Democracy

An immediate bestseller upon its publication in 1880, the anonymously pennedDemocracyprompted widespread speculation and guessing games as to its author's identity. It is the story of Mrs. Lightfoot Lee, a society widow, and Silas Ratcliffe, the most influential member of the Senate, who, throughout the novel, pursues Mrs. Lee while at the same time battling her for power. Set in Washington in the 1870s,Democracypresents a scathing and incisive look at the intricate inner workings of politics and corruption that remains relevant today. This Modern Library Paperback Classic is set from the 1880 first edition and includes a contemporary review fromThe Atlantic Monthly.

Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., is a Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and biographer. His many books include A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House and, most recently, A Life in the 20th Century. He lives in New York City.