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A review by anna_catherman
Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville
4.0
I borrowed Democracy in America on a whim back in May...yeah, I know, not the kind of book one usually borrows "just because". But I loved the bits and pieces of Tocqueville's writing I read in high school, and once I got it in my hands and began reading, I became determined to read this tome. And I did. And it was excellent.
Democracy in America is an old book. Some of the ideas are dated, yes - but a surprising amount of Tocqueville's writing still feels fresh and relevant. It's got elegant prose, deep ideas, and some rather striking points. I can't say I'd recommend unequivocally because there's a lot of readers out there who just would never pick up a 900+ page, 150+ year old political volume...but if you're reading this review debating whether or not to read, you probably should. It's well-worth the time. If you can't bring yourself to read such a long book, try an abridgment, as Tocqueville is quite repetitive. I'm glad I've read the entire thing, but I can definitely say that next time I read, I'll be picking up an abridgment and seeing how it compares with the original.
Democracy in America is an old book. Some of the ideas are dated, yes - but a surprising amount of Tocqueville's writing still feels fresh and relevant. It's got elegant prose, deep ideas, and some rather striking points. I can't say I'd recommend unequivocally because there's a lot of readers out there who just would never pick up a 900+ page, 150+ year old political volume...but if you're reading this review debating whether or not to read, you probably should. It's well-worth the time. If you can't bring yourself to read such a long book, try an abridgment, as Tocqueville is quite repetitive. I'm glad I've read the entire thing, but I can definitely say that next time I read, I'll be picking up an abridgment and seeing how it compares with the original.