American Heretic: Theodore Parker and Transcendentalism (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "On the 24th of August, 1810, early on a hot, sweltering morning, I came into this world of joys and sorrows," wrote Theodore Parker forty-nine..." (more)
Key Phrases: theological school exercise, library charging records, annotated page proofs, West Roxbury, New England, Old Testament (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A landmark event. . . . Grodzins delivers a wide-ranging and intelligent exploration of his subject, deftly blending narrative and interpretation." -- The New England Quarterly, September 2003

Review

Theodore Parker (1810-1860) was a powerful preacher who rejected the authority of the Bible and of Jesus, a brilliant scholar who became a popular agitator for the abolition of slavery and for women's rights, and a political theorist who defined democracy as "government of all the people, by all the people, for all the people"--words that inspired Abraham Lincoln. Parker had more influence than anyone except Ralph Waldo Emerson in shaping Transcendentalism in America.

In American Heretic, Dean Grodzins offers a compelling account of the remarkable first phase of Parker's career, when this complex man--charismatic yet awkward, brave yet insecure--rose from poverty and obscurity to fame and notoriety as a Transcendentalist prophet. Grodzins reveals hitherto hidden facets of Parker's life, including his love for a woman who was not his wife, and presents fresh perspectives on Transcendentalism. Grodzins explores Transcendentalism's religious roots, shows the profound religious and political issues at stake in the "Transcendentalist controversy," and offers new insights into Parker's Transcendentalist colleagues, including Emerson, Margaret Fuller, and Bronson Alcott. He traces, too, the intellectual origins of Parker's epochal definition of democracy as government of, by, and for the people.

The manuscript of this book was awarded the Allan Nevins Prize from the Society of American Historians.

"Skillfully traces Parker's intellectual evolution. . . . A masterful treatment of Parker's life and times. . . . A fresh look at an important figure in American religious history."
— Journal of the American Academy of Religion

"Scholars of American religious history owe a debt to Grodzins for a masterful treatment of Parker's life and times. . . . A fresh look at an important figure in American religious history."
— Journal of American Academy for Religion

"This fascinating biography of one of the leading intellectuals in the Transcendentalist movement brings together an intimate insight into Parker's personal life with a vivid depiction of the European cultures that engaged him. Dean Grodzins has opened his subject's inner life and has used it to restore drama and depth to a major phase of American intellectual history. (John Higham, The Johns Hopkins University)"

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 656 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press (January 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080782710X
• ISBN-13: 978-0807827109
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #905,982 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read for History/Religion Buffs, January 3, 2003

By	Joe Romm (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

Grodzins has written an astonishingly thorough and readable biography of an important but neglected 19th Century American. Parker is one of the most influential Americans of the mid-1800s, a brilliant scholar and powerful preacher who became a crucial figure in our religious and political history.

The book is destined to become the standard biography of Parker for generations. Anyone interested in American political thought and the evolution of American religious doctrine will find this book invaluable. Any New Englander will find this a treasure trove of well-written stories.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Forgotten Transcendentalist, April 7, 2007

By	Carol Roede - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Transcendentalism has never been easy to define, all the more so because its two most well-known adherents, Emerson and Thoreau, were highly poetic souls who had much better uses for their rhetoric than the crafting creeds or clear-cut manifestoes. It is a pleasure then to read Grodzins' biography of Theodore Parker, in whose life and work we can see more clearly the philosophical and personal dramas that played themselves out within the Unitarian Church in regard to its Transcendentalist sympathizers - in particular, the attempts of one Transcendentalist to define his views against the charges of Deism. Religion is a key concern for Transcendentalism, though in Emerson and Thoreau there is no sense that organized religion can play a key role in the individual's enlightenment. Parker remained in the Church as he struggled to know and preach Truth, and gained a large following. Our understanding of Transcendentalism is eminently richer for our appreciation of his struggle.

4.0 out of 5 stars American Heretic a scholarly, in-depth read, April 13, 2009

By	Brian D'Ambrosio "Brian D'Ambrosio" (Missoula, MT) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dean Grodzin's illumating scholarship reveals the Theodore Parker of the American Transcendentalist movement with great intellect, inspiration, and detail. His lucid evocation of Parker's explosive sermons, books, lectures, and writings is a must read for anyone interested in the development of American religious and intellectual thought.