"The power struggle between Claude Pepper and Ed Ball in the mid-twentieth century in large part determined the future of Florida. This lively account of their interlocking careers - both dominated by a personal quest for power, money, and purpose - illuminates the historical role of these two forceful personalities.".

"Ed Ball, brother-in-law of Alfred I. duPont and trustee of the duPont empire, was at one time the single most powerful businessman in the state. Claude Pepper, a senior U.S. senator, was the state's heir to the liberal legacy of New Deal politics. By mid-century, the duPont-Ball empire controlled a major part of the Florida business and political establishment - but not Claude Pepper.".

"With a strange blend of principled behavior and personal ambition, the men personified the ambiguous nature of politics. Ed Ball adamantly upheld what he viewed as his property rights; Pepper unabashedly sought political power. Until now, only bits and pieces of their dynamic clash have been told. The two figures still are fresh in the minds of many Floridians, and this story will be welcomed by historians, political scientists, and general readers alike."--BOOK JACKET.