Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Crown (2017), Edition: 1st, 128 pages
Description
In previous books, Holocaust historian Timothy Snyder dissected the events and values that enabled the rise of Hitler and Stalin and the execution of their catastrophic policies. With Twenty Lessons, Snyder draws from the darkest hours of the twentieth century to provide hope for the twenty-first. As he writes, "Americans are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to fascism, Nazism and communism. Our one advantage is that we might learn from their experience."
Media reviews
As social and political winds change, librarians can find themselves in a precarious position depending on the nature of this change. Professional librarians adhere, at least in theory, to the ALA Code of Ethics—a document that outlines our general philosophies on access and censorship with
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regard to library users. While these guidelines are general, they provide a reasonable framework for handling challenges we are likely to face in the normal service of our jobs. At politically fraught times, however, these guidelines serve as a critical backbone for the ethical practice of our profession. As an example, the passing of the wide-sweeping Patriot Act following the September 11 terrorist attacks created direct practical and ethical dilemmas for librarians across the county by requiring compliance with investigators’ requests for protected documents such as patron borrowing records [Full text of review available through C&RL] Show Less
Snyder knows this subject cold...
For such a small book, Snyder invests “On Tyranny” with considerable heft...
Of course, just as I was pondering whether “On Tyranny” exaggerates, Trump tweeted that the press is the enemy of the American people. That sounds awfully pre-fascist to me.
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So approach this short book the same way you would a medical pamphlet warning about an infectious disease. Read it carefully and be on the lookout for symptoms. Show Less
Snyder also tells us, somewhat unnecessarily, that we can survive tyranny by establishing a private life and staying calm when the unthinkable arrives. The creeping destruction of democracy can be stopped or reversed; it's not inevitable, as his injunction to "be as courageous as you can" implies.
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In this book, as in his others, Snyder provokes us to think again about major issues of our time, as well as significant elements of the past, but he seems to have rushed it out rather too quickly. It could do with far greater depth of historical illustration, not to mention recourse to the many thinkers whose wisdom we might profit from in dealing with the issue of tyranny and how to combat it. Democracy dies in many different ways, and to help us in defending our rights we need a more thoughtful book than this. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member richardderus
Rating: 5* of five
Not for its perfection of style but for its perfection of wisdom and its amazing timeliness. As I write this today, 24 March 2018, I saw the face of our future president in Emma Gonzalez as she stood silent, focused, determined, at a march made by young people to demand their
I believe that her speech...the few words, the long silence...will be the spark of the youth revolution our country so very badly needs. I am hopeful that Emma Gonzalez will be, by her very adamantine sense of self and her charismatic gravitas, the voice that alerts her compatriots to Author Snyder's clarion call to clarity:
The politics of inevitability is a self-induced intellectual coma.
The most unbelievably high stakes are at risk in the November 2018 elections. Buy this book not for yourself but for your hopes of a reasonably happy future for the United States of America, buy it in quantity and give it to everyone you know and/or can find who is under 25, and talk to them about why you're giving them this short, clear, concise, and urgently necessary book.
Your life, my life, the life of a truly great nation, depends on them showing up at the ballot box on 6 November 2018. This is neither hyperbole nor alarmism. It is simply the truth. Looking away from the horrors of the current kakistocracy's rise to any position of power higher than hall monitor at the local middle school will only ensure the brutal and vicious agenda of these lowlife scumbags and their horrifying cadres of disgustingly venal and/or stupid supporters will succeed.
Not for its perfection of style but for its perfection of wisdom and its amazing timeliness. As I write this today, 24 March 2018, I saw the face of our future president in Emma Gonzalez as she stood silent, focused, determined, at a march made by young people to demand their
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lives be protected from ammosexual assholes. She spoke for six minutes and twenty seconds in total, the same amount of time that it took one piece of shit human being to slaughter seventeen of her classmates. I believe that her speech...the few words, the long silence...will be the spark of the youth revolution our country so very badly needs. I am hopeful that Emma Gonzalez will be, by her very adamantine sense of self and her charismatic gravitas, the voice that alerts her compatriots to Author Snyder's clarion call to clarity:
The politics of inevitability is a self-induced intellectual coma.
