MixedThe Los Angeles TimesTo anyone familiar with democratic theory and its discontents, Brennan’s argument will appear solidly argued, even lively, but not particularly novel ... The book makes compelling reading for what is typically a dry area of discourse. This is theory that skips, rather than plods. So it is disappointing that while Brennan is willing to trade quite liberally on what he sees as the sorry state of the American electorate, he cares little for how we arrived here ... Brennan pays little attention to recent history. He overlooks gerrymandering, which has gnawed away at the relationship between the citizens and the power of their vote, the decline of public schools, the impact of legal decisions like Bush vs. Gore or Citizens United...Against Democracy would have us abandon the endeavor en masse rather than attempt to reestablish a healthy, inclusive democratic system.
