iUniverse Announces the Release of Jim Bendat's Democracy’s Big Day

Jim Bendat’s clever, concise, and humorous take on the quirky and curious history behind every presidential Inauguration, from George Washington in 1789 to the present. Written by a highly sought-after expert on the rituals, traditions, and lore of presidential inaugurations, Democracy’s Big Day: The Inauguration of Our President 1789-2009 is that rare gem of a history book that informs and entertains readers with the fascinating anecdotes that can truly happen only in real life.

New York, NY, March 15, 2008 --(PR.com)-- The third edition of Jim Bendat’s classic book on presidential inaugurations, Democracy’s Big Day: The Inauguration of Our President 1789-2009 stands out as the authority on an event that represents the most important transition of power in the modern Western world. Filled with rich history and fascinating tidbits of presidential trivia, Democracy’s Big Day highlights many of the great stories from each presidential inauguration since George Washington became our country’s first commander-in-chief in 1789. From Ulysses S. Grant’s inauguration ball where canaries were supposed to merrily chirp away for the guests, to the swearing-in of Calvin Coolidge by his own father, to Chief Justice Taft’s error in administrating the presidential oath to Hebert Hoover, to John F. Kennedy’s stirring Inaugural address, Democracy’s Big Day uncovers the most moving and unexpected moments from this important day in our country’s history.

Instead of using a chronological timeline to tell these compelling stories, Bendat groups his narrative into lively and fact-filled descriptions of each different component of Inauguration Day. In a detailed yet engrossing manner, the author paints a riveting picture of an event that has transformed over the past 300 years into a vital part of American history. Beginning with the morning ritual of coffee between the outgoing President and his successor, and ending with the glamour and excitement of the Inaugural Ball, Bendat provides just the right amount of insider detail to fascinate any reader. Opening a window onto a little-understood ceremony, Democracy’s Big Day describes the reasons behind the swearing-in process and the bitter battles that were often played out on this day, well after the elections were over. With the perfect blend of historical fact and humorous anecdotes, Democracy’s Big Day reflects on the pomp, circumstance, and at times absurdity of the biggest celebration in the presidential office.

Moving at a fast-paced clip, Democracy’s Big Day is the definitive guide to America’s presidential inaugurations. Instead of a dry history text on the topic, author Jim Bendat has written in a style one major news organization described as the perfect blend of “the historical and hysterical.” A classic in its own right, Democracy’s Big Day will surely be a bestseller as we move towards our next Presidential inauguration in 2009.

There are few events in the world that symbolize the essence of democracy more than the inauguration of a United States president. It stands as one of the few events in world politics that has remained essentially unchanged. In Democracy’s Big Day, Jim Bendat paints a vivid picture of not only the process, but also of the traditions, quirks, and unusual events connected with this two-century-old institution. – From the foreword by Steve Futterman, CBS News.

Due to its editorial quality and commercial success, this title was selected into the coveted iUniverse Star Program. To become eligible for consideration into the Star Program, authors must first receive Editor’s Choice and Reader’s Choice designations and sell at least 500 copies, half of which must be sold through online or brick-and-mortar retailers. The program is designed to help the most successful iUniverse authors level the playing field in the marketplace through a number of benefits, such as industry-standard discounts, bookstore return ability, and a formal presentation to major retailers, including Barnes & Noble, for in-store placement.

About the Author
Jim Bendat has been interviewed as an inauguration historian by major network news programs and print organizations in the United States since the publication of his first book in 2000. Since 1972, he has written a series of op-eds and feature articles for newspapers including the Los Angeles Times, the New Republic, and the Chicago Tribune. Mr. Bendat has been a lawyer with the Los Angeles County Public Defenders Office since 1978. He attended the last two Inaugurations in Washington, D.C. and plans to attend the next one in January, 2009.

About iUniverse

iUniverse offers a variety of publishing services to help individuals publish, market and sell fiction, poetry and nonfiction books. The company utilizes print-on-demand technology, and is one of the largest self-publishing companies in the United States, publishing more than 5,000 new titles each year. The iUniverse management team has extensive editorial and managerial experience with traditional publishers such as HarperCollins, Putnam, Simon & Schuster and Holtzbrinck. iUniverse partners with industry leading author organizations, including the Authors Guild, the Harlem Writers Guild and the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) to bring innovative programs to their members. iUniverse has strategic alliances with Barnes & Noble, Inc. in the U.S. and Chapters Indigo in Canada and has offices in New York, Shanghai and Lincoln, Neb. For more information, please visit www.iuniverse.com or call 1-800-AUTHORS.

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