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A Thousand Small Sanities: The Moral Adventure of Liberalism Hardcover – May 14, 2019

by Adam Gopnik (Author)

344 ratings

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A stirring defense of liberalism against the dogmatisms of our time from an award-winning and New York Times bestselling author.

Not since the early twentieth century has liberalism, and liberals, been under such relentless attack, from both right and left. The crisis of democracy in our era has produced a crisis of faith in liberal institutions and, even worse, in liberal thought.

A Thousand Small Sanities is a manifesto rooted in the lives of people who invented and extended the liberal tradition. Taking us from Montaigne to Mill, and from Middlemarch to the civil rights movement, Adam Gopnik argues that liberalism is not a form of centrism, nor simply another word for free markets, nor merely a term denoting a set of rights. It is something far more ambitious: the search for radical change by humane measures. Gopnik shows us why liberalism is one of the great moral adventures in human history -- and why, in an age of autocracy, our lives may depend on its continuation.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A Foreign Affairs Book of the Year, 2019

"Witty, humane, learned...An elegant discussion."―New York Times

"A stirring defense of liberalism's philosophical tradition and continued relevance against its critics on both left and right."―Jonathan Chait

"Written with Adam Gopnik's signature wit and charm, A Thousand Small Sanities is also a clarion call at a moment of great danger. This fierce, capacious, and startlingly intelligent defense of a whole political, social, and moral order is essential reading for our time."―Stephen Greenblatt, author of The Swerve: How the World Became Modern

"Adam Gopnik is one of the greatest thinkers and wordsmiths of our age, and this book may be his most masterful, meaningful, and enjoyable yet. He turns his sweeping intellectual imagination into a conversation with a cross-partisan American longing for a renewal of common life that scarcely knows how to name itself. In an age in which we've connected ourselves with scale but without quality, and fractured communal cohesion in part by forgetting our shared liberal inheritance, this book is essential, redemptive reading."―Krista Tippett, host, "On Being"

"It's a great book about liberalism. You'll read it in a day. Highly recommended."―Chris Hayes

"An elegant, impassioned, and rigorously reasoned effort to re-humanize the most humanistic moral and political philosophy our civilization has produced..."―Brainpickings

"The longtime New Yorker staff writer and prolific cultural critic once again shows his astute awareness of the public's political consciousness in this new work championing 'liberalism.' ... Gopnik's learned, lofty...study ultimately reasserts the belief in the 'infinity of small effect.'"―Kirkus Reviews

"A smart, exhilarating defense of the liberal tradition."―Publishers Weekly, starred review

About the Author

Adam Gopnik is a staff writer at The New Yorker; he has written for the magazine since 1986. Gopnik has three National Magazine awards, for essays and for criticism, and also a George Polk Award for Magazine Reporting. In March of 2013, Gopnik was awarded the medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. The author of numerous bestselling books, including Paris to the Moon, he lives in New York City.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Basic Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 14, 2019
Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 154169936X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1541699366
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #260,714 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #271 in Economic Conditions (Books)
- #400 in Political Conservatism & Liberalism
- #440 in History of Civilization & Culture

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344 ratings

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Customers appreciate the book's exploration of liberalism, with one noting how it brings a human dimension to its development. Moreover, the writing style receives praise for being clean and clear, with customers enthralled by the author's artistry. Additionally, customers find the book readable and elegant, with one describing it as a beautiful paean to Liberalism.

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Liberalism Writing style Readability Elegance

19 customers mention "Liberalism"19 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's exploration of liberal theory and its public-minded defense, with one customer noting how it brings a human dimension to its development.

"...its history, present status-- along with how it differs from other political currents, both on the left and right...." Read more

"...This is a short book of less than 250 pages, but it is filled with wisdom and common sense...." Read more

"...to find for over a decade-a readable intellectual history and defense of liberalism...." Read more

"...Instead, he plows a wide, steady path toward an unexpected, important insight...." Read more

18 customers mention "Writing style"16 positive2 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, describing it as clean, clear, and well-thought-out, with one customer noting its eloquent expression.

"The book is a well-written exploration of liberalism-- its history, present status-- along with how it differs from other political currents, both..." Read more

"...Gopnik is one of the finest writers living today, and his essays are models for good writing and clear thinking...." Read more

"...passages and thought, 'That is absolutely correct, and he has expressed it eloquently."..." Read more

"...was the book I’d been trying to find for over a decade-a readable intellectual history and defense of liberalism...." Read more

16 customers mention "Readability"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and interesting, with one customer particularly praising the first chapter.

"...The first chapter in particular was very good...." Read more

"Although I thoroughly enjoyed the book overall, I do hope the author did not think that even most well-educated readers would be familiar with all..." Read more

"...In this short, wonderful book, Adam Gopnik in three parts, sets the record straight...." Read more

"This is a splendid book. The author writes beautifully, and even better his thinking is clear, well organized, and productive...." Read more

3 customers mention "Elegance"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book elegant, with one describing it as a beautiful paean to Liberalism.

