Every Man a King, Chris Stirewalt
Every Man a King, Chris Stirewalt
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Every Man a King
A Short, Colorful History of American Populists

Author: Chris Stirewalt

Narrator: Chris Stirewalt

Unabridged: 4 hr 38 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Twelve

Published: 09/11/2018


Synopsis

From Fox News' politics editor Chris Stirewalt -- a fun and lively account of America's populist tradition, from Andrew Jackson and Teddy Roosevelt, to Ross Perot, Pat Buchanan, and Donald Trump.

Whatever the ideological fad of the moment, American populism has always been home to a fascinating assortment of charismatic leaders, characters, kooks, cranks, and sometimes charlatans who have - with widely varying degrees of success - led the charge of ordinary folks who have gotten wise to the ways of the swamp. This attitude of skeptical resentment also makes populism a fertile field for the work of conspiracy theorists and other enthusiastic apostates from civic convention. After all, if the people in power are found to be rigging one part of the system, why not the rest? Every Man a King tells the stories of America's populist leaders, from an elderly Andrew Jackson brutally caning his would-be-assassin, to William Jennings Bryan's pre-speech routine that combined equally prodigious quantities of prayer and food, to Ross Perot's military-style campaign that made even volunteers wear badges with stars to show rank. It is a rollicking history of an American attitude that has shaped not only our current moment, but also the long struggle over who gets to define the truths we hold to be self evident.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Hyrum on May 29, 2020

It was a good book. It was both short and colorful. Although inspired nodoubt by our current political moment it did not dwell on that moment too much. The chapters were interesting and informative, if sometimes a little more broadly applicable to the topic than I was expecting. He sometimes brings......more

Goodreads review by Alex on February 16, 2023

For every history buff and politics junkie, this is a great intro to populism, even for the already familiar. The book opens with brief introductions to seven historical figures, some from a long time ago and some from just the past few decades, and each chapter dives into them in detail. We learn t......more

Goodreads review by Trevor on September 23, 2018

Stirewalt is critical of populism, and President Trump, which may be what inspired the book. Setting that aside, it’s important to appreciate the potential dangers populism poses to our system of government. As Stirewalt points out, our system is designed for things to move slowly, so that when we m......more

Goodreads review by Michael on November 16, 2018

I can't really fault it for being what it is, given that it manages to be exactly what it aspires to; it is a short, colorful history of American populists. It includes background information not just about the great men of American populism, but of the masses and their social and material condition......more

Goodreads review by Liz on November 17, 2018

I read this book over the course of a Saturday afternoon. One of this books greatest strengths is that it's long enough to cover the subject well but short enough to stay interesting. Not to bash the 500+ page historical/political tomes that come out occasionally, but that just wasn't what I was wan......more


Quotes

"President Trump likes to say that America has 'never seen' a movement like his before. This is both true and false. America has seen and been transformed by many populist movements almost since its founding. But each one is distinct, because each one arises from its own unique moment in history. In easily-and enjoyably!-digestible bites Chris Stirewalt gives us a wonderful tasting menu of American populism from Andrew Jackson to Ross Perot, illuminating the differences and commonalities along the way. Every Man a King is a great introduction to one of the most under-appreciated and
relevant issues of our day."—Jonah Goldberg, bestselling author of Suicide of the West

"A wonderfully absorbing and informative book, stylishly written and full of fact and humor. I had great fun reading it, and so will you."—Brit Hume, Fox News senior political analyst

"Chris Stirewalt believes history should be told as a story-and I'll tell you what, he sure can write one. Every Man a King is a gallop through America's populist history that helps everything make a lot more sense. Chris has a wonderful way with words. It is a pleasure to read and to learn from him. I recommend his debut book highly and can't wait to discuss it with his many fans."
Dana Perino, bestselling author of And The Good News Is... and host of The Daily Briefing

"Chris Stirewalt is the best pundit in America. Period. Now he's written his first book, and it's even better, smarter, and funnier than his TV appearances. Turns out he's a helluva writer, too. Who knew?"

Bill Sammon, managing editor, Fox News Washington Bureau

"Populists can be destabilizers who threaten order and tap into dark impulses. They can also be a ton of fun. Add all of it together and you get Chris Stirewalt's Every Man A King, a clear-eyed survey of this uniquely American species that is also one exhilarating romp of a read."—Steve Kornacki, NBC and MSNBC News, author of The Red and The Blue

"Fast-paced and engaging."—Publishers Weekly