Peter S. Field contends that Ralph Waldo Emerson was America's first democratic intellectual and a democrat in two senses: his writings are imbued with an optimistic, confident ethos; and, more importantly, he acted the part of the democrat by bringing culture to all Americans.

In this original and fascinating book, Peter S. Field argues that Ralph Waldo Emerson is America's first democratic intellectual. Field contends that Emerson was a democrat in two senses: his writings are imbued with an optimistic, confident ethos, and more importantly, he acted the part of the democrat by bringing culture to all Americans. In Ralph Waldo Emerson, Field connects Emerson and his remarkable creativity to the key political issue of the day: the nature of democracy and the role of intellectuals within a democratic society.