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How to Read Nonfiction Like a Professor: A Smart, Irreverent Guide to Biography, History, Journalism, Blogs, and Everything in Between
by Thomas C FosterThe New York Times bestselling author of How to Read Literature Like a Professor uses the same skills to teach how to access accurate information in a rapidly changing 24/7 news cycle and become better readers, thinkers, and consumers of media.We live in an information age, but it is increasingly difficult to know which information to trust. Fake news is rampant in mass media, stoked by foreign powers wishing to disrupt a democratic society. We need to be more perceptive, more critical, and more judicious readers. The future of our republic may depend on it. How to Read Nonfiction Like a Professor is more careful, more attentive, more aware reading. On bookstore shelves, one book looks as authoritative as the next. Online, posts and memes don’t announce their relative veracity. It is up to readers to establish how accurate, how thorough, how fair material may be. After laying out general principles of reading nonfiction, How to Read Nonfiction Like a Professor offers advice for specific reading strategies in various genres from histories and biographies to science and technology to social media. Throughout, the emphasis will be on understanding writers’ biases, interrogating claims, analyzing arguments, remaining wary of broad assertions and easy answers, and thinking critically about the written and spoken materials readers encounter. We can become better citizens through better reading, and the time for that is now.
How to Read the Constitution--and Why Teaching Guide (Legal Expert Series)
by Kim WehleAn insightful, urgent, and perennially relevant handbook that lays out in common sense language how the United States Constitution works, and how its protections are eroding before our eyes—essential reading for anyone who wants to understand and parse the constantly breaking news about the backbone of American government.The Constitution is the most significant document in America. But do you fully understand what this valuable document means to you? In How to Read the Constitution and Why Now, legal expert and educator Kimberly Wehle spells out in clear, simple, and common sense terms what is in the Constitution, and most importantly, what it means. In compelling terms, she describes how the Constitution’s protections are eroding—not only in express terms but by virtue of the many legal and social norms that no longer shore up its legitimacy—and why every American needs to heed to this “red flag” moment in our democracy.This invaluable—and timely—resource covers nearly every significant aspect of the Constitution, from the powers of the President and how the three branches of government are designed to hold each other accountable, to what it means to have individual rights—including free speech, the right to bear arms, the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, and the right to an abortion. Finally, the book explains why it has never been more important than now for all Americans to know how our Constitution works—and why, if we don’t step in to protect it now, we could lose its protections forever.How to Read the Constitution and Why Now is essential reading for anyone who cares about maintaining an accountable government and the individual freedoms that the Constitution enshrines for everyone in America—regardless of political party.
How to Read the Constitution—and Why (Legal Expert Series)
by Kim Wehle“A must-read for this era” that lays out in common sense language how the US Constitution works, and how its protections are eroding before our eyes (Jake Tapper, CNN Anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent).The Constitution is the most significant document in America. But do you fully understand what it means to you? In How to Read the Constitution—and Why, legal expert and educator Kimberly Wehle spells out in clear, simple, and common-sense language what is in the Constitution, and most importantly, what it means. In compelling terms and including text from the United States Constitution, she describes how its protections are eroding—not only in express terms but by virtue of the many legal and social norms that no longer shore up its legitimacy—and why every American needs to heed to this “red flag” moment.This invaluable—and timely—resource includes the Constitution in its entirety and covers nearly every significant aspect of the text, from the powers of the President and how the three branches of government are designed to hold each other accountable, to what it means to have individual rights—including free speech, the right to bear arms, the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, and the right to an abortion. Finally, the book explains why it has never been more important than now for all Americans to know how our Constitution works—and why, if we don’t step in to protect it, we could lose its protections forever.How to Read the Constitution—and Why is essential reading for anyone who cares about maintaining an accountable government and the individual freedoms that the Constitution enshrines for everyone in America—regardless of political party.
