Travels with Tocqueville Beyond America

“The book takes us through his trip to the United States (age 19), the basis of his book, Democracy in America, as well as his less-known trips to Algeria, Italy, England and Ireland. Even on his honeymoon to Switzerland, Tocqueville found time to analyse the local system of government, expressing a ‘lofty disdain for the federal constitution of Switzerland’ which he felt was ‘the most lax, powerless, blundering and incapable that one could imagine.’ Given how smoothly Switzerland functions today, it’s quite funny; his mistakes on Algeria less so. This is a book which makes heavy use of primary sources, i.e. you are constantly reading about Tocqueville in his own voice.” Read more...

Notable Nonfiction of Early 2023

Sophie Roell, Journalist