On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

From Yale professor & historian Dr. Timothy Snyder (who specializes in the history of central & Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union & the Holocaust), 20 key lessons for regular Americans to learn on tyranny from the 20th Century, digest, and hopefully remember when they matter most. Short, sweet, and to the point, On Tyranny is such for good reasons. For one, my twitter-fried brain has difficulty sitting still long enough to read long books the way I once did. I believe Snyder understands that has happened to many of my generation— those who use social media 24/7 & otherwise can’t be still. Second, accessibility. This is short enough to read during a long wait for a medical appointment, and any high school student should be able to understand it. No real background knowledge is necessary. Anyone could pick it up and go. And **busy, hardworking, everyday Americans need the opportunity to clearly see WHAT HAPPENED IN THE 20th CENTURY TO ALLOW TYRANNY so they can IDENTIFY RED FLAGS IN THE PRESENT DAY**—all without needing to keep up with the details of daily news or the ginned-up partisan bs of the cable entertainment news nighttime soap operas. Last, in the age of 24-hr news cycles and short attention spans, Snyder has managed to succinctly write 20 vital historical lessons in such a way that they are easy to remember. He does not appear concerned for his own ego, about appearing to be some superior intellectual. I don’t believe he wrote this $9.99 book (I got it for $7) for clout or money. He wrote it for us, for Americans. If I had the money, I’d buy copies to put in waiting rooms and hotel dressers alongside the Gideon Bible. So, yes. Timely and important… when it was published in 2017. You’ll read the occasional passage and think “well, that ship has sailed”—but this (larger) pocket-sized book is not about defeatism. There is still much to be learned. Still timely & highly relevant.

Insightful, thought-provoking, inspiring, and a quick read.

We'll see in 6 months.

Um livro curto, que consegue condensar estratégias de manipulação de líderes inescrupulosos e racionais existentes nas populações que podem facilitar o sucesso de tais líderes. Um certo dia, tudo mudou, e mudou porque não estávamos atentos e caímos nas armadilhas que foram colocadas no caminho, com o nosso apoio. Armadilhas antigas, mas testadas e efetivas, sob as condições certas. Este livro pode ajudar-nos a reconhecê-las e evitá-las, não apenas nos EUA (a cujo público se destina) mas em qualquer lugar no qual autoritarismo e redução de liberdades esteja na agenda de grupos de poder.

Such a well written book. A must read!

This book is a quick exploration of lessons learnt from 20th-century history and how they help us make sense of the present. Lots to reflect on and digest here. The take home message for me is that courage matters and that going with the flow is more dangerous than standing up and standing out. I always found that Tim Snyder's perspectives on Eastern European history made me reconsider what I thought I understood about the story of the 20th century. He delivers yet again, this time reframing the present and urging the reader to recognise that tyranny is enabled by personal choices and behaviours. Recommend.

A really excellent analysis of what’s happening in the world today and what we’re sleepwalking into. I’ve added this book to a small group of three books that I have read and want to hold onto. These books illustrate the inhuman side of mankind and are great reminders of what an authoritarian regime is capable of. The books I already have are Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland by Christopher Browning, Necropolis by Boris Pahor and The Order Of The Day by Eric Vuillard. All well worth reading. On Tyranny is a well written warning by Timothy Sneider and he compares a range of regimes, mostly Nazi and Communist but including Trump’s America, as he travels through his 20 topics. These are: 1. Do not obey in advance. 2. Defend institutions. 3. Beware the one-party state. 4. Take responsibility for the face of the world. 5. Remember professional ethics. 6. Be wary of paramilitaries. 7. Be reflective if you must be armed. 8. Stand out. 9. Be kind to our language. 10. Believe in truth. 11. Investigate. 12. Make eye contact and small talk. 13. Practice corporeal politics. 14. Establish a private life. 15. Contribute to good causes. 16. Learn from peers in other countries. 17. Listen for dangerous words. 18. Be calm when the unthinkable arrives. 19. Be a patriot. 20. Be as courageous as you can. As an example in Chapter 10 Trump’s rhetoric is compared to that of any fascist leader where stock phrases are used so much they become part of the everyday language of the public. “Crooked Hillary”, “Build that wall”, “Lock her up”. Before you know it the words become action and lead to another tool for the vigilante or paramilitary. Talking of paramilitaries the action of Trump supporters at rallies against anti-Trump campaigners is no different to the Brown Shirts in 1930s Germany. What I would say is that reading this book should be a wake-up call. Those of us who tend to follow the crowd should start asking questions and challenging authority and bland statements at every level. If you read just one book in your life to make you wake up and think then make it this one.