The Populist Persuasion: An American History

"Michael Kazin enables us to begin to understand the way in which populism has changed from a politics of the left to a politics of the right. The important questions raised by the success of the populist right in the United States are illuminated in Kazin's splendid and timely book."—Thomas Bender, The Nation"Kazin shows populism's canny ability to mix homespun rhetoric and political savvy. . . . The book explains something very important in American life with scrupulous fairness and a keen eye for the humanizing detail. It is as good a road map as we have to the politics of the people who work hard and play by the rules."—Christopher Caldwell, The Wall Street Journal"A perceptive and passionately liberal book. . . . Beginning with the antislavery crusade of the 1840's, [Kazin] skillfully surveys more than a century of mass protests, using imagery and symbolism as his guides."—David Oshinsky, The New York Times For this revised edition, Michael Kazin has rewritten the final chapter, bringing his coverage of populism up to the present (including a discussion of the 1996 presidential election) and added a conclusion.