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Cover image for A godly hero : the life of William Jennings Bryan
Format:
Book
Title:
A godly hero : the life of William Jennings Bryan
Other title(s):
Life of William Jennings Bryan
ISBN:
9780375411359
Edition:
First edition.
Publication Information:
New York : Knopf, 2006.
Physical Description:
374 pages, 24 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 25 cm
Contents:
The romance of Jefferson and Jesus -- Education of a hero, 1860-1890 -- Speaker in the house, 1891-1894 -- In the armor of a righteous cause, 1895-1896 -- A republic, not an empire, 1897-1900 -- I have kept the faith, 1901-1904 -- Prophet on the road -- The ordeal of reform, 1906-1908 -- Conscience of the party, 1909-1912 -- Bryan's people -- Moralist at state, 1913-1915 -- Moralist in retreat, 1916-1919 -- Save the children, 1920-1925 -- The fate of a Christian liberal.
Summary:
A portrait of the American orator describes his unique role as a leader of the Christian left and his seminal place in both American politics and religion in the volatile political landscape of turn-of-the-century America.

Politician, evangelist, and reformer William Jennings Bryan was the most popular public speaker of his time. In this acclaimed biography--the first major reconsideration of Bryan's life in forty years-award-winning historian Michael Kazin illuminates his astonishing career and the richly diverse and volatile landscape of religion and politics in which he rose to fame. Kazin vividly re-creates Bryan's tremendous appeal, showing how he won a passionate following among both rural and urban Americans, who saw in him not only the practical vision of a reform politician but also the righteousness of a pastor. Bryan did more than anyone to transform the Democratic Party from a bulwark of laissez-faire to the citadel of liberalism we identify with Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1896, 1900, and 1908, Bryan was nominated for president, and though he fell short each time, his legacy-a subject of great debate after his death-remains monumental. This nuanced and brilliantly crafted portrait restores Bryan to an esteemed place in American history. -- goodreads.com
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