Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Richardson uses a nonlinear approach to connect historical movements to the evolution of American democracy. How did this narrative structure influence your understanding of the trends she describes? Did it help you see connections you hadn’t considered before? How does Richardson’s approach compare to works that tackle similar subject matter, such as Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt’s How Democracies Die or Colin Woodard’s American Nations? 

2. Throughout the book, Richardson emphasizes the roles of marginalized groups in advancing democracy. How effectively do you think she highlights their contributions, and how did this perspective impact your view of American history?

3. Democracy Awakening juxtaposes authoritarianism and democracy as ongoing forces in US history. How persuasive did you find Richardson’s arguments about these dual trends? Were there any parts of her analysis that particularly stood out to you?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Richardson discusses how false histories have shaped ideologies, using examples like the cowboy myth and the “Make America Great Again” slogan.