The Book that "Ruined" My Life

My Abuelito (Grandpa) Eduardo was a teacher - - a dedicated one. As a teacher of Spanish, he owned many Spanish literature books. In fact, at his home, the spare bedroom contained a bookshelf. Yeah, a bookshelf that spanned the length of one side of the room and all the way to the ceiling. While most of the massive monument to literature were books in Spanish and High School level plus, there was a lower corner area with elementary school level books, both Spanish ones and English. My first teachings in Spanish came from there. That was cool, but there was something bigger waiting for me.

In a section with a typical Atlas of the World, and some neat American History and Science book sets filled with pictures, there was one other book. The book that "ruined" my life. It was the Historical Atlas of US Presidential Elections from CQ Press.

I must have been nine or ten, when I picked it up. In it was the results of every US Presidential election from Washington's First till 1972. It would show a map of the states, colored with the electoral vote count shaded for each, and the total electoral votes per candidate. In the back of the book was the popular vote count of everyone who ran that year. Whoa! So many candidates! (There have never been only two candidates for President in our History)

What fascinated me most was watching how in different election cycles, the same states, with essentially the same populations from four years ago, could change their preferences. By looking at the popular vote totals, I could see even in states where the same party won, they would win with different percentages from the last time. That began my near obsession with finding out what made people change their minds. History and Political History were on my plate - Geography too (I LOVE MAPS) I spent hours poring over them.

Today, you can find such information on David Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. It can take you down to the county level. Check out your state or county and get all the info on Presidential, Senate, Congressional, and Gubernatorial races around the USA. A big "Thank You!" to mis Abuelos.

This kind of knowledge is empowering. It de-mystifies some aspects of electioneering. It still fascinates me.

If you learn history, you learn the future. - - Steve Cabiedes circa 2013 to my son, Joseph