PRAISE FOR AMERICAN GRACE

WINNER OF THE WOODROW WILSON AWARD FOR THE BEST BOOK IN
POLITICS, GOVERNMENT, OR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS IN 2011

WINNER OF THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATOR COUNCIL’S WILBUR AWARD FOR THE BEST NON-FICTION BOOK OF 2011

“This is a big, multifaceted work….intellectually powerful.” —Robert Wright, The New York Times Book Review

“Perhaps the most sweeping look yet at contemporary American religion” –Michelle Boorstein, The Washington Post

“[T]he most successfully argued sociological study of American religion in more than half a century”
—San Francisco Chronicle

“After a seemingly endless procession of tendentious and hotly argued books espousing ‘the new atheism’ and blaming religion for all that is wrong with the world, ‘American Grace’ comes as a welcome balm, offering a reasoned discussion of religion and public life.…the result is a book that takes a mostly positive view of American religion, capturing its energy and variety. Chapters of historical or sociological interpretation alternate with ‘vignettes,’ artfully done portraits of particular church communities.” — Wall Street Journal

“American Grace is a scrupulously researched, extensively documented, and utterly clear book filled with findings that should rattle the assumptions of anyone, religious or secular…[An] indispensable analysis of religious polarization, partisanship, and pluralism in American life.” — American Prospect

“[A] finely-grained and judicious study, sure to become a classic work of social analysis.” —Foreign Affairs

“American Grace is an instant classic, as academically authoritative as it is brilliantly entertaining. And for those who pray that religion can do more to unite than divide over 300 million Americans, American Grace is both a blueprint and a blessing.”
—America magazine

“America is diverse, and so is this examination of its religions. ‘American Grace’ will very likely be the standard work on this important subject for a long time.” —St. Louis Post Dispatch

“American Grace is a monumental work. . . . This surprising, absolutely fascinating, and ultimately uplifting portrait of the changing role of religion in American life deserves the widest possible audience. It is a triumph.” —Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

“Religion is perhaps the most significant but little understood force in American life, and this new book goes a long way toward illuminating how faith affects our politics and our culture. Robert Putnam and David Campbell have produced an original and thought-provoking work.” —Jon Meacham, author of American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation

“Whether you are a fervent believer or just a curious observer, you have a great deal to learn from Putnam and Campbell’s masterful survey of contemporary American religious life. Their expansive vision, authoritative evidence, insightful analysis, and graceful prose make American Grace a terrific example of how social science can contribute to a broader understanding of our most vital social institutions and commitments.” —Larry M. Bartels, author of Unequal Democracy: The Political Economy of the New Gilded Age

“American Grace offers a cogent and insightful analysis of the role of religion in American public life. Covering a wide range of topics, from religious pluralism to political polarization, it describes both the perils—and promise—of contemporary faith-based politics. Putnam and Campbell have made a major contribution to understanding this crucial subject.” —John C. Green, Distinguished Professor of Political Science, University of Akron; Senior Research Advisor, Pew Forum on Religions & Public Life

“Putnam and Campbell have produced an impressive interpretation of American religion that is likely to be debated for years to come. Eschewing dry theoretical speculation and cant punditry, American Grace paints a compelling portrait of the centrality of religion in American culture and offers a provocative narrative of how it is changing.” —Robert Wuthnow, chairman, Dept. of Sociology, Princeton University

“This is the best overview of American religion in the last half century that I have ever read. Sophisticated but accessible, it contains a treasure trove of fascinating information: why religious Americans are better neighbors and more conscientious citizens than their secular counterparts; what role personal sexual morality plays in American religion; and why so many young Americans are drifting away from religious tradition. And despite some sobering findings, it continually reminds us of the vibrancy, strength and diversity of America?s congregations and of our religious culture. If you care about American religion, you must read this book.” —Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, President, Union for Reform Judaism

“American Grace is an instant canonical text. It is indispensable for any grasp of our pluralistic religious culture. And it inspires us to deepen our ecumenical democracy!” 
—Cornel West, Professor of Religion, Center for African American Studies, Princeton University

“This marvelous study combines clear-eyed, elegantly written analysis with new and fascinating data to provide as rich a picture as you could wish for of the place of religion in our contemporary life. It undermines, in small and large ways, many of the clichés about politics and religion in America. This book will be an essential part of the continuing conversation about faith in our country.”
—Kwame Anthony Appiah, Professor of Philosophy, Princeton, and author of Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers