From a 2018 post to Facebook that I made:
Finally
started Madeleine Albright's "Fascism: A Warning" and, so far, uh, as
of the end of Ch. 1, liking it lots. If you're not familiar with
Albright's background, she was born just before Hitler invaded Czech.
and they had to flee for their lives. She only found out later how many
family members were gone forever cos of the Holocaust. After a brief
spell of freedom and democracy, her family was forced to flee once
again, this time to America. Not in the mood to do the notes
needed to do a running commentary, but will say so far it's a good,
easy read and quite interesting. BTW, among other prestigious positions,
she served as Sec. of State and UN Ambassador, so she has a bit of
experience to draw from other than her own early life experiences. Give
it a read.
Amazon Book Blurb:
"Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Nonfiction (2018)
"A
personal and urgent examination of Fascism in the twentieth century and
how its legacy shapes today’s world, written by one of America’s most
admired public servants, the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of
state
A Fascist, observes Madeleine Albright, “is
someone who claims to speak for a whole nation or group, is utterly
unconcerned with the rights of others, and is willing to use violence
and whatever other means are necessary to achieve the goals he or she
might have.”
The twentieth century was defined by the clash
between democracy and Fascism, a struggle that created uncertainty about
the survival of human freedom and left millions dead. Given the horrors
of that experience, one might expect the world to reject the spiritual
successors to Hitler and Mussolini should they arise in our era. In Fascism: A Warning,
Madeleine Albright draws on her experiences as a child in war-torn
Europe and her distinguished career as a diplomat to question that
assumption.
Fascism, as she shows, not only endured through the
twentieth century but now presents a more virulent threat to peace and
justice than at any time since the end of World War II. The momentum
toward democracy that swept the world when the Berlin Wall fell has gone
into reverse. The United States, which historically championed the
free world, is led by a president who exacerbates division and heaps
scorn on democratic institutions. In many countries, economic,
technological, and cultural factors are weakening the political center
and empowering the extremes of right and left. Contemporary leaders
such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un are employing many of the tactics
used by Fascists in the 1920s and 30s.
Fascism: A Warning
is a book for our times that is relevant to all times. Written by
someone who has not only studied history but helped to shape it, this
call to arms teaches us the lessons we must understand and the questions
we must answer if we are to save ourselves from repeating the tragic
errors of the past.
320 pages, ebook
First published April 9, 2018
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