On Tyranny

Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

By: Timothy Snyder

Narrated by: Timothy Snyder

Length: 1 hr and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A “bracing” (Vox) guide for surviving and resisting America’s turn towards authoritarianism, from “a rising public intellectual unafraid to make bold connections between past and present” (The New York Times)

“Timothy Snyder reasons with unparalleled clarity, throwing the past and future into sharp relief. He has written the rare kind of book that can be read in one sitting but will keep you coming back to help regain your bearings.”—Masha Gessen

The Founding Fathers tried to protect us from the threat they knew, the tyranny that overcame ancient democracy. Today, our political order faces new threats, not unlike the totalitarianism of the twentieth century. We are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to fascism, Nazism, or communism. Our one advantage is that we might learn from their experience.

On Tyranny is a call to arms and a guide to resistance, with invaluable ideas for how we can preserve our freedoms in the uncertain years to come.

©2017 Timothy Snyder (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

A Washington Post Notable Book

“We are rapidly ripening for fascism. This American writer leaves us with no illusions about ourselves.”—Svetlana Alexievich, Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature

“Please read this book. So smart, so timely.”—George Saunders

“Timothy Snyder reasons with unparalleled clarity, throwing the past and future into sharp relief. He has written the rare kind of book that can be read in one sitting but will keep you coming back to help regain your bearings.”—Masha Gessen

Fabulous and insightful book! I hope everyone reads it!

It's concise, insightful, and particularly timely in today's political climate. I liked that it was narrated by Timothy Snyder himself, and thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. I will be recommending it to all my friends!

A Primer from the past for the future

A short but handy summary of ideas and lessons that are touched on in a precise and clear manner. As a primer it acts as a touching off point for deeper development of each of the 20 lessons.

Timothy Snyder is absolutely brilliant.

This book couldn't be more timely and offers practical advice for dealing with the insanity of the current rise of fascism. A+

not exactly a bedtime read

relevance leaps off every page/sentence. if you're not nervous now...clarifies what we are seeing by defining - not just using - all the jargon.

Everyone needs to read this book

A fantastic, succinct, and meaningful collection. Don't just read this book, make it a tradition to re-read it often.

So Powerful. So Relevant. So Important!

Would you listen to On Tyranny again? Why?

I've listened to this short audiobook about 7 times now. Each time, I absorb something new.

What other book might you compare On Tyranny to and why?

I listened to a Great Course about the 1st amendment and our rights as Citizens of the U.S. I found several parallels and compliments.

Which scene was your favorite?

I don't remember the number, but the one that recommends taking a more active role in your community. This book inspired my wife and I to engage in our community and the experience has been most rewarding.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was shocked, and a bit scared the first time. Each successive read brought me further understanding, and has helped to open my else to our world and the motivations of many leaders.

Any additional comments?

Of you're on the fence. Please stop hesitating and get this book. It is absolutely worth it!

Exceptional and timely

This is an amazing book. Perfect for our time. Fascinating and chilling at the same time. Highly recommended.

The chill of death.

This book gave me the chill of death. Here’s why you vote, you who don’t. You vote because the next elections may be our last.

On Point!

The author and I seemingly have very similar beliefs.
The best part is this is narrated by the author himself.

Very topical and interesting

I loved it. I hope he does an update soon. The reading performance was generally good, but a little monotone.