American Demagogue

The Great Awakening and the Rise and Fall of Populism

By: J. D. Dickey

Narrated by: Traber Burns

Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

A New York Times best-selling historian examines how demagoguery and the populism it inspires - for good and ill - is embedded in the very soul of our nation.

In September 1740, New England experienced a social earthquake. It arrived not in the form of a great natural disaster or an act of violence, but with the figure of a 21-year-old preacher. People were abuzz with his stunning oratory, his colorful theatrics, and his almost ungodly sense of power and presence.

When George Whitefield (also spelled Whitfield) arrived in the small towns and hamlets that made up the American colonies, he proved to be much more than anything the residents could have expected. His reputation and growing legend had been built on his brilliant speeches and frightening tirades, and his fame now engulfed what would become America. He demanded his listeners repent their sins and follow the true word of God - his. He had knowledge that only he could unlock for the American people.

Whitefield’s message shook the country to its core. Overwhelmed with passion, his listeners cried, screamed, sang, and danced. Despite their ecstasy, though, the converted also felt a great deal of fear growing. For Whitefield’s message also carried a threat, and he brooked no dissent. Whitefield’s power over his listeners grew, and New England was in the uproar of a social revolution never seen before in America.

Years later, they would call it a Great Awakening, and it would reorder the colonies and wend its way into the very fabric of what America would eventually become. Soon after Whitefield and his followers reached their zenith, things began to fall apart. And what once seemed so certain - a puritanical utopia - vanished like a dream, leaving the Awakeners stripped of their earthly power.

American Demagogue is the story of this rapid rise and equally steep fall, which would be echoed by authoritarian populists in later centuries and American demagogues yet to come. As we enter a new era of populism and demagoguery on both sides of the spectrum, we need to understand America’s paradoxical passion and disdain for demagogues throughout our history. Though centuries have passed, the themes remain the same - anger, grievance, dissension, self-promotion, and even brute force - as this cycle of rise and fall continues.

©2019 J. D. Dickey (P)2019 Blackstone Publishing

Perhaps I just expected something else.

If you want just a detailed history of The Great Awakening, this is a book for you. If you’re looking for an equally detailed analysis of how the populism that revival spawned relates to the crises surrounding the most recent American demagogue, Donald Trump, keep looking. I was disappointed.

An interesting listen

Overall I enjoyed the book and found the subject matter of our nation's history informative

Great book if somewhat misleading in title.

This book is an excellent history, however I would argue it is less about American demagoguery and more a history of American religion. Only the forward and afterward deal directly with the American demagogue... The book makes a strong argument that the two are inexorably linked but is only peripherally concerned with political demagoguery, instead focusing on how American Protestantism enabled the American Demogogue. Still, an excellent book that is worth a read or a listen.

Good history of politics

American politics definitely has a conservative Christian slant to it, and this book helps us understand why. Focusing on the Revivalist movement in the pre-Revolutionary era of America. You learn how we’ll know. Politicians started playing footsie with the new churches that didn’t abide by England’s accreditations and certifications for religious orders and leading churches. They found money by accepting bribes and offering sermons that were benefitting to policies important to paying politicians. Great read.

What a great book

This well researched book chronicles the beginning of, not only the first Great Awakening, but the intersection of religion and the birth of the new nation. Even if you are non Christian, this book enlightens a person in the entwined world of religion and state. Also, this book is a superb and indespensible introduction to the why's of the Second Great Awakening and its subsequent effect on the 19th and 20th century.
This is not a book on Donald Trump, but a book on anyone who is a demagogue, or wants to be.
I didn't know what to think starting the book but found it to be an exceedingly great history book, and a philosophical one as well.

excellent detail on the American enlightenment

So much in here. goes into depth on many of the thinkers, speakers, preachers, and publishers that were the American new revivalists.
draws a direct line to the American Revolution

An important history

Agree with other reviewers that this book was less about American demagoguery than about the influence of the first great awakening’s influence on pre- and post-American Revolution society. The positive and negative echos of colonial American Protestantism certainly are visible today.

Fine history with bait and switch title

A fine history of evangelicalism in Colonial America with a bait and switch title. You get a schism, and you get a schism! Everybody gets a schism!

Dickey's "American Demagogue," released in 2019 at the height/nadir of the Trump presidency, leans too far into that fact and tries to sell itself as something it's not. By its title and introduction, the reader thinks they are getting a history of populism and demagoguery throughout American history. Dickey even name-checks Father Coghlin, Huey Long, Andrew Jackson, the Know-Nothings, and of course DJT in the intro. But instead of a look at political populism (or even populism at all), we get a perfectly fine history of religious evangelicalism during the Colonial era.

"American Demagogue" is really a history of the various itinerant puritanical preachers that floated around the colonies during the mid-18th century and the "First Great Awakening" that arose during that time (the second being between 1830-1850). Naturally more vocal and "passionate" religiosity caused some conflict with the Church of England and also with other local denominations. Dickey does a fine job with the history and reading about the disputes and schisms between and among the revivalist crowd is entertaining (if a bit like scenes from Monty Python's "Life of Brian") but attempts to make a larger point about evangelicalism/revivalism and politics feel weaker.

That's mostly because evangelicals gonna evangelize and invariably there's going to be a spill-over into the socio-political and while various Founders (Adams, Franklin, et al) make appearances throughout Dickey's history, they're little more than cameos. American colonials were a religious people (of various stripes). That this religiosity informed or factored into their relations with Crown is not entirely surprising or insightful.

Ultimately, "American Demagogue" is something of a bait and switch. It's not really about populism (except insofar as the revivalists were popular) nor is it even really about demagoguery (except insofar as fire and brimstone preachers tended to preach about....fire and brimstone). It really is just a little history of Colonial era evangelism. That's a perfectly fine subject, but it ain't about Trump and attempts to drag him into it (again, almost exclusively in the intro and conclusion thankfully) weaken the effort..

Something worth checking out

this book was a real hidden gem. I think it's a very underrated book. I really enjoyed listening to it

A long walk through relidiocy

If you are the sort that can go to a Pentecostal Revival and watch people thrashing on the floor slobbering out gibberish and think to yourself "Wow, the power of the lord to speak through these believers is amazing", then you can listen to this book without feeling like your intelligence is being assaulted by unending and monumental stupidity.

This book is recounting the history of Evangelists through the uncritical view of a believer. It has swallowed the Christian myth hook, line, and sinker, and repeats its assertions as though they are unquestionable truth, completely proven, and un impeachable.

But if you have the basic critical thinking skills of a 10 year old that has not been subjected to Christian brainwashing as you grew up, you will be insulted by this idiocy.

The only thing I found noteworthy about this book is that it make me realize that mega church grifters are not a new thing.