Age of Acrimony : How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915 by Jon Grinspan (2021, Hardcover)-image
Age of Acrimony : How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915 by Jon Grinspan (2021, Hardcover)-image
Age of Acrimony : How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915 by Jon Grinspan (2021, Hardcover)-image

Age of Acrimony : How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915 by Jon Grinspan (2021, Hardcover)

$ 12.9

Author: Jon Grinspan Dewey Edition: 23 Intended Audience: Trade Dewey Decimal: 303.48/40922 B Language: English gtin13: 9781635574623 Item Length: 8.2 in Genre: Political Science, Biography & Autobiography, History Item Height: 1.3 in Synopsis: A penetrating, character-filled history "in the manner of David McCullough" (WSJ), revealing the deep roots of our tormented present-day politics., A penetrating, character-filled history "in the manner of David McCullough" (WSJ), revealing the deep roots of our tormented present-day politics. Democracy was broken. Or that was what many Americans believed in the decades after the Civil War. Shaken by economic and technological disruption, they sought safety in aggressive, tribal partisanship. The results were the loudest, closest, most violent elections in U.S. history, driven by vibrant campaigns that drew our highest-ever voter turnouts. At the century's end, reformers finally restrained this wild system, trading away participation for civility in the process. They built a calmer, cleaner democracy, but also a more distant one. Americans' voting rates crashed and never fully recovered. This is the origin story of the "normal" politics of the 20th century. Only by exploring where that civility and restraint came from can we understand what is happening to our democracy today. The Age of Acrimony charts the rise and fall of 19th-century America's unruly politics through the lives of a remarkable father-daughter dynasty. The radical congressman William "Pig Iron" Kelley and his fiery, Progressive daughter Florence Kelley led lives packed with drama, intimately tied to their nation's politics. Through their friendships and feuds, campaigns and crusades, Will and Florie trace the narrative of a democracy in crisis. In telling the tale of what it cost to cool our republic, historian Jon Grinspan reveals our divisive political system's enduring capacity to reinvent itself. brand: Bloomsbury Publishing Number of Pages: 384 Pages LCCN: 2020-053954 Item Width: 7.9 in Format: Hardcover LC Classification Number: E661.G756 2021 Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Illustrator: Yes Reviews: "[A] period chronicled in vivid and loving detail . . . Plunges readers into a pulsating political culture long vanished" -- Wall Street Journal, on THE VIRGIN VOTE "An imaginative and suggestive study that places American political history in a broad social context." -- American Historical Review, on THE VIRGIN VOTE "As a study of the excitement and larger significance of political engagement in the [19th century], this is the most thoughtful and indeed the best book written in at least a generation. It is also quite a lot of fun." -- The Journal of the Civil War Era, on THE VIRGIN VOTE "Fascinating and timely . . . this important book makes clear that we need a modern version of the Wide Awake movement." -- Vox, on THE VIRGIN VOTE "In this energetic account of the rise and fall of youthful political engagement in the nineteenth century, Jon Grinspan embraces the narrative zeal of his subjects with his own fast-paced and exuberant writing style." -- Journal of Southern History, on THE VIRGIN VOTE, "American history is dominated by father-son duos, but in the archives Jon Grinspan saw the powerful story of a forgotten political dynasty: Congressman William Kelley and his daughter, influential labor activist Florence Kelley. We have so much to learn from this compelling account of a family and democracy in crisis, unearthed by Grinspan just in time." - Alexis Coe, New York Times-bestselling author of YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST: A Biography of George Washington "Jon Grinspan's dazzling The Age of Acrimony conjures for readers a swirling American panorama--the agitation of the bosses, cranks, crusaders, and legions of voters who fervently debated the direction of democracy. Tracing how the convulsive campaign culture of the Gilded Age gave way to a more managed, restrained politics, Grinspan deftly assesses what was gained and lost in this transition. In captivating prose, he offers insight into the abiding tension between campaigning and governing--and a timely reminder of the resilience of our political system." - Elizabeth R. Varon, Langbourne M. Williams Professor of American History, University of Virginia, and author of ARMIES OF DELIVERANCE "You might imagine that a book called The Age of Acrimony is about our politics right now. But the genius of Jon Grinspan's work is that he brings to life, with spirit and