How to Really be a Brit: The Unofficial Citizenship Test: A fun, fact-filled quiz book to test your knowledge of British culture!
by No Context BritsThis is the perfect gift for the least traditional person in your life - or an affectionate nod to the most!'Whilst the biggest political figures and finest historians have struggled for over a century to truly define what "being British" is, No Context Brits manages to do it five times a week, easily, on Twitter' CAITLIN MORANDo you know what year the Harrier jump jet was developed?What about the name of the first king of Scotland?Surely you must know the contents of the 1969 Bill of Rights?!Don't know the answers? Sorry, according to the Home Office, you're clearly not cut out to be a British Citizen. These inane questions have been posed by the Life in the UK test, more commonly known as the British citizenship test. If only there was an alternative test that wasn't stuck revelling in past glories . . . one that was fun, irreverent and unafraid to offer a glimpse of real life in the UK.How to Really be Brit is the unofficial citizenship test from the beloved No Context Brits Twitter account. You'll find 500 questions taking in every aspect of UK life - from Wrexham to Windrush, Bake Off to Brexit, scotch eggs to the Spice Girls and more.
How to Recruit and Retain Higher Education Students: A Handbook of Good Practice
by Tony Cook Brian S. RushtonHow to Recruit and Retain Higher Education Students is an invaluable resource for academic staff, administrators and policy makers involved in student recruitment and improving student retention. It offers practical advice on how universities can influence the expectations of prospective students, allowing them to make sensible decisions about careers, courses and institutions. Many surveys of students who drop out of university show that most do so out of disappointment. Failing to understand what higher education was about quickly enough, they become confused and frustrated. Dropping out seems the best solution. This book describes a series of practices proven to encourage students to stay on, discussing the background research on student attrition. By preparing students better for their higher education experience, the practices in this book are effective not only in recruiting students but also in matching them to the right institutions and programmes. The practices described range from those reaching out in a broad way to communities of potential students, to university support for pre-entry examinations, to enhanced communication between institutions and applicants. All are described in sufficient detail to allow judgments to be made about how to use and adapt them to suit local needs. How to Recruit and Retain Higher Education Students provides a sound theoretical foundation for research into student retention and provides the necessary underpinning for those academic staff embarking on courses and assists in preparing them for their roles in both teaching and student support.
How to Regulate: A Guide for Policymakers
by Thomas A. LambertMarkets sometimes fail. But so do regulatory efforts to correct market failures. Sometimes regulations reach too far, condemning good activities as well as bad, and sometimes they don't reach far enough, allowing bad behavior to persist. In this highly instructive book, Thomas A. Lambert explains the pitfalls of both extremes while offering readers a manual of effective regulation, showing how the best regulation maximizes social welfare and minimizes social costs. Working like a physician, Lambert demonstrates how regulators should diagnose the underlying disease and identify its symptoms, potential remedies for it, and their side effects before selecting the regulation that offers the greatest net benefit. This book should be read by policymakers, students, and anyone else interested in understanding how the best regulations are crafted and why they work.
How to Rent a Negro
by Damali AyoA hilarious and satirical look at race relations that is almost too close for comfort, this pseudo-guidebook gives both renters and rentals "much-needed" advice and tips on technique. Reframing actual stories, techniques, requests, and responses gathered from the author's more than 30 years of research and experience, tips are provided in step-by-step outlines for renters to get the most for their money, and how rentals can become successful and wealthy, what they should wear, and topics of conversation to avoid. The book also serves up photo-dramatizations of some of the popular approaches covered in the book, handy tip-boxes, frequently asked questions for renters and rentals, a "How do I know if I'm being rented" quiz, a glossary of important terms, and "quickie" insta-rentals for those who need to rent on the go. Punctuated by quotes from former renters, and featuring rental diaries based on real encounters, this satire shocks and amuses, presenting a strikingly stark mirror of human relationships.
How to Retire with Enough Money: And How to Know What Enough Is
by Teresa GhilarducciHere is a single-sit read than can change the course of your retirement. Written by Dr. Teresa Ghilarducci, an economics professor, a retirement and savings specialist, and a trustee to two retiree health-care trusts worth over $54 billion, How to Retire with Enough Money cuts through the confusion, misinformation, and bad policy-making that keeps us spending or saving poorly. It begins with acknowledging what a person or household actually needs to have saved—the rule of thumb is eight to ten times your annual salary before retirement—and how much to expect from Social Security. And then it delivers the basic principles that will make the money grow, including a dozen good ideas to get current expenses under control. Why to “get rid of your guy”—those for-fee (or hidden-fee) financial planners that suck up valuable assets. Why it’s always better to pay off a loan or a mortgage. There are no gimmicks, no magical thinking—just an easy-to-follow program that works.
