At age thirty, Madeleine Lee, a wealthy, wellborn widow, has tired of Gilded Age New York and its shallow society. She decides to spend the winter in Washington with her sister, renting a house on Lafayette Square. As she makes friends (and enemies) with the locals, one question remains uppermost in her mind: who is right about America's future?Democracy: An American Novel was first published anonymously on April Fools' Day in 1880. The fact that Adams hid his identity helped make it a best seller, as readers tried to guess who was close enough to Washington society to portray it so knowingly-and maliciously. It wasn't until two full years after Adams's death that his publisher identified him as the novel's author.Perfect for readers who enjoy sharp political satire and elegant social commentary, this timeless novel offers a brilliant insider's view of American politics and high society corruption.