On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From The Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder, a Book Review

“In politics, being deceived is no excuse.” – Leszek Kolakowski

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From The Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder is a MUST-READ for everyone at this perilous time in American history. It is a short book that will take you no more than one to two hours to read. I could not put it down.

I read this book in May and was not able to write a review then. But, with everything that has happened in the United States (and worldwide) since Trump took office, I cannot remain silent. I realize this blog is long overdue, and many people have either already read On Tyranny or have at least heard of it. Nevertheless, I need to give my review here, and to be honest, we now have real examples of what tyranny looks like, as argued perfectly in Snyder’s book.

In twenty short chapters, Snyder summarizes lessons from the 20th century that demonstrate tyranny and what we can do when faced with it. I am not going to lie: the resemblances to what is happening today in the United States and what occurred in the last century, especially in Nazi Germany, are scary. Enter at your own risk, but PLEASE do enter.

The recent attack on free speech by the Trump administration, by bullying ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel because they did not like what he said about Charlie Kirk, is a good example of tyranny. The suppression of speech, which is a constitutional right in the United States, is how authoritarian governments control the information and the narrative they want you to believe. Do not accept it.

Another example discussed in On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder is the stigmatizing of the “other.” For example, the vilifying of all immigrants as criminals or “murderers and rapists,” as stated by the US President, is a fascist move. The constant barrage of propaganda about immigrants eventually causes division between people and creates an irrational hatred of others. In Nazi Germany, Hitler claimed the Jews were parasites over and over again. Eventually, the Gestapo and the executioners believed this. And as awful as it is for me to write, if you repeat a lie a thousand times, people will believe it. Do not accept this. See through the manipulation and seek the truth.

A third way tyrannical regimes try to take control is the systematic breakdown of established institutions. It took Hitler less than a year to establish the new Nazi order in Germany in 1933, and Trump is following the madman’s lead. The Trump administration has canceled or cut research grants to public universities in the billions, thereby eliminating or reducing funds for climate, medical, and social science studies, for example.

In addition, we cannot forget what Elon Musk and his DOGE team did earlier this year. They have fired thousands of employees from several government agencies and are now hiring them back. Who would have known that gutting workplaces would create broken and understaffed situations? They are systematically eroding our institutions that protect us from tyranny. Once again, be aware and do not comply.

“To abandon facts is to abandon freedom. If nothing is true, then no one can criticize power, because there is no basis upon which to do so. If nothing is true, then all is spectacle. The biggest wallet pays for the most blinding lights.”

– Timothy Snyder in On Tyranny

The Trump administration wants nothing less than what is outlined in Project 2025. The goal is to dismantle current government institutions, one by one, and replace them with authoritarian versions. Here is a timeline of Project 2025 that shows what has already been accomplished and what is left to do. The way to fight all this is to NOT OBEY IN ADVANCE, as stated clearly in Snyder’s book.

I highly recommend On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From The Twentieth Century to every American, no matter your political views. I suggest reading this book now to understand what is happening in the United States, especially if you value freedom and democracy. On Tyranny is a needed resource for students studying any discipline under politics or history, as is obvious.

A bit about the author, Timothy Snyder:

Truly an incredible and accomplished man, Timothy Snyder is the Richard C. Levin Professor of History and Global Affairs at Yale University and a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna.

He is a scholar of the history of Central and Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and the Holocaust. He has written 16 books, including six on Ukraine. His work, published in forty languages, has earned him four honorary doctorates. He is also the recipient of many prestigious awards and prizes from many countries, including the Emerson Prize in the Humanities, the Literature Award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Václav Havel Foundation Prize, the Foundation for Polish Science Prize, and more.

Dr. Snyder writes and speaks on American politics, strategies for averting authoritarianism, digital politics, health, and education. He is an ambassador to United 24, where he launched the Safe Skies fund for military defense of Ukraine. His latest book is On Freedom, which I have not read yet.

To purchase On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, or to learn more about the accomplishments of Timothy Snyder, visit his website: www.timothysnyder.org.

© Copyright Vilma G. Reynoso 2025