Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America
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“Accessible and engaging.” — Boston Globe
“A vital history of America's ongoing struggle, from its founding to live up to its ideals. Both a source of hope and a call to action.” — Jane Mayer, author of Dark Money
Heather Cox Richardson, the historian and creator of the popular daily newsletter LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN, delivers a crucial narrative in Democracy Awakening, unveiling how America, once a beacon of democracy, now stands on the verge of autocracy—and suggesting ways to reverse this course.
Amid the 2019 impeachment crisis, Richardson initiated a daily Facebook essay offering historical context to the deluge of news. Evolving into a newsletter, it garnered over 2 million dedicated readers who rely on her straightforward and informed perspective on current and historical events in America.
Democracy Awakening weaves a compelling and original narrative, elucidating how a select group of affluent individuals, over the decades, waged war on American ideals. Through weaponizing language and propagating false history, they steered the nation towards authoritarianism, fostering a disenchanted population while promising a restoration of an imagined past where people could regain significance. Richardson asserts that reclaiming our country begins with recalling the true history elements upheld by marginalized Americans, providing a roadmap for the nation's future.
Richardson's talent lies in transforming the vast and confusing news feed into a coherent story, highlighting what deserves attention, establishing precedents, and envisioning potential paths forward. With her trademark calm prose, she realistically and optimistically discusses the future of democracy. Her historical mastery allows her to seamlessly pivot from the Founders to Reconstruction, Goldwater, and Mitch McConnell, emphasizing the political legacies of the New Deal, fears of socialism, the demise of the liberal consensus, and the rise of “movement conservatism.”
While many books detail events of the last five years, Democracy Awakening explores how we reached this precarious point, unveils our true historical identity, and outlines a potential future for democracy.