How to Rig an Election
by Nic Cheeseman Brian KlaasAn engrossing analysis of the pseudo-democratic methods employed by despots around the world to retain control Contrary to what is commonly believed, authoritarian leaders who agree to hold elections are generally able to remain in power longer than autocrats who refuse to allow the populace to vote. In this engaging and provocative book, Nic Cheeseman and Brian Klaas expose the limitations of national elections as a means of promoting democratization, and reveal the six essential strategies that dictators use to undermine the electoral process in order to guarantee victory for themselves. Based on their firsthand experiences as election watchers and their hundreds of interviews with presidents, prime ministers, diplomats, election officials, and conspirators, Cheeseman and Klaas document instances of election rigging from Argentina to Zimbabwe, including notable examples from Brazil, India, Nigeria, Russia, and the United States—touching on the 2016 election. This eye-opening study offers a sobering overview of corrupted professional politics, while providing fertile intellectual ground for the development of new solutions for protecting democracy from authoritarian subversion.
How to Rig an Election
by Nic Cheeseman Brian KlaasAn engrossing analysis of the pseudo-democratic methods employed by despots around the world to retain control Contrary to what is commonly believed, authoritarian leaders who agree to hold elections are generally able to remain in power longer than autocrats who refuse to allow the populace to vote. In this engaging and provocative book, Nic Cheeseman and Brian Klaas expose the limitations of national elections as a means of promoting democratization, and reveal the six essential strategies that dictators use to undermine the electoral process in order to guarantee victory for themselves. Based on their firsthand experiences as election watchers and their hundreds of interviews with presidents, prime ministers, diplomats, election officials, and conspirators, Cheeseman and Klaas document instances of election rigging from Argentina to Zimbabwe, including notable examples from Brazil, India, Nigeria, Russia, and the United States—touching on the 2016 election. This eye-opening study offers a sobering overview of corrupted professional politics, while providing fertile intellectual ground for the development of new solutions for protecting democracy from authoritarian subversion.
How to Ruin a Queen: Marie Antoinette and the Diamond Necklace Affair
by Jonathan BeckmanA tale of greed, lust, deceit, theft on an extraordinary scale, charlatanry, kidnapping, assassination and escape from prison.
How to Rule?: The Arts of Government from Antiquity to the Present
by Grant DuncanA guide through history for those perplexed about the fate of democracy and the government of diverse societies. In war and in peace, amid disruptive change and during reconstruction, a government of people and events will always be called for. But in this age of anxiety and uncertainty, people on the left and the right are losing confidence in governments, elections and politicians. Many ask whether democracy has failed, and ponder alternatives. Knowing how to govern, and how to be governed, are necessary for solving collectively our pressing social and ecological problems. This book rediscovers diverse models of government, including the successful statecraft and drastic mistakes of past rulers and their advisers. From ancient to modern times, what methods of government have arisen and succeeded, or what were their fatal flaws? What ethical and political ideas informed the rulers and the ruled? How have states dealt with unexpected calamities or with cultural and religious differences? And what kept things (more or less) running smoothly? Amid rapid change and political dissent, it’s timely to re-examine the ideas and practices that governed large populations and guided their rulers. In an age of political distrust, disruptive populism and global crises, we need to rearm ourselves with knowledge of history and diverse political ideas to better address contemporary problems. This book will appeal to students in political theory, political history, or history of government and public policy.
