This was written just one year into Trump’s first term, so while the authors were optimistic America would pull itself together before allowing democracy to crumble completely, they were prescient enough to offer two pointers to the future that sadly have not been heeded:

The opposition needed to unify with all elements of the non-authoritarians and had to abandon strict litmus tests of loyalty (eg Democrats would only welcome folk into their fold who accepted their anti-abortion and anti-guns positions) to build a grand coalition.There’s no real hope for democracy if the people and their politicians don’t stand up for it at every opportunity.

I wouldn’t read this book if you were looking for reasons to be cheerful about the prospects of liberal democracy in the States (or elsewhere). Democracy, as the name implies, needs the people to lead the way.

No. 10 of 50 books I intend to read and review in 2024.

I’m Patrick Sherriff, an Englishman who survived 13 years working for newspapers in the US, UK and Japan. Between teaching English lessons at my conversation school in Abiko, Japan, I write and illustrate textbooks for non-native speakers of English, release Hana Walker mystery novels, short stories, paint, and write essays and Our Man in Abiko, a monthly  newsletter   highlighting good writing in English, often about about Japan, art, crime fiction and teaching.