Thank you to NetGalley and Columbia Global Reports for this reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

I'm giving this book high marks because it is well-researched and well-written. That being said, I'm not sure how much of it I understood. And that's on me, not Judis. I don't really have a mind that understands or grasps the concepts Judis was unpacking but I did my best and what I could understand I appreciated. And what I couldn't understand I still appreciated because I recognized it was, as I said, well-researched and well-written. I did, however, understand his explanation of what populist movements are - the pros and cons of the ones that have made gains politically and specifically how populist movements led to the election of Trump in America and other political figures worldwide. Maybe some of the other info he shared penetrated and at some point my brain will access it when called upon.

One of Judis's many shorter books of late, this is another recommended read. I don't necessarily agree with everything he writes, but it's a thought-provoking book. Recommended.

A relevant read, The Populist Explosion is a good place to start in understanding the rise of populism in the U.S. and (mainly Western) Europe.

In clear though not terribly engaging prose, author John Judis presents a short history of populism from its 19th-century American roots through its rise in left- and right-wing forms across Europe and the U.S. in the last few decades. Unlike most discussions of populism, Judis differentiates between left-wing (the people vs. the elite) and right-wing populism (the people vs. the elite and the minority scapegoat).

With a wide scope, the book offers a good overview of recent Western European and American political history, including the third-party candidates of U.S. elections in the 1980s and 1990s, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump of the 2016 election, and the rise of the European Union. Judis touches on the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Greece, Spain and more.

Well researched. Interesting subject and written in a way that's easy to understand. It's a fascinating book.