On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth CenturyOn Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century
Score Modern
What it's about
Historian Timothy Snyder, an expert on 20th-century Europe, draws twenty lessons from how democracies collapsed into fascism and communism. Each is short and practical: defend institutions, beware the one-party state, believe in truth, be calm when the unthinkable arrives. The Founding Fathers, he argues, tried to guard against tyranny, and we are no wiser than the Europeans who watched democracy give way.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 82 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's a short, clear guide that readers across the political spectrum have found useful and sobering.
You'll love it if you liked
The Origins of Totalitarianism
1984
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi GermanyGood to know
It's about 130 pages and can be read in an evening. Each lesson stands alone, so it's easy to dip into.
By the numbers
- Readers87 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz70 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #25 of the 198 history books we rank
- #87 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #159 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
A Promised Land
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect PredatorsExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century worth reading?
Yes. It spent 82 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #159 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 84.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century about?
Historian Timothy Snyder, an expert on 20th-century Europe, draws twenty lessons from how democracies collapsed into fascism and communism. Each is short and practical: defend institutions, beware the one-party state, believe in truth, be calm when the unthinkable arrives. The Founding Fathers, he argues, tried to guard against tyranny, and we are no wiser than the Europeans who watched democracy give way.
How long does it take to read On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century?
About 3 hours (130 pages), or about 6 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century?
If you liked it, try The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt, 1984 by George Orwell or The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany by William L. Shirer.