In this penetrating and provocative look at the American political scene, Britain's most famous political scientist, Anthony King, casts a friendly eye across the ocean to point out something we take for granted at our peril: we have more elections, more often, than any other country on the planet. There is no year in the United States - ever - when a major statewide election is not being held somewhere. More money, time and effort are devoted to American elections than to most countries' major industries.

As a result, American politicians are extraordinarily vulnerable. They single-mindedly worry about their electoral futures to the point of "hyperdemocracy": in essence, the American system is too democratic.

. Our term of office for members of the House is the shortest on Earth. We are virtually the only country where most incumbents regularly face primary challenges. Indeed, we are alone in having any direct primaries at all. In Running Scared, the history, causes and consequences of American hyperdemocracy are all examined in engaging detail.

But what to do? King makes a number of wise suggestions: lengthening terms, eliminating off-year elections, reducing primary challenges and, in general, adopting a division-of-labor democracy wherein the people evaluate a politician on overall performance instead of directing his every move. King appreciates America's many strengths - but he warns that until the subject of hyperdemocracy can be honestly faced, our deep political malaise will only continue.