With regret, we will be discontinuing the Democracy in America Reading Club due to low attendance. While the group will no longer meet, we remain confident in the enduring value of the text and will keep this page and its resources available for anyone who wishes to pursue a self-guided reading.
Tocqueville: Democracy in America (In Our Time BBC Podcast)
About Alexis de Tocqueville (Britannica)
Retracing the Steps of Alexis de Tocqueville's 1831 Journey (C-SPAN)
"Beginning in May 1997, the C-SPAN School Bus retraced the steps of Alexis de Tocqueville, author of Democracy in America, who traveled throughout the U.S. in 1831 with his friend, Gustave de Beaumont. Starting in Newport, RI, the bus explored the eastern half of the U.S. Over 9 months, the Bus made 55 stops along Tocqueville's route and discussed the same issues he raised -- issues such as religion and politics, the impact and power of the press and the changing role of government." (C-SPAN description)
"DREAM ON investigates the perilous state of the American Dream after decades of rising income inequality and declining economic mobility. In an epic road trip, political comedian John Fugelsang retraces the journey of Alexis de Tocqueville, whose study of our young country in 1831 came to define America as a place where anyone, of any background, could climb the ladder of economic opportunity." (PBS description)
Journey to America by Alexis de Tocqueville, translated by George Lawrence, edited by J. P. Mayer (1959)
Tocqueville’s travel diary chronicling his 1831–1832 visit to the United States. Tocqueville records observations of American society, politics, religion, and daily life. The diary reveals his evolving thoughts and provides valuable insight into the development of his ideas on democracy, equality, and liberty.
The Chicago Companion to Tocqueville’s Democracy in America by James T. Schleifer (2012)
This book provides a detailed, passage-by-passage guide to Tocqueville’s text, clarifying key concepts, historical references, and interpretive debates. Designed for both students and general readers, it serves as an essential aid for understanding the structure, arguments, and intellectual background of Democracy in America.