Pat Robertson: An American Life
A vitally important and fascinating account of one of the most influential figures in America. (Alan Wolfe, Director of the Boisi Center for Religion & American Public Life at Boston College)David John Marley provides a valuable analysis of one of the leading figures of the Christian Right. Marley shows the diverse elements of Pat Robertson’s financial, educational, and political efforts, telling a fascinating story of one of the most colorful characters in recent American history. (Clyde Wilcox, professor of government, Georgetown University)According to American mythology, anyone can be president of the United States. David John Marley's biography of Pat Robertson shows that equally mythological may be the idea that anyone can run for president. As unexpected and remarkable as Pat Robertson's quest for the highest political office in the United States was, in Marley's capable hands it is a story crammed with insights about the peculiar mix of faith, politics, and business enterprise that characterizes the Religious Right. (D. G. Hart, Director for Partnered Programs, Intercollegiate Studies Institute)David John Marley's book reflects impressive research as well as the author's deep understanding of conservative Protestantism. It is simply the best study of Pat Robertson's career as a national figure, especially his finances, his theological twists and turns, and his relations with Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and both Bushes. (Leo Ribuffo, author ofThe Old Christian Right: The Protestant Far Right from the Great Depression to the Cold War)Marley has written a solid and well-researched biography of one of America's most controversial voices, Christian Coalition founder and former presidential candidate Pat Robertson....Fascinating and often engaging. (Library Journal)Interesting and balanced coverage.... Marley has produced a fascinating study of a very powerful man and a dangerous man...Pat Robertsonis a valuable study for anyone interested in the ability of one person to make a difference, the role of the Christian Right in AMerican politics and culture, the use of financial support to protect business interests abroad, and the development of the Christian Right as an extension of the Republican Party in the 1980s. (H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online)Marley has done a fine job of researching the life of a major religious figure and showing the ways Robertson has striven to blur boundaries in all his areas of influence. (Journal Of Southern Religion)The timing is right for a biography such as this, and I suspect that Marley's analysis will be the first of several such works that explain the important role Evangelical leaders have played in setting the course of political and social discourse for the twenty-first century. (Pneuma 32)This book evidences good research and a readable narrative style....A useful update to our understanding of an important—but underestimated—figure in recent American religion and culture. (Church History)