sensitivity, an earlier era of deep political engagement and division to help us understand, as he puts it, 'how we got that "normal" twentieth-century democracy to begin with.' This is a brilliantly researched, beautifully written, ground-level portrait of what politics felt like during a crucial era that is largely lost to us." - E.J. Dionne, author of OUR DIVIDED POLITICAL HEART and CODE RED "Jon Grinspan's account of a critical era of American politics is fresh, compelling, and important. His skillful narrative reveals the origins of conflicts that echo in our own time." - Edward L. Ayers, Tucker-Boatwright Professor of the Humanities, University of Richmond, and Lincoln Prize-winning author of THE THIN LIGHT OF FREEDOM " The Age of Acrimony arrives at the perfect moment, reminding Americans that we have survived political dysfunction before. Jon Grinspan is one of our most talented historians, with a great eye for detail. His book is clear-eyed about our peccadilloes, but also offers an uplifting message about our tendency to find our way back to democracy." - Ted Widmer, author of LINCOLN ON THE VERGE "Grinspan's engaging narrative takes us from the chaos of post-Civil War America to the progressive era, showing parallels to today. Come to this book for the history lessons, but you'll leave delighted by the remarkable story of William and Florence Kelley, the stars of this show." - Eitan Hersh, author of POLITICS IS FOR POWER and HACKING THE ELECTORATE, In this energetic account of the rise and fall of youthful political engagement in the nineteenth century, Jon Grinspan embraces the narrative zeal of his subjects with his own fast-paced and exuberant writing style., [A] period chronicled in vivid and loving detail . . . Plunges readers into a pulsating political culture long vanished, As a study of the excitement and larger significance of political engagement in the [19th century], this is the most thoughtful and indeed the best book written in at least a generation. It is also quite a lot of fun., Fascinating and timely . . . this important book makes clear that we need a modern version of the Wide Awake movement., "American history is dominated by father-son duos, but in the archives Jon Grinspan saw the powerful story of a forgotten political dynasty: Congressman William Kelley and his daughter, influential labor activist Florence Kelley. We have so much to learn from this compelling account of a family and democracy in crisis, unearthed by Grinspan just in time." -- Alexis Coe, New York Times-bestselling author of YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST: A Biography of George Washington "Jon Grinspan's dazzling The Age of Acrimony conjures for readers a swirling American panorama-the agitation of the bosses, cranks, crusaders, and legions of voters who fervently debated the direction of democracy. Tracing how the convulsive campaign culture of the Gilded Age gave way to a more managed, restrained politics, Grinspan deftly assesses what was gained and lost in this transition. In captivating prose, he offers insight into the abiding tension between campaigning and governing-and a timely reminder of the resilience of our political system." -- Elizabeth R. Varon, Langbourne M. Williams Professor of American History, University of Virginia, and author of ARMIES OF DELIVERANCE "You might imagine that a book called The Age of Acrimony is about our politics right now. But the genius of Jon Grinspan's work is that he brings to life, with spirit and sensitivity, an earlier era of deep political engagement and division to help us understand, as he puts it, 'how we got that "normal" twentieth-century democracy to begin with.' This is a brilliantly researched, beautifully written, ground-level portrait of what politics felt like during a crucial era that is largely lost to us." -- E.J. Dionne, author of OUR DIVIDED POLITICAL HEART and CODE RED "Jon Grinspan's account of a critical era of American politics is fresh, compelling, and important. His skillful narrative reveals the origins of conflicts that echo in our own time." -- Edward L. Ayers, Tucker-Boatwright Professor of the Humanities, University of Richmond, and Lincoln Prize-winning author of THE THIN LIGHT OF FREEDOM " The Age of Acrimony arrives at the perfect moment, reminding Americans that we have survived political dysfunction before. Jon Grinspan is one of our most talented historians, with a great eye for detail. His book is clear-eyed about our peccadilloes, but also offers an uplifting message about our tendency to find our way back to democracy." -- Ted Widmer, author of LINCOLN ON THE VERGE "Grinspan's engaging narrative takes us from the chaos of post-Civil War America to the progressive era, showing parallels to today. Come to this book for the history lessons, but you'll leave delighted by the remarkable story of William and Florence Kelley, the stars of this show." -- Eitan Hersh, author of POLITICS IS FOR POWER and HACKING THE ELECTORATE, An imaginative and