"...I am only on page 26 but I can say that this book is a beautiful paean to Liberalism...." Read more

"reveals, in both elegant and passionate prose, the essential nobility and historical necessity of liberalism...." Read more

"Concise, Intelligent and Beautiful!..." Read more

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Dee Dee
Well-written exploration of liberalism and why it matters
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2021
Format: KindleVerified Purchase

The book is a well-written exploration of liberalism-- its history, present status-- along with how it differs from other political currents, both on the left and right. The author seems to anticipate attacks from both sides, and strives to answer them in a reasonable, well-thought-out manner. The first chapter in particular was very good. The writer's style is not polemical, indeed he goes out of his way to point out the good points of concepts such as intersectionality while also noting how it can go awry. He's very good at explaining the core values of liberal thought. It's true that liberalism's accent on reform is not nearly as exciting as calls for revolution. I have read several books analyzing both post-modernism and Trumpism and Mr. Gopnik is much more measured in his arguments than other authors. He's rather gentle really, and that was surprising, and refreshing, too. I'm not sure who (besides me) will read this, as he IS so reasonable. But the book is definitely worth reading. Gopnik has set himself a thankless task because he will probably make people on both the right and the left mad at him. But I'm glad he has taken up the challenge.

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5 people found this helpful

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John D. Cofield
A Necessary Reminder
Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2019
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
When I see Adam Gopnik's byline on a New Yorker article or find one of his memoirs in a book store I always turn to it first. Gopnik is one of the finest writers living today, and his essays are models for good writing and clear thinking. A Thousand Small Sanities is subtitled The Moral Adventure of Liberalism, and it is one of the best adventures Gopnik has ever taken me on: a reminder of what is really meant by the often besmirched word "liberalism."

Gopnik writes that this book had its origins on that dark November night in 2016 when it became clear to him, his seventeen year old daughter Olivia, and millions of other appalled Americans, including me, that Donald Trump would be the next President. Gopnik uses capsule biographies of some of the seminal thinkers who contributed to the liberal idea, from Montaigne through John Stuart Mill, Harriet Taylor, George Eliot and George Henry Lewes, Frederick Douglass, Bayard Rustin, Abraham Lincoln, William Gladstone, Adam Smith, Charles Darwin, and many others, using their own commentaries to enrich his story. He also includes two important chapters on why Liberalism is hated by both the Right and the Left, and finishes with a Finale or conclusion in which he finds reasons for optimism and confidence.

This is a short book of less than 250 pages, but it is filled with wisdom and common sense. A Thousand Small Sanities does the reader a great service by raising Liberalism above the caricatures and distortions foisted on it by both Left and Right and reminding him or her of the truth.

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63 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer
Hope you know your history and philosophers.
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2020
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Although I thoroughly enjoyed the book overall, I do hope the author did not think that even most well-educated readers would be familiar with all the historical figures he goes on about endlessly. Perhaps the idea was to arouse in the reader some curiosity about those figures, their actions, and their writings (which in my case it did). The value of the book is in the portions where Gopnik applies his own liberal thought and explanations to our current situation, particularly in the last chapter. I read some of those passages and thought, 'That is absolutely correct, and he has expressed it eloquently." Those parts of the book made it well worth wading through the romances of 19th Century activists. I think Mr. Gopnik's daughter got what she asked for.

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Chris Ligatti
Finally
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2021
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
This was the book I’d been trying to find for over a decade-a readable intellectual history and defense of liberalism. As opposed to right wing polemics and histories of leftist class struggle theory, this actually spoke to the pragmatism that has defined my beliefs and is constantly belittled by far let and right.

However, it’s a fair and sometimes challenging read. I challenge any liberal to come away from the section on Rightest attacks on liberalism without at least some doubt about whether modern liberalism provides the sense of community needed for a unified nation, or to read the Leftist critique without at least some doubt about whether modern liberalism is worth saving from the unrestricted free market which has poisoned some of the center-left.

But then again these doubts are the point of the book, and as the author would say, of being a liberal.

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Top reviews from other countries

Piotr
Must read to expand your horizons
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 7, 2020
Verified Purchase

very well written in a typical American style: easy to read yet offers a lot of useful knowledge, great to dispel many myths about liberalism, especially useful in the age of populism

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Amazon Customer
Decent
Reviewed in Germany on March 15, 2021
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
A spirited defence of liberal thought written in an engaging, conversational style. However, those looking for a more philosophical or rigorously argued approach, or a deeper inquiry into the limitations of liberalism as an applied political ideology today may be disappointed.

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david
Essential reading in current times
Reviewed in Canada on August 29, 2019
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
This was a challenging but ultimately very rewarding discussion of liberalism, which renews one’s faith in our tradition. In addition, it was written by an ex-pat canadian. Deals extensively with challenges from the right and the left, with a focus on populism.

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Anthony Coleman
A Solid Primer
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 15, 2021
Verified Purchase
A worthwhile read for those with frequently felt though awkwardly or timdly expressed inclinations toward the embattled position of righteous liberalism.

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cynthia
Intelligent
Reviewed in Canada on October 20, 2024
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Intelligent book, but a difficult read. Worthwhile content. But I've never seen this many run-on sentences on one page.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written exploration of liberalism and why it matters

5.0 out of 5 stars A Necessary Reminder

4.0 out of 5 stars Hope you know your history and philosophers.

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Must read to expand your horizons

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading in current times

5.0 out of 5 stars A Solid Primer

3.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent

Well-written exploration of liberalism and why it matters

A Necessary Reminder

Hope you know your history and philosophers.

Finally

Must read to expand your horizons

Decent

Essential reading in current times

A Solid Primer

Intelligent