Few figures in our history have had the wide-ranging influence of Ralph Nader. As a public figure Nader has brought about the passage of groundbreaking laws covering everything from auto safety to hazardous x-rays to affordable insurance. Untold numbers of lives have been saved through his efforts. But the private man is shrouded in mystery and secrecy. For this biography Justin Martin spoke with Nader along with more than 300 people, including close associates, old friends, and family. The result is a sweeping portrait, covering Nader's small-town Connecticut boyhood, his days at Harvard Law, the David-and-Goliath battle with GM that launched him into the spotlight, and colorful encounters with characters as varied as Albert Einstein, Gloria Steinem, Fidel Castro, Phil Donahue, Susan Sarandon, Upton Sinclair, and Al Gore. The climax of this extraordinary story is an astonishingly revealing insider's account of the 2000 election.