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  • Twilight of Democracy

  • The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism
  • Written by: Anne Applebaum
  • Narrated by: Anne Applebaum
  • Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (108 ratings)

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Twilight of Democracy

Written by: Anne Applebaum
Narrated by: Anne Applebaum
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Publisher's Summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • "How did our democracy go wrong? This extraordinary document ... is Applebaum's answer."—Timothy Snyder, author of On Tyranny

The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian explains, with electrifying clarity, why elites in democracies around the world are turning toward nationalism and authoritarianism.

From the United States and Britain to continental Europe and beyond, liberal democracy is under siege, while authoritarianism is on the rise. In Twilight of Democracy, Anne Applebaum, an award-winning historian of Soviet atrocities who was one of the first American journalists to raise an alarm about antidemocratic trends in the West, explains the lure of nationalism and autocracy. In this captivating essay, she contends that political systems with radically simple beliefs are inherently appealing, especially when they benefit the loyal to the exclusion of everyone else. Elegantly written and urgently argued, Twilight of Democracy is a brilliant dissection of a world-shaking shift and a stirring glimpse of the road back to democratic values. 

©2020 Anne Applebaum (P)2020 Random House Audio

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    3 out of 5 stars

Not her best work

Anne Applebaum is a great historian, but this is not a work of history. It’s a short, critical monograph aimed mostly at Right-wing Authoritarianism. She lost me at her Britain chapter, where she subtly includes Roger Scruton into the vehement pro-Brexit camp. Better books can, and should be written, about the rising tide of Right-wing Authoritarianism in the West. This one, unfortunately, is not one of them.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Mandatory Reading

Thoughtful and well articulated warnings of the ongoing demise of the greatest gifts from the greatest generation. This is a must read.

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an insightful book

enjoyed the narration and Ms Applebaum's voice and delivery, it very much lined up with how i imagined her to be from reading her columns

i don't agree with everything Ms Applebaum has to say about the left (probably more a question of degree) and the American projection of their power (if more people in positions to do something had the idealism that Applebaum espouses on this issue i might be swayed) i am with her on her analysis and insights regarding current events, issues and governments.
i think she is one of the more or even most insightful observers and commenters currently commenting on these issues and also follow her columns for theatlantic.com
will stand with her to fight the good fight for a better more inclusive world and against nihilism.
thankyou Anne Applebaum

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Not a lot of hope and joy

She knits together a history of events that, though not very hopeful, may alert us to the paths not to take as we head into the future. She exhorts us to care and act. Thank you for your work.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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One Sided View of the World

If you believe in globalism, then this book is for you. Not much good to say about those who believe in protectionism. To me, it sounds like the author is exactly the kind of elite that populist groups rally against.

I did appreciate her comments about how friends of twenty years ago can't even speak to one another now because political positions become entrenched. I'm afraid that is now too real and I wish we could reverse that trend.


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An insider's quality observations

Anne has got it all right. And the angle of her view somewhere from Liberal Center, from best times of the Western Civilization, yes - from year 2000 AD. Narrator is good, sometime sounds overworked.

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Totally absorbing book

The author examines the concept why authoritarianism is so seductive to formerly liberal-minded people. Those who lived in formerly totalitarian countries were expecting democracy to lead to happiness, more money , fulfilling jobs etc. So when the Soviet era collapsed they cheered and embraced ‘democracy’. But democracy is messy. Decisions are not clear and negotiations as well as political decisions mean compromise. People often prefer to be told what to do than to find a consensus that doesn’t fully satisfy anyone
The examples in Hungary really spoke to me as I am am immigrant who came to Canada. Then we saw the changes in Hungary and going back to elitism and totalitarianism.
The author is an amazing story teller/historian. She traces her personal experiences in Poland and US ans UK and describes the political and social changes after 2000.

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informative on Poland and Hungary

Very interesting story of the author's personal experience and connections in Poland, Hungary, and Brittain. Short on experience and facts on the U.S. I share her distaste for authoritarianism and was sad to hear her insider's perspective on Poland and Hungary. Would have preferred more facts and details and fewer generalizations throughout.

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