The most unbelievably high stakes are at risk in the November 2018 elections. Buy this book not for yourself but for your hopes of a reasonably happy future for the United States of America, buy it in quantity and give it to everyone you know and/or can find who is under 25, and talk to them about why you're giving them this short, clear, concise, and urgently necessary book.
Your life, my life, the life of a truly great nation, depends on them showing up at the ballot box on 6 November 2018. This is neither hyperbole nor alarmism. It is simply the truth. Looking away from the horrors of the current kakistocracy's rise to any position of power higher than hall monitor at the local middle school will only ensure the brutal and vicious agenda of these lowlife scumbags and their horrifying cadres of disgustingly venal and/or stupid supporters will succeed.
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LibraryThing member Storeetllr
I finished the audio of [On Tyranny] last night, and all I have to say is this very short book should, as others have said, be required reading for every American citizen and especially those in high school and college. I was so blown away by it that I am going to buy a print copy for myself so I
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can make notes and also a few copies to give away to people I think could use it. It was a succinct and erudite discussion of how Drumpf is following the playbook of Hitler to undermine our democracy and drive us into a fascist authoritarian rule, and what we can (and must) do to prevent it. Show Less
LibraryThing member schatzi
This is an excellent (and short) book about twenty lessons about tyranny in the twentieth century, particularly Europe (both Nazi and Communist), and, of course, how it applies to today's events - which is very timely, might I add.
My grandmother grew up in Nazi Germany, at least until she was sent
Recommended.
My grandmother grew up in Nazi Germany, at least until she was sent
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out of the country. She lost two parents, three brothers, and a sister to the Nazis - she is the only surviving member of her immediate family. How did this ever happen, I wondered frequently as I grew up. How in the world could people be so hateful towards those they perceive as outsiders? How could truth, and justice, and mercy take such backseats to hatred, and fear, and prejudice? I see how every day now; I no longer have to wonder. Recommended.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
Short book, well worth reading in the present circumstances. One of the key lessons: don’t comply in advance (which sadly I couldn’t help but compare to Sheryl Sandburg’s “don’t leave before you leave”)—don’t do things because you expect they will be required or approved by the
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powerful. Show Less
LibraryThing member MarcusBastos
Learning History to Act Wisely
Professor Timothy Snyder is a scholar of the Holocaust and of European’s Twentieth Century history. In this short book he points twenty lessons one can learn considering modern political history in the West. The aim, it seems to me, is to identify and combat
Professor Timothy Snyder is a scholar of the Holocaust and of European’s Twentieth Century history. In this short book he points twenty lessons one can learn considering modern political history in the West. The aim, it seems to me, is to identify and combat
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tyranny, understand as “the usurpation of power by a single individual or group, or the circumvention of law by rulers for their own benefit”. The lessons are extremely practical and can be applied with easiness. Their careful consideration is vital to enhance political action and advance democracy. The book main point rest in the importance of history to liberty. History, the author said, “allows us to see patterns and make judgments” and then identify the dangers surrounding liberty nowadays. Show Less
LibraryThing member Bricker
I thought some things were over-simplified, some things were too explored and there was a definite bias, but overall a quick read that provides a lot to think about.
LibraryThing member TheAmpersand
"On Tyranny" isn't a great book, but I don't think that the author wrote it because he wanted to produce a great work of non-fiction. This thing is a pamphlet in book form, a call to action, a wake up call for our troubled, unpredictable times. With that in mind, it's got its good points. Snyder
I actually found the most interesting part of the book to be the afterword, in which Snyder argues that "end of history" complacency about a democratic, technocratic, future is as dangerous -- indeed, the flip side -- of passivity in the face of a developing tyranny. His point is that bad governments don't just happen, they're allowed to happen. Given where American politics is right now, his message seems both important and timely.
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emphasizes the roles that institutions and human connections play in resisting tyranny, and the examples he picks to support his arguments seem appropriate and might not be familiar to the average non-historian. He argues, obliquely, that the internet has damaged public discourse, and that actually getting together with other humans in meatspace is one way to repair this damage. He also includes what seems like a solid reading list for people who want to learn and do more, which I'll have to pursue.I actually found the most interesting part of the book to be the afterword, in which Snyder argues that "end of history" complacency about a democratic, technocratic, future is as dangerous -- indeed, the flip side -- of passivity in the face of a developing tyranny. His point is that bad governments don't just happen, they're allowed to happen. Given where American politics is right now, his message seems both important and timely.
