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  • On Tyranny

  • Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century
  • By: Timothy Snyder
  • Narrated by: Timothy Snyder
  • Length: 1 hr and 45 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (347 ratings)
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On Tyranny cover art

On Tyranny

By: Timothy Snyder
Narrated by: Timothy Snyder
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Summary

History does not repeat, but it does instruct.

In the 20th century, European democracies collapsed into fascism, Nazism and communism. These were movements in which a leader or a party claimed to give voice to the people, promised to protect them from global existential threats, and rejected reason in favour of myth. European history shows us that societies can break, democracies can fall, ethics can collapse, and ordinary people can find themselves in unimaginable circumstances. History can familiarise, and it can warn. Today we are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to totalitarianism in the 20th century. But when the political order seems imperilled, our advantage is that we can learn from their experience to resist the advance of tyranny. Now is a good time to do so.

©2017 Timothy Snyder (P)2017 Random House
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about On Tyranny

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Why was I so slow to find this excellent manifesto and warning

Having listened to the audio version narrated by the author, I feel powerfully better informed and motivated to join a modern day version of The International Brigade “No passaran!”

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  • 18-04-22

Stimulating and clever

Couldnt put it down. So much well thought out matetial. Very comprehensive. Has had a very profound effect on me.

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very important piece

this book contains valuable information for surviving the current time. please distribute this to your friends

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Mandatory for everyone with a sense of civic duty

This is an important and timely contribution to understanding out turbulent times through lessons from history. #neveragain

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Will buy multiple copies to distribute

Everybody in the Western world needs to read this. Right away.
I'm going to buy multiple copies and distribute them.

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Great and currently important

Loved it enough that I listened through twice in a few days! I'm English and feel quite strongly that young people in Europe and America need to know more history to enable us to maintain our progressive cultures, otherwise dictators may usurp power in a way we currently feel impossible having mentally consigned fascism to the past.

Well worth a listen, and has a recommended reading list in one chapter, so might be worth doing further research.

Well delivered by the author with no production errors!

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Please listen for this

An excellent short book that left me with the felling of "I need to be more active politically and intellectually" . Now I'm gonna finish the author's interview with Sam Harris on Waking Up. Actually, I would also recommend that you subscribe to that podcast.

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Important, concise and well informed

Something everyone should read and consider. An important summary of key learnings from history. This book is to the point, concise, well informed and feels very important for people to read in the current political landscape. It has practical solutions that leave the feeling empowered to act rather than overwhelmed. I found the information about patriotism vs nationalsim as well as inevitable and eternal really interesting.

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Such an important read.

Truly a book of the moment. Concise and accessible. Essential reading for anyone concerned about the rise of popish and, despite its ills, the future of democracy.

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Thought provoking!

A well argued and timely book which could well turn out to be prescient if we’re not careful.

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