How to Thrive Under Autocracy: A Guide from Masha Gessen

dshaw: This book is a must-read for those interested in the subject.

United States on Jun 29, 2023

Rodney T. Dranfield: Very well written being clear and concise.

Canada on Apr 12, 2022

Khloe Co.: Well written and interesting views!

Germany on Nov 12, 2021

Sam Weller: I am half way through "Surviving Autocracy". It is thoughtful and silencing in its dissection of Trump, his rise to power and the world's seeming inability to stiffle his continuance and influence. To cage this mendacious Jabberwock, one must know the true nature of the beast, the habits it surrounds itself with, and tactics and means it uses to survive. Gessen adroitly lists and explains the autocratic tendencies Trump employs and the new twists and turns he draws upon to usurp power.

My only complaint so far with this book is the unnecessary attack on White House reporter April Ryan. Gessen's claim is that Ryan's engagement with Sarah Sanders in a gotcha game made her complicit to a lying administration by making the game more important than the questions about North Korea that day. Not fair. Easy to pass judgement sitting in a room somewhere, typing away, and not standing in the presence of those who issue passes and select who they call on. April Ryan had up to that point stood firm on the few press opportunities with Trump, and she had been attacked by him for doing so.

When I came upon this passage in the book where she offers some praise for Ryan, only to find...

United States on Oct 10, 2020

ChickADee23: I purchased "Surviving Autocracy" because I was feeling very concerned about what's going on today and wanted some real insight. At first, I didn't 'get it', I impatiently thought, "I know, I know! but tell me what to do, how to....survive..this." and was just upset (I guess I was looking for instant answers! Ha-ha, wouldn't we all like that!) - but then I started reading one of Gessen's other books, "Ester and Ruzya: How My Grandmothers Survived Hitler's War and Stalin's Peace". After reading that one almost nonstop, I returned to "Surviving Autocracy" with a much deeper and complex understanding, or at least ability to consider, the gravity of the situation unfolding today. I think the reason I was able to benefit from one book, is that I also had the other, so, if you're really trying to understand what's going on...get 'em both ! And maybe some of the Masha Gessen's other works as well...

United States on Aug 28, 2020

John H: A brilliant dissection of how Trump has grabbed the levers of power and how the US constitution has failed to check or balance his project. The question not asked is why do people vote for and support him. It is pity that the author's fierce intelligence and huge knowledge spent no time considering this.

United Kingdom on Aug 09, 2020

Amazon Customer: The author has lived in the Soviet Union and has personal and intimate knowledge as well as the historical rise of an autocracy . As Churchill did warn about the rise and threat of Nazism take heed and be warned!!

Canada on Jul 31, 2020

TimCRNA: I have been following Masha Gessen for about 3 years now, so I know how she thinks and what she has been through herself. I have a deep respect for her. I would simply be repeating what most of the other reviewers have already said. One thing I do appreciate for the first time as a 72 year old white ex-Republican American, that she clearly shows us, is our whole government is based on very fragile norms and institutions that are easily subverted by one or two strong and corrupt men. And we are seeing that play out right in front of us in DJT and Bill Barr. The subversion and delay of justice, and the perversion and destruction of our institutions. And the only response of the Democrats and "woke" Republicans? Hand wringing. Never ending and constant news cycles about what is being done at the hands of a few wealthy oligarchs. But hand wringing changes nothing. And they are powerless to do anything. And Trump, Barr and the White Christian Right lawyers and sycophants know this. And that is what this book shows us. Change the words, lie, create chaos, and people say, "OK! Stop. Do what ever you want. Just let us have some peace! Pass me the vodka and tune me into Netflix." The one...

United States on Jul 15, 2020

bettyparry: This is a book written by Masha Gessen who puts forward the argument in this short dissertation that the institutions have proven up to now incapable of restraining Trump. He has used every trick in the book to exploit all the loopholes in the US constitution to ride roughshod over all normal rules and conventions we thought were inviolate. MG talks about how Trump has manipulated the power of the presidency to move the terms of reference away from democracy towards an acceptance of autocracy. MG gives many examples of this and I will give one. Brian Stelter of CNN is no fan of Trump but he falls into his trap. Stelter says that Trump should show a map of the caravan “invading” from Central America. This would show that Trump is exaggerating the situation, ie. it is not an imminent threat to the US. This is “a threat only about its current potency” rather than stating the moral argument of the war and poverty that they are trying to escape from to a land which accepts “the wretched refuse”. In other words, Stelter through his case, people will assume that they would be a threat to the nation if they were only 20 miles away.
A major argument in the book is the basis...

United Kingdom on Jul 09, 2020

john mccormick: The skills and keen eye of a well regarded journalist and the mind, analytic acumen and knowledge of a scholar. The author takes a flensing knife to the pathologies of the American body politic and our apelike media and renders it in a way only a Russian emigree could; as a somewhat disinterested party and to my mind without bias though many would disagree. The book has many poignant and witty aphorisms whether they were intended as such. The book has no index so I recommend keeping a pencil and paper handy for margin notes. By my lights this is the definitive book on what ails us; our country's slide into the illiberal politics that make trump not only possible but the , dare I use the word , logical result. And let's not forget that her critique of the media, by itself , is worth the price of the book. The author's talent is incisive political writing at its very best, a rare gem of a book indeed.

United States on Jun 28, 2020