Larry Tye - Demagogue Virtual Event
From the New York Times bestselling author of “Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon,” comes the definitive biography of the most dangerous demagogue in American history, based on first-ever review of his personal and professional papers, medical and military records, and recently unsealed transcripts of his closed-door Congressional hearings.
Larry Tye will appear in conversation with author and former Atlanta Journal-Constitution editor and columnist Mike King to discuss his new book, "Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy."
This virtual event is free and open to the public, and is presented in partnership with the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library.
A Cappella Books will have copies of “Demagogue” available after the event. Pre-order via the link below. At checkout, choose between the local delivery, curbside pick-up, or shipping options. For zip codes not listed in the above banner, select curbside pick-up or USPS shipping.
About the Book
In the long history of American demagogues, from Huey Long to Donald Trump, never has one man caused so much damage in such a short time as Senator Joseph McCarthy. We still use “McCarthyism” to stand for outrageous charges of guilt by association, a weapon of polarizing slander. From 1950 to 1954, McCarthy destroyed many careers and even entire lives, whipping the nation into a frenzy of paranoia, accusation, loyalty oaths, and terror. When the public finally turned on him, he came crashing down, dying of alcoholism in 1957. Only now, through bestselling author Larry Tye’s exclusive look at the senator’s records, can the full story be told.
"Demagogue" is a masterful portrait of a human being capable of immense evil, yet beguiling charm. McCarthy was a tireless worker and a genuine war hero. His ambitions knew few limits. Neither did his socializing, his drinking, nor his gambling. When he finally made it to the Senate, he flailed around in search of an agenda and angered many with his sharp elbows and lack of integrity. Finally, after three years, he hit upon anti-communism. By recklessly charging treason against everyone from George Marshall to much of the State Department, he became the most influential and controversial man in America. His chaotic, meteoric rise is a gripping and terrifying object lesson for us all. Yet his equally sudden fall from fame offers reason for hope that, given the rope, most American demagogues eventually hang themselves.
About the Author
Larry Tye is the best-selling author of “Bobby Kennedy” and “Satchel,” as well as “Superman,” “The Father of Spin,” “Home Lands,” and “Rising from the Rails,” and coauthor, with Kitty Dukakis, of “Shock.” Previously an award-winning reporter and national writer at the Boston Globe and a Nieman fellow at Harvard University, he now runs the Boston-based Health Coverage Fellowship. He lives in Massachusetts.