How to Run A Government: So that Citizens Benefit and Taxpayers Don't Go Crazy
by Michael BarberBillions of citizens around the world are frustrated with their governments. Why is this? And what can we do about it? In this groundbreaking book Michael Barber draws on his wealth of international experience advising political leaders, to show how those in power can make good on their promises. 'Refreshingly ruthless ... has an uplifting brio to it' Economist'Michael Barber is a source of inspiration and wisdom' Andrew Adonis, New Statesman'Excellent ... there is a lot of common sense and practical wisdom ... a breath of fresh air' David Willetts,Standpoint'Barber is the global overlord of public policy ... a record around the world of actually achieving change' Philip Collins, Prospect
How to Run Wars: A Confidential Playbook for the National Security Elite
by Christopher J. Coyne Abigail R. HallA copy of the top-secret memo below recently came into our hands, and we thought we should bring it to your attention! &“Dear National Security Elite: In an ideal world, the public would simply accept whatever their leaders—you, in other words—told them. They would comply with restrictions and mandates, not as a matter of mere obedience, but as a matter of unquestionable patriotic duty. But we don&’t live in an ideal world. And with the fate of the world, especially the world&’s wars, in the hands of our enlightened, benevolent, and eminently responsible national security elite—in your hands, in other words—we can&’t afford to risk opening the conversation to an informed public. And we certainly can&’t risk asking for anything so antiquated as &“consent,&” either. Not when the stakes are this high. You simply must learn: How to control the narrative—every narrative—in your favor; How to completely capture the media and effectively quash dissent; How destroying liberty creates more liberty in the long (long) run; Why top-down economic planning, here and abroad, is your best friend; How to flout international, and of course domestic, law and get away with it; And much, much more... The danger with any book like this is, obviously, that it may fall into the wrong hands. If any member of the general public should happen upon these pages, the consequences would be fatal. After all, people may realize that the national security elite—you, in other words—are not, in fact, all-powerful harbingers of peace... They may realize that you are, literally, a force for good... armed and relentlessly attempting to bend the planet to your noble will. And that realization would be nothing short of disastrous. Don&’t let this book fall into the wrong hands!&” Merciless in their penetrating analysis, Christopher J. Coyne and Abigail Hall have written the satirical portrait of America&’s contemporary military-industrial complex. Drawing inspiration from the 1936 classic How to Run a War, by Bruce W. Knight, this book is a must-read for anyone who would know the truth about America&’s endless wars and the people who run them.... The truth might just set us free. It will certainly make you laugh. Then—really angry.
How to Run a Country: An Ancient Guide for Modern Leaders (Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers)
by Marcus Tullius CiceroTimeless political wisdom from ancient history's greatest statesmanMarcus Cicero, Rome's greatest statesman and orator, was elected to the Roman Republic's highest office at a time when his beloved country was threatened by power-hungry politicians, dire economic troubles, foreign turmoil, and political parties that refused to work together. Sound familiar? Cicero's letters, speeches, and other writings are filled with timeless wisdom and practical insight about how to solve these and other problems of leadership and politics. How to Run a Country collects the best of these writings to provide an entertaining, common sense guide for modern leaders and citizens. This brief book, a sequel to How to Win an Election, gathers Cicero's most perceptive thoughts on topics such as leadership, corruption, the balance of power, taxes, war, immigration, and the importance of compromise. These writings have influenced great leaders—including America's Founding Fathers—for two thousand years, and they are just as instructive today as when they were first written.Organized by topic and featuring lively new translations, the book also includes an introduction, headnotes, a glossary, suggestions for further reading, and an appendix containing the original Latin texts. The result is an enlightening introduction to some of the most enduring political wisdom of all time.
How to Run the World: Charting a Course to the Next Renaissance
by Parag KhannaHere is a stunning and provocative guide to the future of international relations--a system for managing global problems beyond the stalemates of business versus government, East versus West, rich versus poor, democracy versus authoritarianism, free markets versus state capitalism. Written by the most esteemed and innovative adventurer-scholar of his generation, Parag Khanna's How to Run the World posits a chaotic modern era that resembles the Middle Ages, with Asian empires, Western militaries, Middle Eastern sheikhdoms, magnetic city-states, wealthy multinational corporations, elite clans, religious zealots, tribal hordes, and potent media seething in an ever more unpredictable and dangerous storm. But just as that initial "dark age" ended with the Renaissance, Khanna believes that our time can become a great and enlightened age as well--only, though, if we harness our technology and connectedness to forge new networks among governments, businesses, and civic interest groups to tackle the crises of today and avert those of tomorrow. With his trademark energy, intellect, and wit, Khanna reveals how a new mega-diplomacy, consisting of coalitions among motivated technocrats, influential executives, super-philanthropists, cause-mopolitan activists, and everyday churchgoers can assemble the talent, pool the money, and deploy the resources to make the global economy fairer, rebuild failed states, combat terrorism, promote good governance, deliver food, water, health care, and education to those in need, and prevent environmental collapse. With examples taken from the smartest capital cities, most progressive boardrooms, and frontline NGOs, Khanna shows how mega-diplomacy is more than an ad hoc approach to running a world where no one is in charge--it is the playbook for creating a stable and self-correcting world for future generations. How to Run the World is the cutting-edge manifesto for diplomacy in a borderless world.
