Democracy in America, Volume 1 - Paperback

by Alexis de Tocqueville (Author), Daniel J. Boorstin (Introduction by)

De Tocqueville's eloquent and exhaustive study of the political and social institutions of the United States, with a new introduction by Daniel Boorstin. 1990 celebrates the 150th anniversary of de Tocqueville's unique book.

Front Jacket

Out of Alex de Tocqueville's travels through the U.S. in the 1830's came an insightful study of a young democracy and its institutions. This 2 volume edition presents Tocqueville's original text. Footnotes, bibliography.

Author Biography

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) was a French politician and theorist. He wrote Democracy in America after visiting the United States during which he observed various elements of the prison system. He continued on to serve in the French parliament and also wrote many works, including The Old Regime and the Revolution.

Daniel J. Boorstin was the author of The Americans, a trilogy (The Colonial Experience, The National Experience, and The Democratic Experience) that won the Francis Parkman Prize, the Bancroft Prize, and the Pulitzer Prize. In 1989, he received the National Book Award for lifetime contribution to literature. He was the director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, and for twelve years served as the Librarian of Congress. He died in 2004.