Strongmen

Mussolini to the Present

By: Ruth Ben-Ghiat

Narrated by: Chloe Cannon

Ruth Ben-Ghiat is the expert on the "strongman" playbook employed by authoritarian demagogues from Mussolini to Putin. In Strongmen, she lays bare the blueprint these leaders have followed over the past 100 years, and empowers us to recognize, resist, and prevent their disastrous rule in the future. 

For ours is the age of authoritarian rulers: self-proclaimed saviors of the nation who evade accountability while robbing their people of truth, treasure, and the protections of democracy. They promise law and order, then legitimize lawbreaking by financial, sexual, and other predators. They use propaganda, corruption, and violence to stay in power. 

Vladimir Putin and Mobutu Sese Seko's kleptocracies, Benito Mussolini and Muammar Gaddafi's systems of sexual exploitation, and Silvio Berlusconi and Donald Trump's relentless misinformation: all show how authoritarian rule, far from ensuring stability, is marked by destructive chaos. 

Recounting the acts of solidarity and dignity that have undone strongmen over the past 100 years, Ben-Ghiat makes vividly clear that only by seeing the strongman for what he is - and by valuing one another as he is unable to do - can we stop him, now and in the future.

©2020 Ruth Ben-Ghiat (P)2020 Kalorama

Listening to the narrator was difficult.

The information is compelling and important and terrifying. Unfortunately the narrative had pauses in odd places as well as a fairly monotone delivery. I needed to relisten to many parts for clarity.

Hard to hear

Comparisons between autocratic leaders such as Mussolini, Hitler, Putin and Trump are almost too scary to hear.

It’s predictable

Excellent historical analysis and comparisons. Trump’s actions and propaganda personify the profile of a strongman. Violence and hate is not only patriotic it’s morally righteousness. Trump is a hero & victim. Didn’t like the reader but message is an a warning of what is upon us.

Brought the authoritarian model full circle

Excellent book. Really made me recognize the parallels between historical authoritarianism and where we as a country are today. The psychological tools authoritarian leaders use and the conditions they create was topical and relevant.

Bland Narration

This was one tough slog, but the material is important and it’s interesting. The reader - - I would be overly generous to refer to her as a narrator - - made it very difficult to maintain focus on the material. Such a boring, bland delivery. Siri would have been better to listen to reading this book. She should not be a narrator. Whatever her gifts and skills are, reading aloud to an audience is not one of them.