How to Save Our Town Centres: A Radical Agenda for the Future of High Streets
by Julian DobsonHas the age of the internet killed our high streets? Have our town and city centres become obsolete? How to Save Our Town Centres delves below the surface of empty buildings and ‘shop local’ campaigns to focus on the real issues: how the relationship between people and places is changing; how business is done and who benefits; and how the use and ownership of land affects us all. Written in an engaging and accessible style and illustrated with numerous original interviews, the book sets out a comprehensive and coherent agenda for long-term, citizen-led change. It will be a valuable resource for policymakers and researchers in planning, architecture and the built environment, economic development and community participation.
How to Save a Constitutional Democracy
by Tom Ginsburg Aziz Z. HuqWe can’t afford to be complacent any more: “A formidable book . . . extremely rich in historical examples, case studies, and quantitative data.” —International Journal of Constitutional LawDemocracies are in danger. Around the world, a wave of populist leaders threatens to erode the core structures of democratic self-rule. In the United States, the tenure of Donald Trump marks a decisive turning point for many. What kind of president intimidates jurors, calls the news media the “enemy of the American people,” and seeks foreign assistance investigating domestic political rivals? Many think the Constitution will safeguard us from lasting damage. But is that assumption justified?Drawing on an array of other countries’ experiences, Tom Ginsburg and Aziz Z. Huq show how constitutional rules can both hinder and hasten the decline of democratic institutions. The checks and balances of the federal government, a robust civil society and media, and individual rights—such as those enshrined in the First Amendment—often fail as bulwarks against democratic decline. The sobering reality, they contend, is that the US Constitution’s design makes democratic erosion more, not less, likely. Its structural rigidity has had unforeseen consequence—leaving the presidency weakly regulated and empowering the Supreme Court to conjure up doctrines that ultimately facilitate rather than inhibit rights violations. Even the bright spots in the Constitution—the First Amendment, for example—may have perverse consequences in the hands of a deft communicator who can degrade the public sphere by wielding hateful language banned in many other democracies. We—and the rest of the world—can do better, and the authors conclude by laying out practical steps for how laws and constitutional design can play a more positive role in managing the risk.“This book makes a huge contribution to our understanding of how democracies erode and what institutional reforms would make it harder for authoritarian populists to entrench their power.” —Yascha Mounk, author of The People vs. Democracy“Whereas other recent books on the crisis of American democracy focus on what has gone wrong, Ginsburg and Huq provide us with clear-eyed proposals—including some bold constitutional reforms—for how to fix it.” —Steven Levitsky, New York Times–bestselling coauthor of How Democracies Die
How to Save the West: Ancient Wisdom for 5 Modern Crises
by Spencer KlavanThe coronavirus pandemic conferred enormous power on certain government officials. They have no intention of giving it up.In the space of a few weeks in early 2020, Americans witnessed the imposition of previously unimagined social controls by the biomedical security state—the unelected technocrats who suddenly enjoyed nearly absolute power to incarcerate, isolate, and medicate the entire population. In this chilling new book, a dissident scientist reveals the people and organizations that form the biomedical security state its role in the origin of the pandemic and shaping the government response why it is a threat to science, public health, and individual freedom what can be done to confront and defeat this new Leviathan When covid-19 broke out, Dr. Aaron Kheriaty&’s work put him on the front lines. Realizing that the mental, physical, and economic toll of lockdowns was catastrophic, he began to protest that the cure was worse than the disease—an intolerable heresy. When he refused vaccination because he had natural immunity from a previous infection, the University of California, Irvine, medical school fired him. He fought back, in the courts and in the media, and has become a reliable source of truth amid official obfuscation and censorship. Now it&’s time for all of us to fight back. The deadly and arrogant misrule of the biomedical security state must not become the "new normal."
