The Problem of Democracy
SKU: 94222055436

The Problem of Democracy

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The Problem of DemocracyBy: Nancy Isenberg, Andrew Burstein "Told with authority and style. . . Crisply summarizing the Adamses' legacy, the authors stress principle over partisanship." The Wall Street Journal How the father and son presidents foresaw the rise of the cult of personality and fought those who sought to abuse the weaknesses inherent in our democracy. Until now, no one has properly dissected the intertwined lives of the second and sixth (father and son)

By: Nancy Isenberg, Andrew Burstein     
"Told with authority and style. . . Crisply summarizing the Adamses' legacy, the authors stress principle over partisanship."--The Wall Street Journal

How the father and son presidents foresaw the rise of the cult of personality and fought those who sought to abuse the weaknesses inherent in our democracy.


Until now, no one has properly dissected the intertwined lives of the second and sixth (father and son) presidents. John and John Quincy Adams were brilliant, prickly politicians and arguably the most independently minded among leaders of the founding generation. Distrustful of blind allegiance to a political party, they brought a healthy skepticism of a brand-new system of government to the country's first 50 years. They were unpopular for their fears of the potential for demagoguery lurking in democracy, and--in a twist that predicted the turn of twenty-first century politics--they warned against, but were unable to stop, the seductive appeal of political celebrities Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson.

In a bold recasting of the Adamses' historical roles, The Problem of Democracy is a major critique of the ways in which their prophetic warnings have been systematically ignored over the centuries. It's also an intimate family drama that brings out the torment and personal hurt caused by the gritty conduct of early American politics. Burstein and Isenberg make sense of the presidents' somewhat iconoclastic, highly creative engagement with America's political and social realities. By taking the temperature of American democracy, from its heated origins through multiple upheavals, the authors reveal the dangers and weaknesses that have been present since the beginning. They provide a clear-eyed look at a decoy democracy that masks the reality of elite rule while remaining open, since the days of George Washington, to a very undemocratic result in the formation of a cult surrounding the person of an elected leader.
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SKU: 94222055436

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F. Collins
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
Kubrick’s revelatory swan song is full of hidden meanings
An underrated masterpiece, Eyes Wide Shut is a gem layered with meaning. A semi-autobiographical sensibility permeates given the parameters of its production. It’s immaculately shot, edited and designed and offers two central performances from the then married Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Given its theme, their subsequent divorce reflects back on the choppy waters faced by their characters Bill and Alice Harford. The result is a dream logic of coincidences that ensnare a married couple in self doubt and sexual angst. They live a fairly privileged life in a Manhattan apartment but after a Christmas party at a huge mansion owned by an elite acquaintance, the relationship begins to unravel when both are confronted by the consequences of their projected desires. This prompts the husband Bill on an odyssey through a night time New York and an escalating series of encounters as his wife’s confession about an infatuation with another man eats away at his own inner, unfulfilled desires. It’s a dark/light solstice of a film, as man and wife chase fatalistic hidden desire, their marriage subject to dissolution and they plunge through a dark night of the soul and emerge into a morning of earnest confession and much soul searching. In the end, it’s a fascinating watch. Quite revelatory given my initial reception to it many decades ago. But that’s Kubrick for you. It’s essential to revisit his films. Beautifully presented in 4K by Criterion, it asks us to take ownership of our inner desires, to confront them with honesty and discern what is merely a dream from the reality around us. And no, it’s not the erotic thriller the marketing promised. Another desire thwarted or a deliberate obfuscation of the intense psychological drama it really was?
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Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2026
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Steve
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 5
Everything Has Already Been Said
SK’s Final Masterpiece. Truly, it’s outstanding, as all of his films are. About the transfer. This is what they had to work with. For some reason, 2001, ACO, TS, and FMJ all look 4K, so to speak. This one looks a little grainy. I can’t complain. It’s better than nothing.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2026
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Neil Traugh, Jr.
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 5
Opinion on EWS
When I upgraded from Blu-ray to 4K Blu-ray, always wonder whether the transfer was good. This one was done well and you should like it. I watch on an OLED 83” FYI for comparison.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2026
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Lex
Lexington, US
★★★★★ 5
Excellent Remastering on 4k.. hits harder today considering the Epstein scandal
Curious about the Epstein Class... Kubrick pulls back the curtain with this one.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2026
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G P
Lexington, US
★★★★★ 5
it's kubrick. it's a masterpiece.
i don't really like movies about couples but being kubrick, i gave it a chance. the cinematography is just so incredibly rich, not only with flashy scenes and beautiful colors and framing, but with all these referential easter eggs and nuggets of hints and symbolism and...oh my god it's just RICH. if you like psychological and mystery stuff, and photography, and lurid secret society stuff, this movie is incredible. i will watch it again for sure.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2026

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