Melissa Smith has done a remarkable job of reviewing and summarizing the role of outsiders in modern American presidential elections. Her rhetorical history technique looks at how these candidates, who were often on the fringes of establishment politics, gradually pushed for changes that altered how the public viewed political candidates and their issues. She gradually builds this rhetorical history into a comprehensive explanation for the success of Donald Trump and his outsider campaign. At first glance, some readers may be surprised at how such disparate candidates as Shirley Chisolm and Ross Perot contribute to this legacy, but Smith makes the connection well. It’s an impressive book that is well written and supported by in-depth research. The result is a remarkable study that every presidential scholar should examine.