Apenetrating,character-filledhistory“inthemannerofDavidMcCullough“(WSJ),revealingthedeeprootsofourtormentedpresent-daypolitics.Democracywasbroken.OrthatwaswhatmanyAmericansbelievedinthedecadesaftertheCivilWar.Shakenbyeconomicandtechnologicaldisruption,theysoughtsafetyinaggressive,tribalpartisanship.Theresultsweretheloudest,closest,mostviolentelectionsinU.S.history,drivenbyvibrantcampaignsthatdrewourhighest-evervoterturnouts.Atthecentury’send,reformersfinallyrestrainedthiswildsystem,tradingawayparticipationforcivilityintheprocess.Theybuiltacalmer,cleanerdemocracy,butalsoamoredistantone.Americans’votingratescrashedandneverfullyrecovered.Thisistheoriginstoryofthe“normal“politicsofthe20thcentury.Onlybyexploringwherethatcivilityandrestraintcamefromcanweunderstandwhatishappeningtoourdemocracytoday.TheAgeofAcrimonychartstheriseandfallof19th-centuryAmerica’sunrulypoliticsthroughthelivesofaremarkablefather-daughterdynasty.TheradicalcongressmanWilliam“PigIron“Kelleyandhisfiery,ProgressivedaughterFlorenceKelleyledlivespackedwithdrama,intimatelytiedtotheirnation’spolitics.Throughtheirfriendshipsandfeuds,campaignsandcrusades,WillandFlorietracethenarrativeofademocracyincrisis.Intellingthetaleofwhatitcosttocoolourrepublic,historianJonGrinspanrevealsourdivisivepoliticalsystem’senduringcapacitytoreinventitself.