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LibraryThing member ldefillipo
The book may be quite small, both in physical size and length, but it is, by far, one of the most important.
LibraryThing member laytonwoman3rd
A pithy little volume of advice on how, maybe, to avoid the descent into darkness. From "Do Not Obey in Advance" to "Be as Courageous as You Can", Snyder offers simple, practical observations on what we all can and must do to prevent tyranny from sneaking in and becoming the norm. It should come as
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no surprise that he advocates being careful with language, responsible with facts and vigilant about your rights and privacy. Everyone ought to carry a copy of this in their back pocket. Show Less
LibraryThing member BenKline
I really do want to give this a higher rating, because I think there is some (a lot perhaps even) good to the piece of work.... but it's buried, and hidden. I think for the most part I come into politics viewing things safely from a distance, neither pro-Republican or Pro-Democrat; neither
I find myself more in the middle of the spectrum; and I don't think I'm really the target for this book. I think the target is far more on the left spectrum; the complete anti-Trump; the anti-right. Not necessarily pro-Hillary but definitely more leaning that way than anything else.
I voted for Johnson, because frankly I could easily see the scales tipping either way on both of them being tyrants. Trump's version of tyranny isn't so much as Hitler; as perhaps Hitler-wanna-be. Where as Hillary's version of tyranny would be something more akin to that of 1984. Which might be ironical (or I might be that far off base on this) considering his "fake news" and other things that eerily parallels 1984.
I do find much of this book as hyperbole. Especially because he doesn't out-right say this is a piece of anti-Trump literature until you get pretty far into it. It is also very light (and easy to read; which is the point) so things are grossly glossed over much to the detriment of many things. Like his ramblings of anti-internet and only print-media can be regarded as the truth. Which I think primarily stems from the fact that Trump used the internet (or the Russians or whoever you want to believe) to push propaganda. But that's merely a sign of the times and not necessarily a cause to view the internet with a complete irrational hatred. Skepticism sure, but not blind anti-internet technophobia. In the 1920s/30s and 40s print media was used for propaganda much in the same vein as the internet is used today. Its merely adjusting of the times.
I do think there's plenty of good information, and nuggets of knowledge in this. I think it's buried, and the extreme biassed nature of the book (notsomuch ant-tyranny as anti-Trump) definitely weighs it down and makes it almost too much of a pro-[alt?]left literature piece that it dilutes and ruins the message that underpins the whole thing.
(For some interesting further thoughts on the work; there is some interesting reviews here on GoodReads, both positive and negative that help to shed far more light on the politics of it all than I can.)
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Conservative or Liberal. Not Alt-Right nor Alt-Left.I find myself more in the middle of the spectrum; and I don't think I'm really the target for this book. I think the target is far more on the left spectrum; the complete anti-Trump; the anti-right. Not necessarily pro-Hillary but definitely more leaning that way than anything else.
I voted for Johnson, because frankly I could easily see the scales tipping either way on both of them being tyrants. Trump's version of tyranny isn't so much as Hitler; as perhaps Hitler-wanna-be. Where as Hillary's version of tyranny would be something more akin to that of 1984. Which might be ironical (or I might be that far off base on this) considering his "fake news" and other things that eerily parallels 1984.
I do find much of this book as hyperbole. Especially because he doesn't out-right say this is a piece of anti-Trump literature until you get pretty far into it. It is also very light (and easy to read; which is the point) so things are grossly glossed over much to the detriment of many things. Like his ramblings of anti-internet and only print-media can be regarded as the truth. Which I think primarily stems from the fact that Trump used the internet (or the Russians or whoever you want to believe) to push propaganda. But that's merely a sign of the times and not necessarily a cause to view the internet with a complete irrational hatred. Skepticism sure, but not blind anti-internet technophobia. In the 1920s/30s and 40s print media was used for propaganda much in the same vein as the internet is used today. Its merely adjusting of the times.
