Erasing History

By: Jason Stanley

Narrated by: Dion Graham

Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

“I’ve never read a book that is as timely, urgent and essential as this one. A battle plan for keeping this nation from falling into fascism.”—Khalil Gibran Muhammad, author of The Condemnation of Blackness

From the bestselling author of How Fascism Works, a searing confrontation with the far right’s efforts to rewrite history and undo a century of progress on race, gender, sexuality, and class.

The human race finds itself again under threat of a rising global fascist movement. In the United States, democracy is under attack by an authoritarian movement that has found fertile ground among the country’s conservative politicians and voters, but similar movements have found homes in the hearts and minds of people all across the globe. To understand the shape, form, and stakes of this assault, we must go back to extract lessons from our past.

Democracy requires a common understanding of reality, a shared view of what has happened, that informs ordinary citizens’ decisions about what should happen, now and in the future. Authoritarians target this shared understanding, seeking to separate us from our own history to destroy our self-understanding and leave us unmoored, resentful, and confused. By setting us against each other, authoritarians represent themselves as the sole solution.

In authoritarian countries, critical examination of those nations’ history and traditions is discouraged if not an outright danger to those who do it. And it is no accident that local and global institutions of education have become a battleground, the authoritarian right’s tip of the spear, where learning and efforts to upend a hierarchal status quo can be put to end by coercion and threats of violence. Democracies entrust schools and universities to preserve a common memory of positive change, generated by protests, social movements, and rebellions. The authoritarian right must erase this history, and, along with it, the very practice of critical inquiry that has so often been the engine of future progress.

In Erasing History, Yale professor of philosophy Jason Stanley exposes the true danger of the authoritarian right’s attacks on education, identifies their key tactics and funders, and traces their intellectual roots. He illustrates how fears of a fascist future have metastasized, from hypothetical threat to present reality. And he shows that hearts and minds are won in our schools and universities—places, he explains, that democratic societies across the world are now ill-prepared to defend against the fascist assault currently underway.

Deeply informed and urgently needed, Erasing History is a global call to action for those who wish to preserve democracy—in America and abroad—before it is too late.

©2024 Jason Stanley (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Required reading.

The US Congress should be required to read and test out on this book. If they fail, they resign.

A important book

Jason Stanley’s clear vision of how and why authoritarianism is rising should be required reading in all high schools.

A Chilling and Necessary Examination of Historical Manipulation

Jason Stanley’s Erasing History is an urgent, illuminating exploration of how fascist regimes manipulate and rewrite the past to seize control of the future. As someone deeply interested in the relationship between history and power, this book provided me with both a historical perspective and a chillingly contemporary lens through which to view current events.

Stanley masterfully dissects how fascist movements, both past and present, systematically distort historical narratives to promote nationalist agendas, erase inconvenient truths, and foster an “us vs. them” mentality. He traces these tactics from the rise of fascism in the early 20th century to the increasingly bold revisionism we see in today’s global politics. It’s a disturbing reminder of how fragile truth can be, particularly in an era of fake news, manipulated media, and divisive rhetoric.

What stood out most to me is how Stanley connects these historical manipulations to modern-day issues, making this book not just about the past but about the present and future. The use of technology and social media to spread disinformation is especially relevant, and Stanley does a fantastic job highlighting the dangers we face if we don’t actively guard against the rewriting of our shared histories.

I appreciated the clear, accessible writing and Stanley’s ability to make complex political and historical analysis digestible for a broad audience. Whether you’re a scholar of history, a casual reader, or someone concerned about the rise of authoritarianism, this book will open your eyes to the crucial importance of preserving historical truth.

If you care about the future of democracy, public memory, and the role history plays in shaping our identities, Erasing History is essential reading. Jason Stanley has delivered a thought-provoking, powerful call to action—one that feels more urgent than ever.

Thought-provoking

I learned a lot about the histories of peoples that I was unaware of. Cemented my concerns about the right wing destruction of our own history. And enjoyable listen.

Incredibly relevant and historically rich

Add this to your reading list immediately — whether you’re well-versed in the topic or entirely new and curious, all audiences will find value in this piece. Thank you Jason, expect an email with my praises shortly.

History is needed to inform the present.

Totalitarian governments try to whitewash history so that their side is justified in what they have done or that it
never happened . Understanding the reality of the past allows us to make informed decisions about the future.

Excellent and compelling

Excellent book that explains how America came to be so divisive. Everyone who is worried about the future of democracy in America should read it.

The bias attitude of the author

I found the book to have some interesting points but also rather bias to fit the authors veiws or personal opinions