Timothy J. Heaphy at Tattered Cover Colfax 10/2/26

In the view of Timothy Heaphy, our democracy is broken. In this essential guidebook, Heaphy outlines constructive actions we can take to combat this frightening period of heightened tensions, accusations, and political violence in America.

Sharing sobering stories of the lawlessness and dysfunction he witnessed in his investigations into Charlottesville and January 6, Heaphy identifies structural barriers that stack the odds against our being able to return compromise and civility to American politics. And yet, the irony of this division is that it is inconsistent with the fact that Americans share so many fundamental priorities. Balancing practical considerations with defiant hopefulness, Heaphy provides readers with a treatise for how we can empower ourselves and others to heal our communities.