Adventures in Democracy

An invigorating reflection on the tensions in liberal democracy. Benner weaves together personal reflections on life in Japan and Eastern Europe with a nuanced account of ancient philosophies that are all too often caricatured. Essential reading for anyone tempted to be complacent about the survival of democracy in the twenty-first century

Catherine Fletcher, author of The Beauty and the Terror

Shows how ancient wisdom might save democracies from anarchy and ruin . . . That she has lived and taught the ideas she writes about gives the book an enjoyable vitality

Emma Duncan, The Times

A sparkling account of people power through the ages, and how to save it from itself . . . a page-turner full of wit, original insight and unassuming erudition . . . a timely reminder that we can all play our part

Katja Hoyer, Guardian

A lively, accessible account of democracy, its strengths and weaknesses over the past 2,500 years . . . it comes with a plea to throw out the self-satisfied view that western democracy is a kind of political perfection, and to bring more honesty to our conversations about the ideal versus the reality of modern democracy

Michael Foley, The Irish Times

Highly stimulating . . . wonderfully readable . . . wherever she darts in history, Benner is a terrific guide, always questioning, always teasing out parallels . . . she brings clarity and curiosity to each issue . . . and a deep understanding of the past . . . her analysis of democracy's key strengths and weaknesses is forensic

Sarah Dunant, Literary Review

Engaging, illuminating, and arrives at an opportune moment. . . An overriding concern is that though democratic norms encourage us to love equality, we tend to want more of it for ourselves than for the rest

Sanjay Sipahimalani, The Federal