Edward C. Blackorby tells the story of this engaging, outspoken son of the plains, from his early upbringing on Graham’s Island in north-central North Dakota to his role as a senior legislator in the U.S. Congress. Burdick’s political life reflected a series of crushing defeats and improbable resurrections, beginning first with his election to the state legislature in 1906 and losing the gubernatorial election in 1916. His second public career began in 1934 when he was endorsed by the Nonpartisan League and elected to the United States Congress where he served ten terms, 1935-1945 and 1949-1959. Through his own successes and failures, Usher Burdick played a significant role in North Dakota’s political history. Hardcover. 393 pages.
