Strongmen cover art

Strongmen

How They Rise, Why They Succeed, How They Fall

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Strongmen

By: Ruth Ben-Ghiat
Narrated by: Chloe Cannon
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About this listen

Ours is the age of the strongman. Russia, India, Turkey and America are ruled by men who, as they have risen to the top, have reshaped their countries around them, creating cults of personality which earn the loyalty of millions. And as they do so, they draw on a playbook of behaviour established by figures such as Benito Mussolini, Muammar Gaddafi and Adolf Hitler.

Here, political historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat draws on analysis of everything from everything from gender to corruption and propaganda to explain who these political figures are - and how they manipulate our own history, fears and desires in search of power at any cost.

©2020 Ruth Ben-Ghiat (P)2020 Hachette Audio UK Politics & Government United States World Socialism Middle East Russia Imperialism Soviet Union Iran Liberalism Military Social justice Capitalism War
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I think it is a robot speaking. At least it sounded like. Or it was heavily edited.
However I do like the book itself.

The story is good. I like the book. But the reading is very bad.

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The narrative engendered in me a real and palpable fear for the future of democracy as the lines between all the political belief blur. The cult of the leader seems a pervasive and corrupting sameness even in a democracy.

To fear the future

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The monotone of the reader sounds like a bored ‘Siri’ trying to rush through the book as have something better to do. Disappointing, as otherwise would be fascinating and informative to listen to.

Terrible narration

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