Informationen zum Autor James T. Schleifer is emeritus dean of the library and professor of history at the College of New Rochelle and has been a visiting lecturer at Yale University and the University of Paris. He is the author of the award-winning book The Making of Tocqueville's "Democracy in America"; coeditor of De la Democratie en Amerique! a critical edition in the Pleiade series; and translator of the four-volume historical-critical edition of De la Democratie en Amerique edited by Eduardo Nolla. Klappentext One of the greatest books ever to be written on the United States! "Democracy in America" continues to find new readers who marvel at the lasting insights Alexis de Tocqueville had into our nation and its political culture. This book is written expressly to help general readers and students alike get the most out of this seminal work. Zusammenfassung One of the greatest books ever to be written on the United States! "Democracy in America" continues to find new readers who marvel at the lasting insights Alexis de Tocqueville had into our nation and its political culture. This book is written expressly to help general readers and students alike get the most out of this seminal work.

Klappentext

One of the greatest books ever to be written on the United States, "Democracy in America" continues to find new readers who marvel at the lasting insights Alexis de Tocqueville had into our nation and its political culture. The work is, however, as challenging as it is important; its arguments can be complex and subtle, and its sheer length can make it difficult for any reader, especially one coming to it for the first time, to grasp Tocqueville's meaning. "The Chicago Companion to Tocqueville's "Democracy in America"" is the first book written expressly to help general readers and students alike to get the most out of this seminal work.Now James T. Schleifer, an expert on Tocqueville, has provided the background and information readers need in order to understand Tocqueville's masterwork. In clear and engaging prose, Schleifer explains why "Democracy in America" is so important, how it came to be written, and how different generations of Americans have interpreted it since its publication. He also presents indispensable insight on who Tocqueville was, his trip to America, and what he meant by "equality," "democracy," and "liberty."Drawing upon his intimate knowledge of Tocqueville's papers and manuscripts, Schleifer reveals how Tocqueville's ideas took shape and changed even in the course of writing the book. At the same time, Schleifer provides a detailed glossary of key terms and key passages, all accompanied by generous citations to the relevant pages in the University of Chicago Press Mansfield/Winthrop translation. The "Chicago Companion" will serve generations of readers as an essential guide to both the man and his work.