Caesar, Busch, and Pitney continue the same effective style as their earlier After Hope and Change. The work concludes with what for some may be frightening words: ‘[a]nd if anything in politics is certain, it is that victory breeds imitation.’ Whatever one’s preferred electoral outcome might have been, certainly few if any of us want to take that ride again. Defying the Odds is a clear, concise, yet comprehensive retelling of the key events of the 2016 campaign. Once again, with limited use of political science jargon, Caesar and his coauthors make clear the lessons scholars and casual observers alike can draw from the events of the 2016 presidential election. As was the case with their earlier volume, the authors have provided an excellent accompaniment to texts for courses in campaigns and elections, the presidency, or recent political history. Defying the Odds will perhaps be more valuable as a contribution in these fields as time passes, the events are less raw, and we can place them in the context of the passage of time. Summing Up: Highly recommended.

Choice Reviews

The series has been popular with political scientists teaching courses on American elections, and with good reason. Ceaser, Busch, and Pitney are astute election analysts, knowledgeable about American history, institutions, and principles. They write clear prose, with due attention to both trees and forest.... Meanwhile, our wild ride continues, and Ceaser, Busch, and Pitney give one of the best accounts of the track just behind us.

Public Discourse

Defying the Oddsis possibly the first meaningful “deep dive” into Donald Trump’s seemingly inexplicable triumph. It is sophisticated yet accessible and informative while remaining richly entertaining.

American Review of Politics

“No presidential election in the last 25 years has produced such a surprising result as Donald Trump's victory in 2016. In Defying the Odds, James Ceaser, Andrew Busch, and John Pitney, explain how this seemingly impossible thing happened, and what it means for America and the future.”

Michael Barone, American Enterprise Institute and The Washington Examiner

“Defying the Odds features terrific analysis of one of the most improbable presidential elections in our nation's history. Casting a wide investigative net, the authors ably depict the many influences behind the 2016 triumph of billionaire outsider Donald Trump and the Republicans. It’s a book teeming with original insights about a huge turning point in US politics.”

Steven E. Schier, Congdon Professor Emeritus, Carleton College

“Ceaser, Busch, and Pitney Jr. have done it again. Like their earlier campaign chronicles, Defying the Odds is a lively, scholarly analysis that makes sense out of the latest elections. The 2016 elections may have confounded the pundits and pollsters, but these scholars explain what happened and why with clarity and admirable detachment.”

Mark J. Rozell, George Mason University, author; The New Politics of the Old South: An Introduction to Southern Politics, Sixth Edition