Alexis de Tocqueville
Democracy’s Guide
“Epstein is America’s leading essayist.” —Wall Street Journal
Alexis de Tocqueville, only twenty-five at the time of his arrival in the United States, proved to be a keen and brilliant observer: His brief sojourn in our then-new civilization resulted in the masterpiece Democracy in America and his writings on a broad range of subjects—from religion to criminal justice—remain startlingly relevant today.
Joseph Epstein, one of America’s most distinguished men of letters, draws on his easy familiarity with two centuries of English and American history and literature to give us an insightful biography of Tocqueville, tracing not only his life, but also the development of his extraordinary prescience.
“A cogent and satisfying primer on the mind of the perspicacious Gallic theorist who discerned a new form of government in America.” —Kirkus Reviews