I do think there's plenty of good information, and nuggets of knowledge in this. I think it's buried, and the extreme biassed nature of the book (notsomuch ant-tyranny as anti-Trump) definitely weighs it down and makes it almost too much of a pro-[alt?]left literature piece that it dilutes and ruins the message that underpins the whole thing.
(For some interesting further thoughts on the work; there is some interesting reviews here on GoodReads, both positive and negative that help to shed far more light on the politics of it all than I can.)
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LibraryThing member jessibud2
I would say this book ought to be required reading for anyone in the post-trump era, to remind us not only of what is REAL but of the lessons of history. Without directly citing my favourite Santayana quote ("Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it"), Snyder spells out in Twenty
This is a book to check back with from time to time. It's a book that should be the text book and manual for students, to prepare them for the future (both high school and university students). And, if you ask me, it's a book that ought to be read with care and caution by every politician, to (hopefully) help keep them accountable for their actions. Of course, if more citizens knew more history and heeded the signs all around them, the *text* might not be so necessary.
And the cynic in me heaves a big sigh and says that, sadly, I think those who most need to read this, probably won't....
I thought I would include a few quotes from the book but in truth, I can't decide which, as I marked so many. So, just read it. There is good advice and good common sense and worthy values on almost every page.
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Lessons, exactly why this is so. This is a book to check back with from time to time. It's a book that should be the text book and manual for students, to prepare them for the future (both high school and university students). And, if you ask me, it's a book that ought to be read with care and caution by every politician, to (hopefully) help keep them accountable for their actions. Of course, if more citizens knew more history and heeded the signs all around them, the *text* might not be so necessary.
And the cynic in me heaves a big sigh and says that, sadly, I think those who most need to read this, probably won't....
I thought I would include a few quotes from the book but in truth, I can't decide which, as I marked so many. So, just read it. There is good advice and good common sense and worthy values on almost every page.
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LibraryThing member SqueakyChu
I felt the need to reread this book because I now think my own country stands in murkier territory regarding tyranny than it did in 2017 when this book was written and in 2018 when I first read this book. Some of what it said I did not clearly understand, but yet it gave me chills and a terrified
This book is quickly becoming dated. It should be read now by others and should be updated by its author.
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feeling when I considered what this book was telling me about my chidren's and grandchildren's future. I will try to heed the advice of this book (keep informed through print rather than electronic media, maintain a valid passport, limit online sharing, and safeguard your privacy...among other things), but I will also try not to give in to hopelessness and will try to keep a strong sense of resistance to those proactices I see and hear about with which I do not agree. This book is quickly becoming dated. It should be read now by others and should be updated by its author.
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LibraryThing member Crazymamie
This first came to my attention when Ellen read and reviewed it last year, and then when Joanne reviewed it this year, it reminded me and pushed me over the edge to get to it. Here Snyder presents twenty lessons to live by if we want to preserve democracy. It's well done and informative without
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being repetitive. I think they should give a copy of this to every high schooler as they reach voting age. Our Constitution only works when we empower it by exercising our rights as citizens - it's easy to lose sight of that as so much of our lives can be lived from home. We have learned to make things come to us instead of our going to them, and it has made us lazy and passive. We need to get our there and be present and make our voices be counted. This should be required reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member snash
A crucial book for our present times, reminding us that the collapse of a democracy including ours can happen and that it takes complicity for that to happen. The 20 lessons suggest ways that we, the ordinary persons, can counter that possibility. Not real detailed but easily digested.
LibraryThing member AVoraciousReader
Book source ~ Library
I don’t normally read non-fiction, but I found this on someone else’s book list/post/blog (sorry I can’t remember which or who) and felt it extremely relevant in these dangerous times. Because they are dangerous. It’s unreal to me that Hitler isn’t that far back in
Our government is corrupt. It’s been corrupt for decades now and the only good thing to come out of Trump’s presidency is that more and more people have finally woken up to the fact we’re getting royally screwed by the people who are supposed to be working for us. US. The citizens of the United States of America. Because, I’m just going to say it, Americans have gotten lazy as fuck. Me included. Combined with loss of funding for essentials such as education we’re also raising Americans who are dumb as fuck. Yes, I said it. Lazy and dumb. Just what our government wants us to be so they can keep lining their and their buddies pockets with more money than they could ever spend in 3 lifetimes.
