Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America (Unabridged)
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4.5 • 100 Ratings
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
A New York Times Bestseller
A vital and urgent call to action about the precarious state of American democracy, charting its historical challenges and current threats, from one of our era’s most important and insightful historians.
“Magisterial.” –The Washington Post
“An excellent primer for anyone who needs the important facts of the last 150 years of American history–and how they got us to the sorry place we inhabit today.” –Guardian
At a time when the very foundations of democracy seem under threat, the lessons of the past offer a roadmap for navigating a moment of political crisis. In Democracy Awakening, acclaimed historian Heather Cox Richardson delves into the tumultuous journey of American democracy, revealing how the roots of Donald Trump’s “authoritarian experiment” can be traced back through the earliest days of the republic. She examines the historical forces that have led to the current political climate, showing how modern conservatism has preyed upon a disaffected population, weaponizing language and promoting false history to consolidate power.
With remarkable clarity and the same accessible voice that brings millions of readers to her newsletter, Letters from an American, Richardson wrangles a chaotic news feed into a coherent story that singles out what we should pay attention to and what possible paths lie ahead. Her command of history and trademark plainspoken prose allow her to pivot effortlessly from the Founders to the abolitionists to Reconstruction to Nixon to the January 6 insurrection, highlighting the political legacies of the New Deal, the lingering fears of socialism, the death of the liberal consensus, and the birth of “movement conservatism.”
An essential read for anyone concerned about the state of America, Democracy Awakening is more than a history book; it’s a call to action. Richardson reminds us that democracy is not a static institution but a living, evolving process that requires constant vigilance and participation from all of us. This powerful testament to the resilience of democratic ideals shows how we, as a nation, can take the lessons of the past to address today’s challenges and secure a more just and equitable future.
Customer Reviews
Essential read (or listen)
As a former career military officer who swore allegiance to our Constitution, not a President (or any former occupant of the office) this is a wonderful exploration of how our national experience across the 200+ short years since our founding are foundational to the division we suffer now. To those who reject the current bifurcation as between Democracy and a populist desire to establish a Fascist autocracy in its stead, they are sadly ill informed and need to read this very FACT DRIVEN tome.
The parallels from history to our current divisive state are stark and relevant. “Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.” Edmund Burke.
The radicals we watch in our media now - both left & right need to read/listen to this treatise.
These Truths are Self-Evident
Although a quick read/listen, this may be one of the most lucid, thought-provoking introspections on the state of Democracy ever written or recorded. History is the best teacher, and when the people within a Democracy—those who run it with their votes—choose to obfuscate and ignore History, they are in imminent danger of finding out what authoritarianism feels like.
A straight a line as possible
When it comes to interpreting history, a straight line from the past to the present is impossible. However, this book draws as straight line as is possible while presenting irrefutable facts.
It is also one of the most historically accessible reviews of history that I have ever read.
Finally, the book relevancy to our current situation is compelling and profound. I highly recommend it.
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