FromhistorianandauthorofthepopulardailynewsletterLETTERSFROMANAMERICAN,avitalnarrativethatexplainshowAmerica,onceabeaconofdemocracy,nowteetersonthebrinkofautocracy--andhowwecanturnback.Inthemidstoftheimpeachmentcrisisof2019,HeatherCoxRichardsonlaunchedadailyFacebookessayprovidingthehistoricalbackgroundofthedailytorrentofnews.Theessayssoonturnedintoanewsletterand,spreadbywordofmouth,itsreadershipballoonedtomorethan2milliondedicatedreaderswhorelyonitsplainspokenandinformedtakeonthepresentandpastinAmerica.InDemocracyAwakening,Richardsoncraftsacompellingandoriginalnarrative,explaininghow,overthedecades,asmallgroupofwealthypeoplehavemadewaronAmericanideals.Byweaponizinglanguageandpromotingfalsehistorytheyhaveledusintoauthoritarianism--creatingadisaffectedpopulationandthenpromisingtorecreateanimaginedpastwherethosepeoplecouldfeelimportantagain.Shearguesthattakingourcountrybackstartsbyrememberingtheelementsofthenation’struehistorythatmarginalizedAmericanshavealwaysupheld.Theirdedicationtotheprinciplesonwhichthisnationwasfoundedhasenabledustorenewandexpandourcommitmenttodemocracyinthepast.Richardsonseesthishistoryasaroadmapforthenation’sfuture.Richardson’suniquetalentistowrangleourgiant,meandering,confusingnewsfeedintoacoherentstorythatsinglesoutwhatweshouldpayattentionto,whatthehistoricalrootsandprecedentsare,andwhatpossiblepathslieahead.Writinginhertrademarkcalmprose,shemanagestobebothrealisticandoptimisticaboutthefutureofdemocracy.Richardson’seasycommandofhistoryallowshertopivoteffortlesslyfromtheFounderstotheabolitioniststoReconstructiontoGoldwatertoMitchMcConnell,highlightingthepoliticallegaciesoftheNewDeal,thelingeringfearsofsocialism,thedeathoftheliberalconsensusandbirthof“movementconservatism.“Therearemanybooksthattelluswhathashappenedoverthelastfiveyears.DemocracyAwakeningexplainshowwegottothisperilouspoint,whatourhistoryreallytellsusaboutourselves,andwhatthefutureofdemocracycanbe.
