Democracy, an American Novel Annotated

Democracy: An American Novel is a political work of fiction by Henry Brooks Adams and published anonymously in 1880. Set at the beginning of a new administration, it tells the tale of Madeleine Lee, the daughter of an eminent clergyman, who moves to Washington to be close to the hub of politics, and becomes the love interest of two politicians. The main themes of the book are political power, its acquisition, use and abuse.