suggestive study that places American political history in a broad social context., "American history is dominated by father-son duos, but in the archives Jon Grinspan saw the powerful story of a forgotten political dynasty: Congressman William Kelley and his daughter, influential labor activist Florence Kelley. We have so much to learn from this compelling account of a family and democracy in crisis, unearthed by Grinspan just in time." -- Alexis Coe, New York Times-bestselling author of YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST: A Biography of George Washington "Jon Grinspan's dazzling The Age of Acrimony conjures for readers a swirling American panorama-the agitation of the bosses, cranks, crusaders, and legions of voters who fervently debated the direction of democracy. Tracing how the convulsive campaign culture of the Gilded Age gave way to a more managed, restrained politics, Grinspan deftly assesses what was gained and lost in this transition. In captivating prose, he offers insight into the abiding tension between campaigning and governing-and a timely reminder of the resilience of our political system." -- Elizabeth R. Varon, Langbourne M. Williams Professor of American History, University of Virginia, and author of ARMIES OF DELIVERANCE "You might imagine that a book called The Age of Acrimony is about our politics right now. But the genius of Jon Grinspan's work is that he brings to life, with spirit and sensitivity, an earlier era of deep political engagement and division to help us understand, as he puts it, 'how we got that "normal" twentieth-century democracy to begin with.' This is a brilliantly researched, beautifully written, ground-level portrait of what politics felt like during a crucial era that is largely lost to us." -- E.J. Dionne, author of OUR DIVIDED POLITICAL HEART and CODE RED "Jon Grinspan's account of a critical era of American politics is fresh, compelling, and important. His skillful narrative reveals the origins of conflicts that echo in our own time." -- Edward L. Ayers, Tucker-Boatwright Professor of the Humanities, University of Richmond, and Lincoln Prize-winning author of THE THIN LIGHT OF FREEDOM " The Age of Acrimony arrives at the perfect moment, reminding Americans that we have survived political dysfunction before. Jon Grinspan is one of our most talented historians, with a great eye for detail. His book is clear-eyed about our peccadilloes, but also offers an uplifting message about our tendency to find our way back to democracy." -- Ted Widmer, author of LINCOLN ON THE VERGE "Grinspan's engaging narrative takes us from the chaos of post-Civil War America to the progressive era, showing parallels to today. Come to this book for the history lessons, but you'll leave delighted by the remarkable story of William and Florence Kelley, the stars of this show." -- Eitan Hersh, author of POLITICS IS FOR POWER and HACKING THE ELECTORATE "Think the present-day politics of hate and fear are bad? It's all child's play compared to the half-century following the Civil War . . . In a highly readable narrative, Grinspan also forges some unexpected connections . . . If today's political divisions are frightening, Grinspan's lucid history soothes by recounting when it was far worse." -- Kirkus Reviews "Today's political vitriol pales beside the 19th century's rabid partisanship as depicted in this raucous history of Gilded Age electioneering . . . Grinspan vividly recreates the period's tumults and personalities--he foregrounds the colorful father-daughter duo of Republican congressman William Kelley and Socialist activist Florence Kelley--while shrewdly analyzing its evolving culture of civic engagement, conveying it all in snappy, evocative prose. This immersive study shows how the form of politics profoundly shapes its content." - Publishers Weekly, "American history is dominated by father-son duos, but in the archives Jon Grinspan saw the powerful story of a forgotten political dynasty: Congressman William Kelley and his daughter, influential labor activist Florence Kelley. We have so much to learn from this compelling account of a family and democracy in crisis, unearthed by Grinspan just in time." -- Alexis Coe, New York Times-bestselling author of YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST: A Biography of George Washington "Jon Grinspan's dazzling The Age of Acrimony conjures for readers a swirling American panorama-the agitation of the bosses, cranks, crusaders, and legions of voters who fervently debated the direction of democracy. Tracing how the convulsive campaign culture of the Gilded Age gave way to a more managed, restrained politics, Grinspan deftly assesses what was gained and lost in this transition. In captivating prose, he offers insight into the abiding tension between campaigning and governing-and a timely reminder of the resilience of our political system." -- Elizabeth R. Varon, Langbourne M. Williams Professor of American History, University of Virginia, and