Joe McGinniss

Joe McGinniss (December 9, 1942 – March 10, 2014) was an American author best known for his non-fiction books, particularly The Selling of the President 1968 (1969) and Fatal Vision (1983).

The Selling of the President 1968 provided a behind-the-scenes look at the marketing strategies used to elect Richard Nixon, and is considered a seminal work of political journalism. It offered a critical examination of the packaging of a presidential candidate for television audiences.

Fatal Vision chronicled the case of Jeffrey MacDonald, a former Green Beret physician convicted of murdering his wife and two daughters. The book took a strong stance against MacDonald, arguing for his guilt. Its publication and subsequent legal battles brought McGinniss significant controversy and scrutiny, including a libel suit filed by MacDonald which resulted in a settlement.

Other notable works by McGinniss include Going to Extremes (1980), a humorous account of his time living in Alaska, and Blind Faith (1991), another true crime story that explored the murder of Maria Marshall. He also wrote about his experiences covering the 2008 presidential campaign in The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin (2011), a controversial biography of Sarah Palin.