Marion A. Ellis

From his efforts to improve public education and race relations in North Carolina to his success in transforming Duke into one of the top universities in the country, Terry Sanford left an indelible impact upon both the North Carolina and the nation. In this book, Howard Covington and Marion Ellis provide a sympathetic account of Sanford’s life. Using an impressive array of sources, including Sanford’s papers and interviews with Sanford and dozens of other figures, the authors chronicle his life and times, from his childhood in Laurinburg to his years as governor, university president, and United States senator.

Yet this is more than just a biography of a great public servant. In seeking to explain Sanford’s achievement, Covington and Ellis provide the context of his life and career. Their subject occasionally recedes into the background as they navigate state politics or describe the issues Sanford faced as president of Duke University. The breadth of understanding they provide is impressive, and makes the book a valuable resource not just for understanding Sanford but the many areas he effected in his lifetime.… (meer)