Release date is 2021-03-23

The folks and their folksiness -- Types and diversions -- The farmer of the Middle West -- Chicago -- The Middle West in politics -- The spirit of the West.

D A Alexander, David E. Brown, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

"The Valley of Democracy" by Meredith Nicholson is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The work explores the social, political, and cultural landscapes of the American Midwest, particularly focusing on the attitudes and aspirations of the region's inhabitants. The book seems poised to delve into the connection between the citizens, referred to as "Folks," and their role in shaping democratic ideals and practices in a rapidly changing world. The opening of the text introduces the reader to a conversation between the narrator and a friend, who critiques the distance between the Eastern elites and the ordinary people of the Midwest. This discussion sets up a central theme of the text: the perceived condescension of the East towards the West and the identity of the common people. The narrator's friend passionately invokes the term "Folks," emphasizing their humanity and significance beyond mere statistics, and highlights the distinct social characteristics that define the individuals who inhabit the Middle West. Through rich descriptions and anecdotes, the author seeks to illuminate the experiences that contribute to the region's unique sense of democracy, community, and social interaction. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Original publication data not identified