made enemies, more so with people working with him and within the Democratic Party. As the author states he was likely expecting more results and inclusion with the Democrats, but due to his adversarial style he lost allies and made enemies.
Nader was thick-skinned and thought nothing of irritating friends or allies. He felt that his way was the only way and was not known to compromise. Little is known of his personal life. He kept everything private and was completely absorbed by his work, phoning for information or progress at all hours of the day or night. If you worked for Nader the salary would be low and the hours long. If one had a desire to be “loved” one should not work for Ralph Nader. To say he was dedicated to his career would be an understatement.
Nader ran for president in 1992, 1996, and again in 2000 when it could be said that Al Gore lost the presidency to George Bush due to thousands of votes Nader picked up in Florida. Gore lost Florida by less than one thousand votes.
Despite his self-righteousness, one must admire Ralph Nader and all he has accomplished. Corporations became frightened of his investigations. Nader had a mesmerizing ability to remember facts that he could summon at will before a Congressional panel. He made access to government information much more accessible by liberalizing the “Freedom of Information Act”. He instigated several consumer protection laws. Many other groups have now picked up the consumer torch.
Since the Reagan years, with the advent of deregulation and the lessening of government in the protection of citizens from large corporations, Nader’s consumer and anti-big business approach is even more relevant.
This book was published in 2002, so I do not know what Ralph Nader has been up to in the past twenty years.
March 20, 2017
This is an adequate biography of Ralph Nader. I didn't know much more about him than a vague idea of "consumerism" and his role as 2000 election spoiler. You get a pretty good look into what makes Nader tick and how he managed such success while he got under basically everyone's skin. I think, like many extremely driven people, his life story is honestly just not super compelling. He set out to do something and then just did the shit out of it with superhuman focus. It's the stuff of great magazine profiles, not so much long form biographies.
December 28, 2007
The personal and professional life of Ralph Nader, one of America's most controversial consumer advocates and political activists, is the subject of this biography. Nader's willingness to take on big industry earned him a reputation as both a working-class hero and a public pariah. Interviews and letters help illuminate this in-depth profile of one of the most influential political figures in modern history.
August 4, 2011
I've always been weirdly drawn to Nader as a character. His ability to multi-task on projects that actually mean something astounds me. That said, you're not going to read about him climbing mountains or fighting bears. He's had a fairly reserved existence behind massive stacks of papers, but his unwavering monotone lifestyle is intriguing enough to keep reading, even if you're merely wondering how the hell he could live that way.
October 11, 2007
Any decently written book about this man will be interesting. Ralph Nader is a fascinating person.
October 19, 2008
I'm not usually a big biography kind of guy, but I enjoyed this one.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews