Democracy: An American Novel

An instant bestseller when first published in 1880, Democracy: An American Novel is the quintessential American political novel. At its heart is Madeleine Lee, a young widow who comes to Washington, D.C., to understand the workings of power. Pursued by Silas Ratcliffe, the most influential member of the Senate, Madeleine soon sees enough of power and its corrupting influence to last her a lifetime. Democracy: An American Novel, a political novel, was written by Henry Brooks Adams and published anonymously in 1880. Only after Henry Adam's death in 1918 did the publisher reveal Adams's authorship. Democracy: An American Novel is about political power, its acquisition, use and abuse. It is set at the beginning of a new administration, with the election campaign just over and the new President of the United States just having been elected. Though the characters are fictitious, some resemblance could be seen between them and Presidents Andrew Jackson, James Garfield, and Ulysses Grant.