AMERICANA 44 “By Far The Best Book Ever Written About America, And The Most Penetrating Book Ever Written About Democracy” First edition presentation copy in the original French of Tocqueville’s classic work, one of no more than 500 copies published, inscribed by Tocqueville in Volume I “Donne par l’Auteur, 1836.” “One of the most important texts in political literature” (PMM 358). “This is by far the best book ever written about America, and the most penetrating book ever written about democracy. It won instant acclaim... Its central theme is that democracy has become inevitable; that it is, with certain qualification, desirable; but that it has great potentialities for evil as well as good, depending upon how well it is understood and guided” (Hazlitt, The Free Man’s Library, 163). Democracy in America is “the first systematic and empirical study of the effects of political power on modern society” (Nisbet). The work originated in a trip commissioned by the French government to study the American penal system in 18311832. In 1835, the first edition of the first part of the work (Volumes I and II) was published in Paris, “and throughout the intellectual circles of western Europe both democracy and America took on a new aspect and a new significance in political speculation” (NYU, 955). (The first part contains Tocqueville’s most important and famous observations, and is often found by itself. The first edition of the second part of the work was later published in Paris in 1840). Included here are also second editions of the two-volume second part. Map fine, scattered foxing to text, a bit of faint marginal dampstaining in Vol II. Contemporary binding handsome. An extraordinary landmark, very rare inscribed by Tocqueville. 57TOCQUEVILLE, Alexis de. De la Democratie en Amerique. Paris, 1835. Two volumes. Octavo, contemporary half red calf gilt, custom chemise and clamshell box. $62,000
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