Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump

This is a vivid, deeply researched exploration of charisma—not just as a trait of influential individuals, but as a force shaped by history, religion, race, and media, revealing why specific figures captivate the public imagination and fill a human need. Worthen (Apostles of Reason) establishes her scope with three striking American moments: Anne Hutchinson’s role in the Salem Witch Trials, the attempted assassination of Marcus Garvey, and the speech by which Donald Trump launched his 2016 campaign for president. This signals her intent to investigate charisma as a force that emerges during social and political vulnerability. It highlights the expected towering figures of charisma—George Washington and Napoleon—and resurrects those whose impact has faded from mainstream recognition, such as Tecumseh, and the genderless American prophet called the Universal Public Friend. Their inclusion vitally underscores how charisma can be a fleeting force. Worthen argues that as the United States grow more secular, people still crave connection and purpose, making them susceptible to figures to fill that void. Notably, the book does not center on Trump, reinforcing the thesis that charisma is larger than any individual.