A Godly Hero: The Life of William Jennings Bryan Book

Politician, evangelist, and reformer William Jennings Bryan was the most popular public speaker of his time. In this acclaimed biographyâ??the first major reconsideration of Bryanâ??s life in forty yearsâ??award-winning historian Michael Kazin illuminates his astonishing career and the richly diverse and volatile landscape of religion and politics in which he rose to fame. Kazin vividly re-creates Bryanâ??s tremendous appeal, showing how he won a passionate following among both rural and urban Americans, who saw in him not only the practical vision of a reform politician but also the righteousness of a pastor. Bryan did more than anyone to transform the Democratic Party from a bulwark of laissez-faire to the citadel of liberalism we identify with Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1896, 1900, and 1908, Bryan was nominated for president, and though he fell short each time, his legacyâ??a subject of great debate after his deathâ??remains monumental. This nuanced and brilliantly crafted portrait restores Bryan to an esteemed place in American history.Read More