Book summary

This thinly-disguised roman a clef about a presidential campaign that is uncannily like the 1992 Clinton campaign.The story involves Governor Jack Stanton, a deft and ambitious politician, and his equally ambitious wife, Susan, who is aware of her husband's indiscretions but stands by him despite it all.

Media reviews

"It becomes clear very quickly that 'Primary Colors', the rollicking new satire by the coy, media-savvy author Anonymous, is loosely modeled on Robert Penn Warren's classic 'All the King's Men'. Once again, we are given the tale of a Southern politician's rise to power, narrated by one of his young disciples. Once again, we are asked to contemplate the moral compromises made in the world of politics. Anonymous, however, is no Robert Penn Warren. And Anonymous's Southern pol, Jack Stanton, is no Willie Stark; he's a cartoon version of Bill Clinton. And therein lies both the fascination and disappointment of this novel. To be sure, 'Primary Colors' gives the reader an entertaining, inside and often very funny look at the daily workings of a political campaign...But for all its humor and keenly observed descriptions, the novel appeals to our gossip radar rather than our literary instincts."