I’m going to put this out there, it may sound crazy, but I don’t care. I think Russia wants to be the new Roman Empire, taking over the majority of the world. They seem to be playing the long game and sustaining themselves by eating the elephant one bite at a time. And we’re stupid enough to let it happen. Shame on us. But it hasn’t happened yet and we really need to make sure the lessons from the past follow us into the future. Short memories will get us killed. I recommend this book to everyone.
I don’t normally read non-fiction, but I found this on someone else’s book list/post/blog (sorry I can’t remember which or who) and felt it extremely relevant in these dangerous times. Because they are dangerous. It’s unreal to me that Hitler isn’t that far back in
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our history, a mere blip in the entirety of Earth’s history, and yet it seems as if we are making the same exact mistakes that Germany and others did back in the 30s & 40s. Totally unreal. I’m not sure if having the internet and access to social media is good or bad, but I’m leaning towards good so that those fighting for democracy can reach more people. But the vast amount of disinformation out there being shared with and by people who don’t know what the fuck they’re talking about, not to mention those who do not have the best interests of the many in mind, is needless to say, alarming.Our government is corrupt. It’s been corrupt for decades now and the only good thing to come out of Trump’s presidency is that more and more people have finally woken up to the fact we’re getting royally screwed by the people who are supposed to be working for us. US. The citizens of the United States of America. Because, I’m just going to say it, Americans have gotten lazy as fuck. Me included. Combined with loss of funding for essentials such as education we’re also raising Americans who are dumb as fuck. Yes, I said it. Lazy and dumb. Just what our government wants us to be so they can keep lining their and their buddies pockets with more money than they could ever spend in 3 lifetimes.
I’m going to put this out there, it may sound crazy, but I don’t care. I think Russia wants to be the new Roman Empire, taking over the majority of the world. They seem to be playing the long game and sustaining themselves by eating the elephant one bite at a time. And we’re stupid enough to let it happen. Shame on us. But it hasn’t happened yet and we really need to make sure the lessons from the past follow us into the future. Short memories will get us killed. I recommend this book to everyone.
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LibraryThing member AKBouterse
I’m not rating this because it just doesn’t feel like that type of book to me but I did really enjoy it. I was recently looking for books to check out about Russia and Eastern Europe and Dr. Snyder specializes in that region. I ended up checking out his book The Road to Unfreedom and I realized
I remember this book being everywhere when it first came out in 2017 as people were looking to understand Trumps election. It had a resurgence (unsurprisingly) in 2021, after the 1/6 attack on the Capitol. This is a nice little books with some interesting lessons. Many seem obvious but Snyder is drawing on this experiences as a historian of Eastern Europe to give examples and inform the reasoning behind all twenty lessons.
Personally, I thought the most interesting/important lessons were 1. Do not obey in advance, 9. Be kind to our language, 11. Investigate, 13. Practice corporeal politics, and 20. Be as courageous as you can.
These lessons are not mind blowing or necessarily revolutionary but they are important and they are a reminder of a certain type of pragmatism that can be forgotten when so much of our civic life is lived online and subject to endless disinformation. I am glad I finally took the time to read this and I look forward to reading The Road to Unfreedom
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he had also written this and I had never read it and thought I’d give it a go.I remember this book being everywhere when it first came out in 2017 as people were looking to understand Trumps election. It had a resurgence (unsurprisingly) in 2021, after the 1/6 attack on the Capitol. This is a nice little books with some interesting lessons. Many seem obvious but Snyder is drawing on this experiences as a historian of Eastern Europe to give examples and inform the reasoning behind all twenty lessons.
Personally, I thought the most interesting/important lessons were 1. Do not obey in advance, 9. Be kind to our language, 11. Investigate, 13. Practice corporeal politics, and 20. Be as courageous as you can.
These lessons are not mind blowing or necessarily revolutionary but they are important and they are a reminder of a certain type of pragmatism that can be forgotten when so much of our civic life is lived online and subject to endless disinformation. I am glad I finally took the time to read this and I look forward to reading The Road to Unfreedom
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LibraryThing member streamsong
This is a short book with a lot of wisdom.
