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An Emancipation of the Mind

Radical Philosophy, the War over Slavery, and the Refounding of America
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( 169 ratings, 32 reviews)
Brief Description
This is a story about a dangerous idea—that all men are created equal—which ignited revolutions in America, France, and Haiti; burst across Europe in the revolutions of 1848; and returned to inflame a new generation of intellectuals to lead the abolition movement. Frederick Douglass's unusual interest... Read More
Format: Hardback
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How a band of antislavery leaders recovered the radical philosophical inspirations of the first American Revolution to defeat the slaveholders’ oligarchy in the American Civil War

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

This is a story about a dangerous idea—that all men are created equal—which ignited revolutions in America, France, and Haiti; burst across Europe in the revolutions of 1848; and returned to inflame a new generation of intellectuals to lead the abolition movement.

Frederick Douglass's unusual interest in radical German philosophers and Abraham Lincoln's odd, buried allusions to the same rationalist, secularist, and essentially atheist thinkers are but a few of the clues that underlie this propulsive philosophical detective story.

With fresh takes on forgotten thinkers like Theodore Parker (a minister too radical even for the Unitarians, whose work provided some of Lincoln's most famous lines) and a feisty band of German refugees, Matthew Stewart's vivid storytelling and piercing insights forge a significant revision in our understanding of the origins and meaning of the struggle over slavery in America—and offer a fresh perspective on struggles between democracy and elite power today.

An Emancipation of the Mind by Matthew Stewart offers a compelling exploration of these historical themes.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781324003625

Publisher: WW Norton & Co

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 17 May 2024

Country: United States

Imprint: WW Norton & Co

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 36.0mm

Width: 163.0mm

Height: 239.0mm

Weight: 670g

Pages: 400

About the Author

Matthew Stewart is an independent philosopher and historian who has written extensively about the philosophical origins of the American republic. His work has appeared in?The Atlantic,?The?Washington Post,?The Wall Street Journal, and more. He is currently based in London.

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    This is a story about a dangerous idea—one which ignited revolutions in America, France, and Haiti; burst across Europe in the revolutions of 1848; and returned to inflame a new generation of intellectuals to lead the abolition movement—the idea that all men are created equal. In their struggle against the slaveholding oligarchy of their time, America's antislavery leaders found their...
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