How did the 1968 American political conventions serve as a microcosm for the fracturing of the American social and political consensus? Norman Mailer, a prominent novelist and practitioner of New Journalism, utilizes his observational skills to document the Republican convention in Miami and the Democratic convention in Chicago. He argues that these events were not merely political gatherings but theatrical displays of a nation in the throes of a profound identity crisis, marked by civil unrest and institutional instability.

Critics and historians frequently cite this work as a seminal example of New Journalism, noting its stylistic intensity and subjective narrative voice. Scholars often highlight the book's value as a primary source for understanding the cultural atmosphere of 1968, despite its departure from traditional, neutral historical reporting.