It expounds on history with twenty short but gripping lessons on what an individual could have done during such events as the rise of Hitler and fascism, and what a person can do today to ensure our democracy stays strong.
The good news is that the remedies
I plan to have an extra copy of this book on hand to share – I know it's one I'll want to give to others.
It expounds on history with twenty short but gripping lessons on what an individual could have done during such events as the rise of Hitler and fascism, and what a person can do today to ensure our democracy stays strong.
The good news is that the remedies
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are often quite straightforward and include such ideas as adhering to professional standards, being aware of movement toward a one party state and awareness and listening for dangerous words. It's not that these lessons or remedies are easy; standing up against a crowd takes quite a bit of courage; but the people who believe in such principals must stand firm.I plan to have an extra copy of this book on hand to share – I know it's one I'll want to give to others.
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LibraryThing member Gwendydd
This is a short book that compares what is happening in American politics right now to what happened in fascist regimes in the 20th century. It was written right after the election in 2016. I read it in the week that the Democrats began impeachment procedures against Trump, and it's far more
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relevant now than it was 3 years ago. It's terrifying, but also enlightening. Everyone should be required to read this book. It shows how Trump is following the fascist playbook, and has clear tips for how to resist him. Show Less
LibraryThing member Gingermama
This should be required reading for all Americans. The author skillfully outlines twenty lessons from throughout the twentieth century that have great resonance for the world today. Democracy is not a given, but can be lost when tyrants gain control.
LibraryThing member lycomayflower
I mostly found this depressing and a retread of advice I've already heard and have been taking since November (such as: read and financially support print journalism; have a valid passport; disengage from the internet more often; read "slow" texts, that is things that take time to absorb like books
*That is, citations. He does reference other works.
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and long-form journalism; seek out and listen to the experiences and opinions of people from other countries; be critical and wary of alarmist language from "leaders"; speak up; support charities; support the institutions you value). It's incredibly important stuff, but I also wish there had been more to it, more specific advice and more (any) references* to other works of history or political science to back up Snyder's facts and to direct one to further reading. After talking to LW3, who reacted much more favorably to the book than I did, I'm willing to concede that I'm probably asking the book to do things it wasn't intended to do. For many Snyder's book will probably work just as it is meant to and will be a welcome source of advice. For me, it woke up the rattlers in my stomach without making me feel like there was much I could do about it. YMMV.*That is, citations. He does reference other works.
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LibraryThing member xlsg
Short , motivating and convincing
LibraryThing member ericlee
Timothy Snyder is an internationally-recognised expert on tyranny. His previous books have included studies of both right-wing and left-wing tyrannical regimes, focussing on Stalinism and Nazism. So when he writes a book that is, at its core, about Donald Trump, it is time to worry. "Post-truth is
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pre-fascism," he writes, in one of many passages that seem to cast the US as a society in a pre-fascist stage. Most of the 20 "lessons" are quite good, though some are banal (give money to good causes), but the main lesson seems to be this: study history. He's right. Show Less
LibraryThing member 2wonderY
Short and to the point. It's an adequate summary of his very scholarly review of fascism in Black Earth.
LibraryThing member jess_reads
This little book packs a punch. If you’re feeling uneasy about the state of the world, this may not alleviate your fears, but it may better prepare you for thoughtful action to prevent making the same mistakes committed during the previous century. The only reason I call this a "coffee table
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book" is because if it's on your coffee table, you will see it every day, you will think about its message every day, and it will be the starting point of many conversations with people who come to visit. If I had a few hundred dollars, I'd buy copy after copy to hand out to people who want to know why resistance is necessary. Show Less
LibraryThing member open-leadership
Yale historian Timothy Snyder has written a short, accessible political handbook with crisp advice on how to sustain civil society. This pocket-sized book enables quick reference to historical examples of how authoritarian rulers come to power and daily-bread actions for defending our freedoms.
Awards
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Non-Fiction — 2017)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2017
Physical description
128 p.; 6.23 inches
ISBN
0804190119 / 9780804190114