"How Books Can Save Democracy argues that American democracy is in crisis as healthy disagreement has pivoted into negative, winner-take-all contests. Michael Fischer proposes that literature is an essential tool to rekindle the relationships and mutual understanding that functional democracies require. By participating in reading, writing, and discussions about literature with diverse perspectives--whether in classrooms or book clubs or at public festivals--we can discover how to embrace our differences rather than fear them, enabling the empathy and collaborative spirit needed to sustain a democratic society. Fischer illustrates how literature, from classics to contemporary works, fosters nuanced thinking and the ability to find common ground despite our differences. He draws insightful connections and examines how great literature throughout history has diagnosed societal democratic challenges, discussing the works of Zadie Smith, Charles Dickens, Alexis de Tocqueville, Hannah Arendt, Philip Roth, Ezra Klein, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and many others. For anyone concerned about polarization and democratic backsliding, he provides evidence that the reading, writing, and discussion of powerful texts may be our most valuable and overlooked democratic resource"-- Provided by publisher.