Author: Timothy Snyder
Illustrator: Nora Krug
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Publication Date: 2021
Length: 127 Pages
About the Author
Timothy Snyder is the Housum Professor of History at Yale University and a member of the Committee on Conscience of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Nora Krug is the author of the graphic memoir Belonging and an associate professor at Parsons School of Design in New York.
Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century on Resisting Authoritarianism
- Do not obey in advance.
- Defend institutions.
- Beware the one-party state.
- Take responsibility for the face of the world.
- Remember professional ethics.
- Be wary of paramilitaries.
- Be reflective if you must be armed.
- Stand out.
- Be kind to our language.
- Believe in truth.
- Investigate.
- Make eye contact and small talk.
- Practice corporeal politics.
- Establish a private life.
- Contribute to good causes.
- Learn from peers in other countries.
- Listen for dangerous words.
- Be calm when the unthinkable arrives.
- Be a patriot.
- Be as courageous as you can.
I found this book on a shelf at our local Goodwill store. When I browsed through the pages, I was immediately attracted to the illustrations. I read the entire book in a couple of hours and was impressed with the powerful messages.
"The hero of a David Lodge novel says that you don't know, when you make love for the last time, that you are making love for the last time. Voting is like that."
The author uses many examples from the spread of Nazism and Communism to show how people can be persuaded to go along with the crowd and ignore obvious danger signs. Many cautionary tales encourage people to be proactive and aware of their surroundings.
People need to investigate and not give others the benefit of the doubt. The author encourages people to read books and strive to discern facts as opposed to disinformation and fake news.
"What to read? Any good novel enlivens our ability to think about ambiguous situations and judge the intentions of others."
The context of this book is compelling and sends a powerful message to all citizens of the free world. The collage-style illustrations are outstanding and add great value to the text.
Highly recommended!
My Rating - 5 Stars Out Of 5