How to Slay a Dragon: Building a New Russia After Putin
by Mikhail KhodorkovskyMikhail Khodorkovsky is one of the most astute observers of today’s Russia. Imprisoned for a decade in Russia’s prisons on politically motivated charges, he knows all too well the best and the worst of his country. He now lives in exile and, like many Russians who live abroad, he longs for the day when he can return to a free and democratic Russia.This book is Khodorkovsky’s account of what is happening in Russia today and what could happen in the future. Putin will not last forever: sooner or later, there will be a post-Putin era. But Russia’s history has been deeply shaped by an autocratic trap: a revolution against an autocracy has produced another autocracy, followed by another revolution and another autocracy, and so on. If Russia is to find its place as a constructive partner in a global community of civilized nations, then it has to escape this vicious cycle.How to Slay a Dragon is Khodorkovsky’s account of his own journey and of how the vicious cycle of Russian history can be broken. He charts a pathway towards a parliamentary federal republic which would enable Russia to become a free and democratic society, living in peace and without dragons.
How to Sleep at Night: A Novel
by Elizabeth Harris"By turns insightful, poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, How To Sleep at Night is a delight."— J. Courtney Sullivan, New York Times Bestselling author of Friends and Strangers“This wonderful debut is about the rough and tumble road that true love represents for all of us." --James McBride, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store“This debut sparkles with wit and insight. I found myself laughing and gasping in equal measure. A true testament to the complexities of modern relationships—this book is a must-read for anyone who's ever wondered how to bridge the gap between who we are and who we aspire to be." —Dolly AldertonA witty and whip-smart novel about love, marriage, and family ties stretched thin by ambition.Meet Ethan and Gabe. A devoted couple for years, they have successful careers, an adorable daughter, and a house in the New Jersey suburbs. Sure, they may have drifted to different ends of the political spectrum, but their marriage still has its spark. Then one night Ethan makes an announcement: he wants to run for Congress as a Republican—but only if he has progressive Gabe’s blessing. For weeks a slightly queasy Gabe struggles between supporting his husband and maintaining his own lefty ideals. He can feel himself slowly pulled under the tide of Ethan’s ambitions, even as he becomes widely known as a conservative spouse. In a nearby town, suburban mom Nicole wonders what happened to her younger self—living in New York City, freely dating men and women, and on a path to a career in the art world. Nicole feels like an accessory in her husband’s life and like she’s given up on the goals she had for herself. Then an old flame re-enters her life unexpectedly. That woman is Ethan’s sister Kate.A political reporter at a major newspaper, Kate has reached the top of her profession. But the adrenaline rush of chasing a story has lost its thrill. When Nicole—the woman who broke her heart—slides into her DMs just as her brother starts his controversial congressional run, Kate’s life is thrown into a tailspin that threatens to derail the success she’s worked so hard to achieve.“A sharply funny exploration of marriage and ambition, How to Sleep at Night has the feel of whispered secrets exchanged over cocktails with your smartest friend.”–Jenny Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Pineapple Street“This wonderful debut is about the rough and tumble road that true love represents for all of us." — James McBride, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store
How to Stage a Military Coup: From Planning to Execution
by Ken ConnorFed up with taxes? Angered and disappointed by corrupt leaders? How to Stage a Military Coup lays down practical strategies that have proven themselves around the globe. David Hebditch and Ken Connor examine, with a critical eye, successful as well as failed coup attempts throughout the twentieth century with the aim of showing their readers just what it takes to swiftly and soundly overthrow a government. Exploring coups from Nigeria, to Cuba, to Iraq, and with true stories of SAS combat written by Ken Connor, the book gives an insightful glimpse into this violent and rarely-seen world of shifting power. How to Stage a Military Coup is a unique textbook for the armchair revolutionary, as well as a practical guide for the idealist with a soft spot for the sound of artillery fire. From evaluation of the political climate and investigation of potential allies, to recruiting and training personnel, to strategies for ensuring timely transfer of power, the book leaves no aspect of the coup unexamined. This new edition features a new introduction from the authors and a new foreword from an expert in the field, and also includes appendixes, notes, and a world map of coups.
