At his death on the eve of the 20th century, D. L. Moody was widely recognized as one of the most beloved and important men in 19th century America. A Chicago shoe salesman with a fourth grade education, Moody rose from obscurity to become God's man for the Gilded Age. Evensen focuses on the pivotal years during which Moody established his reputation on both sides of the Atlantic through a series of highly popular and publicized campaigns. In chronicling Moody's use of the press and their use of him, Evensen sheds new light on a crucial chapter in the history of evangelicalism and demonstrates how popular religion helped form our modern media culture.

Journalism and the American Experience offers a comprehensive examination of the critical role journalism has played in the struggle over America's democratic institutions and culture. Journalism is central to the story of the nation's founding and has continued to influence and shape debates over public policy, American exceptionalism, and the meaning and significance of the United States in world history. Placed at the intersection of American Studies and Communications scholarship, this book provides an essential introduction to journalism's curious and conflicted co-existence with the American democratic experiment.

Journalism and the American Experience offers a comprehensive examination of the critical role journalism has played in the struggle over America's democratic institutions and culture. Journalism is central to the story of the nation's founding and has continued to influence and shape debates over public policy, American exceptionalism, and the meaning and significance of the United States in world history. Placed at the intersection of American Studies and Communications scholarship, this book provides an essential introduction to journalism's curious and conflicted co-existence with the American democratic experiment.