On Democracy

A New York Times Book Review New & Noteworthy Book

“For democracy’s weary champions, White’s time-tested prose is a shot of adrenaline.”—Madeleine Albright

A collection of essays, letters, and poems from E. B. White, “one of the country’s great literary treasures” (New York Times), centered on the subject of freedom and democracy in America. The special book includes an introduction by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham. 

“I am a member of a party of one, and I live in an age of fear.”

These words were written by E. B. White in 1947. Decades before our current political turmoil, White crafted eloquent yet practical political statements that continue to resonate. “There’s only one kind of press that’s any good—” he proclaimed, “a press free from any taint of the government.” He condemned the trend of defamation, arguing that “in doubtful, doubting days, national morality tends to slip and slide toward a condition in which the test of a man’s honor is his zeal for discovering dishonor in others.” And on the spread of fascism he lamented, “fascism enjoys at the moment an almost perfect climate for growth—a world of fear and hunger.”

This concise collection of essays, letters, and poems from one of this country’s most eminent literary voices offers much-needed historical context for our current state of the nation—and hope for the future of our society. Speaking to Americans at a time of uncertainty, when democracy itself has come under threat, he reminds us, “As long as there is one upright man, as long as there is one compassionate woman . . . the scene is not desolate.”

• Freedom of the Press: Read White’s forceful defense of journalism completely independent from government influence—a principle he considered essential to a healthy republic.
• Timeless Political Commentary: Decades before today’s headlines, these prescient writings tackle fascism, loyalty tests, and the moral duties of a citizen in an age of fear.
• The Meaning of Democracy: Discover White’s celebrated definition of democracy, not as a grand theory, but as the simple, everyday acts of a free people—from a letter to the editor to “the mustard on the hot dog.”
• An Enduring Voice of Hope: In a world of uncertainty, White’s clear-eyed prose offers not despair, but a profound and necessary reminder of the strength found in individual courage and compassion.