On Democracy

A New York Times Book Review New & Noteworthy Book

“For democracy’s weary champions, White’s time-tested prose is a shot of adrenaline.”—Madeleine Albright

A collection of essays, letters, and poems from E. B. White, “one of the country’s great literary treasures” (New York Times), centered on the subject of freedom and democracy in America. The special book includes an introduction by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham. 

“I am a member of a party of one, and I live in an age of fear.”

These words were written by E. B. White in 1947. Decades before our current political turmoil, White crafted eloquent yet practical political statements that continue to resonate. “There’s only one kind of press that’s any good—” he proclaimed, “a press free from any taint of the government.” He condemned the trend of defamation, arguing that “in doubtful, doubting days, national morality tends to slip and slide toward a condition in which the test of a man’s honor is his zeal for discovering dishonor in others.” And on the spread of fascism he lamented, “fascism enjoys at the moment an almost perfect climate for growth—a world of fear and hunger.”

This concise collection of essays, letters, and poems from one of this country’s most eminent literary voices offers much-needed historical context for our current state of the nation—and hope for the future of our society. Speaking to Americans at a time of uncertainty, when democracy itself has come under threat, he reminds us, “As long as there is one upright man, as long as there is one compassionate woman . . . the scene is not desolate.”

• Timeless Political Writing: Discover why White’s declaration from 1947—“I am a member of a party of one, and I live in an age of fear”—feels as urgent and relevant today as it did at the dawn of the Cold War.
• Freedom of the Press: Explore White’s unwavering defense of a press free from government influence, a core principle he championed decades before today’s debates on media integrity.
• Defense of Civil Liberties: Witness his eloquent condemnation of a political climate of defamation, where “the test of a man’s honor is his zeal for discovering dishonor in others.”
• Hope for the Future: Find inspiration in his enduring belief that as long as one compassionate person remains, the scene is not desolate—a powerful message for uncertain times.
• Historical Context by Jon Meacham: Gain deeper insight from the introduction by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham, who frames White’s work as essential reading for our own contentious era.