How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future
by Maria RessaIntroduction by Amal ClooneyFrom the recipient of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, an impassioned and inspiring memoir of a career spent holding power to account. Maria Ressa is one of the most renowned international journalists of our time. For decades, she challenged corruption and malfeasance in her native country, the Philippines, on its rocky path from an authoritarian state to a democracy. As a reporter from CNN, she transformed news coverage in her region, which led her in 2012 to create a new and innovative online news organization, Rappler. Harnessing the emerging power of social media, Rappler crowdsourced breaking news, found pivotal sources and tips, harnessed collective action for climate change, and helped increase voter knowledge and participation in elections. But by their fifth year of existence, Rappler had gone from being lauded for its ideas to being targeted by the new Philippine government, and made Ressa an enemy of her country’s most powerful man: President Duterte. Still, she did not let up, tracking government seeded disinformation networks which spread lies to its own citizens laced with anger and hate. Hounded by the state and its allies using the legal system to silence her, accused of numerous crimes, and charged with cyberlibel for which she was found guilty, Ressa faces years in prison and thousands in fines. There is another adversary Ressa is battling. How to Stand Up to a Dictator is also the story of how the creep towards authoritarianism, in the Phillipines and around the world, has been aided and abetted by the social media companies. Ressa exposes how they have allowed their platforms to spread a virus of lies that infect each of us, pitting us against one another, igniting, even creating, our fears, anger, and hate, and how this has accelerated the rise of authoritarians and dictators around the world. She maps a network of disinformation—a heinous web of cause and effect—that has netted the globe: from Duterte’s drug wars to America's Capitol Hill; Britain’s Brexit to Russian and Chinese cyber-warfare; Facebook and Silicon Valley to our own clicks and votes.Democracy is fragile. How to Stand Up to a Dictator is an urgent cry for Western readers to recognize and understand the dangers to our freedoms before it is too late. It is a book for anyone who might take democracy for granted, written by someone who never would. And in telling her dramatic and turbulent and courageous story, Ressa forces readers to ask themselves the same question she and her colleagues ask every day: What are you willing to sacrifice for the truth?
How to Start a Revolution: Young People and the Future of American Politics
by Lauren DucaTeen Vogue award-winning columnist Lauren Duca shares a smart and funny guide for challenging the status quo in a much-needed reminder that young people are the ones who will change the world.A columnist at Teen Vogue, Lauren Duca has become a fresh and authoritative voice on the experience of millennials in today’s society. In these pages she explores the post-Trump political awakening and lays the groundwork for a re-democratizing moment as it might be built out of the untapped potential of young people. Duca investigates and explains the issues at the root of our ailing political system and reimagines what an equitable democracy would look like. It begins with young people getting involved. People like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever to be elected to Congress; David and Lauren Hogg, two survivors of the Parkland, Florida shooting who went on to become advocates for gun control; Amanda Litman, who founded the nonprofit organization Run For Something, to assist progressive young people in down ballot elections; and many more. Called “the millennial feminist warrior queen of social media” by Ariel Levy and “a national newsmaker” by The New York Times, Dan Rather agrees “we need fresh, intelligent, and creative voices—like Lauren’s—now as much—perhaps more—than ever before.” Here, Duca combines extensive research and first-person reporting to track her generation’s shift from political alienation to political participation. Throughout, she also draws on her own story as a young woman catapulted to the front lines of the political conversation (all while figuring out how to deal with her Trump-supporting parents).
How to Start a Revolution: Young People and the Future of Politics
by Lauren DucaIN NOVEMBER 2016, MANY PEOPLE WOKE UP TO A WORLD THEY DIDN'T RECOGNIZE: A NEW PRESIDENT WAS IN POWER. TWENTY-FOUR HOUR NEWS COVERAGE AND SOCIAL MEDIA UNFOLDED LIKE A HORROR FILM. ALL AT ONCE, EVERYTHING CHANGED.In 2016, Journalist Lauren Duca produced a piece for Teen Vogue titled 'Donald Trump is Gaslighting America'. It went viral and signaled a shift for millennials from political alienation to political participation.In How to Start a Revolution, Duca investigates and explains the issues at the root of an ailing political system and explores how millennials are the key to political change, providing knowledge and tools for how to make the most of a political awakening.'Lauren Duca is the millennial feminist warrior queen of social media. I cannot wait to hear more from this fearless and important new voice' Ariel Levy, author of Female Chauvinist Pigs'Lauren Duca is the kind of writer that makes you cackle, cheer, and, more important, confront where we are and where we need to go as a culture' Janet Mock