author of ARMIES OF DELIVERANCE "You might imagine that a book called The Age of Acrimony is about our politics right now. But the genius of Jon Grinspan's work is that he brings to life, with spirit and sensitivity, an earlier era of deep political engagement and division to help us understand, as he puts it, 'how we got that "normal" twentieth-century democracy to begin with.' This is a brilliantly researched, beautifully written, ground-level portrait of what politics felt like during a crucial era that is largely lost to us." -- E.J. Dionne, author of OUR DIVIDED POLITICAL HEART and CODE RED "Jon Grinspan's account of a critical era of American politics is fresh, compelling, and important. His skillful narrative reveals the origins of conflicts that echo in our own time." -- Edward L. Ayers, Tucker-Boatwright Professor of the Humanities, University of Richmond, and Lincoln Prize-winning author of THE THIN LIGHT OF FREEDOM " The Age of Acrimony arrives at the perfect moment, reminding Americans that we have survived political dysfunction before. Jon Grinspan is one of our most talented historians, with a great eye for detail. His book is clear-eyed about our peccadilloes, but also offers an uplifting message about our tendency to find our way back to democracy." -- Ted Widmer, author of LINCOLN ON THE VERGE "Grinspan's engaging narrative takes us from the chaos of post-Civil War America to the progressive era, showing parallels to today. Come to this book for the history lessons, but you'll leave delighted by the remarkable story of William and Florence Kelley, the stars of this show." -- Eitan Hersh, author of POLITICS IS FOR POWER and HACKING THE ELECTORATE "Think the present-day politics of hate and fear are bad? It's all child's play compared to the half-century following the Civil War . . . In a highly readable narrative, Grinspan also forges some unexpected connections . . . If today's political divisions are frightening, Grinspan's lucid history soothes by recounting when it was far worse." -- Kirkus Reviews "Today's political vitriol pales beside the 19th century's rabid partisanship as depicted in this raucous history of Gilded Age electioneering . . . Grinspan vividly recreates the period's tumults and personalities-he foregrounds the colorful father-daughter duo of Republican congressman William Kelley and Socialist activist Florence Kelley-while shrewdly analyzing its evolving culture of civic engagement, conveying it all in snappy, evocative prose. This immersive study shows how the form of politics profoundly shapes its content." -- Publishers Weekly ISBN-10: 1635574625 ISBN-13: 9781635574623 Topic: Political Process / Campaigns & Elections, United States / 19th Century, Political, United States / General Publication Year: 2021 TitleLeading: The Book Title: Age of Acrimony : How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915 Item Weight: 25 oz

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The Age of Acrimony: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915 A penetrating, character-filled history “in the manner of David McCullough” (WSJ), revealing the deep roots of our tormented present-day politics. Democracy was broken. Or that was what many Americans believed in the decades after the Civil War. Shaken by economic and technological disruption, they sought safety in aggressive, tribal partisanship. The results were the loudest, closest, most violent elections in U.S. history, driven by vibrant campaigns that drew our highest-ever voter turnouts. At the century's end, reformers finally restrained this wild system, trading away participation for civility in the process. They built a calmer, cleaner democracy, but also a more distant one. Americans' voting rates crashed and never fully recovered. This is the origin story of the “normal” politics of the 20th century. Only by exploring where that civility and restraint came from can we understand what is happening to our democracy today. The Age of Acrimony charts the rise and fall of 19th-century America's unruly politics through the lives of a remarkable father-daughter dynasty. The radical congressman William “Pig Iron” Kelley and his fiery, Progressive daughter Florence Kelley led lives packed with drama, intimately tied to their nation's politics. Through their friendships and feuds, campaigns and crusades, Will and Florie trace the narrative of a democracy in crisis. In telling the tale of what it cost to cool our republic, historian Jon Grinspan reveals our divisive political system's enduring capacity to reinvent itself. Contact Us If you have any queries, please contact us via ebay. We usually respond within 24 hours on weekdays. Please visit our eBay store to check out other items for sale! Thank you for shopping at our store. We accept payment by any of the following methods: PayPal Please pay as soon as possible after winning an auction, as that will allow us to post your item to you sooner!

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